Transforming Aspen Valley Hospital's Corporate Magazine into a Heat-Seeking Marketing Missile
Learn the strategy behind a +2,300% increase in readership + engagement.
Lisa Prior, co-founder of Confluence Healthcare Marketing shares her strategy behind the successful re-branding of Aspen Valley Hospital’s corporate vanity magazine from Health Matters into a patient-centric healthy lifestyle publication, Healthy Journey by Aspen Valley Hospital. It was not an easy sell — it took over a year to get C-suite buy-in. The results, however, speak for themselves.
A Video Flip Through the Magazine
“Health Matters was an ROI disaster for our lean marketing team,” says Prior, who spearheaded this project as Senior Brand Strategist at Aspen Valley Hospital. “Too many hours, to few readers. The big question was, could this publication pull its weight with a complete overhaul? Or was time to pull the plug?”
Building a Trojan Horse
By leading with the patient and community in mind, we built content sections focusing on healthy lifestyle articles, puzzles, seasonal recipes, craft projects for kids, and then, a bit of hospital news. With a wealth of “keepable information,” the magazine acted as a "Trojan Horse" to bring brand awareness right into readers’ homes.
“I’m always looking for ways to organically embed marketing content, or what I call building my marketing “Trojan Horses.” They slip in unnoticed and get the job done.”
The Playbook
Goals
We anchored each transformation goal with a defined KPI (key performance indicator) to measure results.
1. Transition to a patient-centric publication focusing on the unique interests of the Roaring Fork Valley community to increase its value as a marketing asset.
2. Establish the magazine as a valuable resource for patients across the Aspen Valley Hospital healthcare system and within the wider Roaring Fork Valley community.
3. Enhance reader engagement and retention with compelling and timely content reflective of the local lifestyle.
4. Create brand lift for all off-site clinics and services in the Aspen Valley Hospital Network of Care.
5. Increase demand across all distribution points with printed copies on-site and across our network of clinics and partners; and digital distribution vehicles optimized to measure CTR’s (click-through rates) on social media posts and display ads, eNewsletter articles, website pop-up notifications and mailer QR code activations driving traffic to the online version hosted at issuu.com.
Strategies
Diversify Content by expanding the magazine's editorial to include a wide range of topics to focus on health and wellness interests that align with the Roaring Fork Valley demographic, one of the healthiest communities in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.
Content: “The Horse”
Cover Story - Comprehensive healthy lifestyle topic, e.g., women’s health issue
Feature 1 - Health interest deep-dive, e.g., pregnancy
A grateful patient interview
Healthy activity recommendations for every age and stage of life
Seasonal safety tips for camping, hiking, mountain biking and of course skiing and snowboarding from Trauma Program clinicians
Healthy aging and longevity tips
Seasonal interests and activities such as wildflower identification and summer reading lists
Brain health puzzles - word search and sudoku
Healthy recipes from the clinical nutritionist team
And because MOMS are the key drivers of healthcare decision-making:
Kids Crafting section with activity ideas
A QR code for downloadable coloring pages (a low-cost value-add)
Content: “The Trojans”Feature 2 - Hospital News
Hospital Events
Three strategically placed hospital and specialty clinic ads
“You really have to tune into the rhythm of your community’s lives. Not every health system publication is going to need a preseason ski conditioning workout guide, but it’s a “thing” here in our area.”
Establish Design Aesthetics by building a comprehensive creative brief with visual examples of typography, color palette, photography, illustrations and icons.
The Look
The design brief included the subtle use of Bauhaus visual and typography elements, a proud nod to the Aspen area’s connection with Bauhaus artist, designer and architect, Herbert Bayer. “As I grew up in Aspen, I knew that not every community member needed to know their art history, but that they would recognize certain textures, shapes and colors that would feel like home,” said Prior.
