Featured Case Study

Executive Summary

Private practice therapist Charles Ehrhardt was looking to grow his monthly DadDay classes for new fathers. Because OB/GYNs, midwives, and hospitals were his best source of referrals to expectant parents he needed to create and enhance relationships with these providers.

Through a series of direct mailings and an overhaul of the website and promotional materials DadDay was able to not only increase class attendance, but Ehrhardt was also contacted to give talks and presentations.

Client Profile

DadDay is a program helmed by private practice therapist Charles Ehrhardt in NYC. These monthly classes aim to answer the questions and fears that first-time fathers have, and teach them how to take an active role in parenthood.

Business Challenge

The client wanted to increase awareness of the DadDay program. “The problem with specializing in first-time fathers is that there's no repeat customers,” Erhardt says. “I had to constantly find ways to reach new dads.” Although doctors and midwives were great sources of referrals, it was often difficult to get in contact with someone at busy practices.

Solution

Ehrhardt decided to hire Impel Digital (then Ani Marketing Service) for a series of mailings and an update to the DadDay website and promotional materials. After building a distribution list, Impel sent out batches of twenty direct mailings to OB/GYN clinics, hospital maternity wards and midwives. These mailings were followed up with emails and phone calls to ensure that the client was contacting the right person, and to judge interest in the DadDay program. Monthly email blasts reminded contacts of the DadDay workshop schedule for ease of referrals.

At the time, the DadDay website was about 5 years old, so while the mailing initiative was under way, the website also got an update. Keeping the original infrastructure that the client liked and was familiar with, the branding was refreshed with a more modern logo and better photos. All DadDay literature was updated to match this new branding. A series of class surveys allowed Impel and Ehrhardt to work together to adjust the DadDay program and improve the market messaging to better reach expectant fathers.

Outcomes

After one year, DadDay was experiencing steady business growth and Ehrhardt received several invitations to serve as a guest speaker at therapy events. The client transitioned this success into a new partnership that lead to more outreach online and via public radio.

Conclusion

“I couldn't be more pleased with the results,” says Ehrhardt. “I wanted to focus on my practice, not spend all of my time on emails and calls. [Impel] took care of the outreach that I needed to grow DadDay.”