The Feel
We wanted Healthy Journey to stand side-by-side with publications at newsstands such asOutside Magazine andAfar. So that meant ditching the saddle-bound version with its thick glossy pages screaming “ vanity publication.” We opted for a perfect-bound magazine with a lighter paper weight and a semi-matte finish. It looks and feels like a proper magazine.
Let us design a heat-seeking marketing missile for your hospital or clinic.
Let’s Get Started
Hyper-Localize every aspect of the layout so that it creates visual appeal that makes sense to the community:
Incorporation of local, captivating photography - showcasing staff talent where possible
Weaving in high-quality illustrations and infographics
Generous use of white space so the design elements and copy can breathe
Creation of interactive elements such as downloadable content and app recommendations
“I would recommend to anyone trying to hyper-localize a project to find someone within the organization to consult who has strong ties to the community,” says Prior. Often hospital volunteers are goldmines of information for the hospital and the community they serve.”
Create a strategic distribution plan with measurable KPIs.
Ensure every hospital department and off-site clinic keeps a well-stocked supply of magazines so patients are encouraged to take a copy home.
Measure the number of magazines pulled from physical sites with each new edition.
Publish on issuu.com, a digital magazine distribution service to improve accessibility and reach a broader audience across different devices. The Issuu platform offers analytics to measure engagement.
Mail drop postcards with a QR code linking to the digital issue to reach all households in the community. Include a UTM or tracking pixel in the QR code to track back to the mailer.
Engage a magazine drop service to distribute physical copies in key locations throughout the area. Set a benchmark for how many magazines are pulled at the end of the magazine run to evaluate whether this additional cost is a good ROI.
Promote the magazine on digital and social channels with links to issuu.com. Use tracking pixels to measure source and volume.
Gather data from previous e-Newsletters to set a benchmark for previous magazine promotion CTRs and measure results.Stellar Outcomes: a Staggering 2,300% Increase in Engagement
From hospital brag-rag to serving the needs of the community.
A healthy journey to care for the whole person.
A Hail Mary Success Story
A Hail Mary Success Story
The transformation of Aspen Valley Hospital's vanity magazine into a healthy lifestyle publication proved to be worth the effort. Aligning with the wellness needs and mountain lifestyle preferences of the Roaring Fork Valley community was a hit. By embedding valuable health information within a captivating and engaging format, the magazine fosters community enrichment and empowers readers to embrace a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle. And the cherry on the cake was getting hospital news and services content through the gate and into people’s homes, computers and phones.
Increased Demand
The magazine's transformation into a "Trojan Horse" packed with valuable content resonated with readers across Aspen Valley Hospital, Aspen Valley Primary Care, After-Hour Medical Care in Basalt, and Snowmass Clinic, leading to heightened demand and engagement across all channels.
The first edition saw an increase of 2300% visits to the Issue.com electronic edition alone, significantly outperforming expectations.
Community Enrichment
Readers lauded the magazine for its insightful articles, helpful tips, and engaging features, which catered to the unique lifestyle and interests of the people who live, work and play in the Roaring Fork Valley.
Patient Empowerment
The magazine emerged as a trusted resource for patients seeking health information and lifestyle inspiration, empowering them to make informed decisions and embrace a holistic approach to wellness.
Brand Affirmation
Aspen Valley Hospital's commitment to community health and well-being was reinforced through the magazine's evolution, further solidifying its reputation as a leading healthcare provider and community partner in the Roaring Fork Valley.
“Clinician buy-in was key. Giving names and faces to the content was the real success. And not just for the magazine but as a bridge to our community.”
5 Questions to Help You Create or Re-brand Your Healthcare System or Clinic Publications
Are you cultivating meaningful relationships with your clinical staff so you can get buy-in for content creation? A cold (out of the blue) ask is a hard no.
What design elements, like textures and shapes unite your community? These could be a local landmark - something that everyone would recognize.
Are you trying to cram in too much “vanity” information about your organization?
Where can you pair back to the essentials, use bullet points and infographics?
Is your current publication something you want to read, bring home and put on your coffee table to flip through again?
