Case Study

EMS Membership Campaign & Marketing

Medical Rescue Team South Authority

Medical Rescue Team South Authority (MRTSA) began in 1976 and currently provides emergency medical services to six communities in the South Hills of Pittsburgh: Baldwin Township, Castle Shannon, Dormont, Green Tree, Mt. Lebanon, and Whitehall. MRTSA is a non-profit 501(c)(3), municipal authority with two representatives from each community making up the board of directors.

Trailhead: Where We Started

MRTSA has conducted an annual membership and donation drive for years, targeting residents and businesses within their service areas. Membership subscriptions provide members no-cost ambulance transportation services and filing of paperwork by MRTSA, as an alternative to business or homeowner payment. As part of its annual membership solicitation process, MRTSA also solicits for donations for capital and equipment improvements. In early conversation and review, it became clear that the organization’s marketing brochure and solicitation had become outdated and the solicitation’s layout difficult to understand, particularly among aging populations in nearby communities.

Trek: Steps We’ve Taken

To breathe new life into their annual appeal, MRTSA hired TrailBlaze Creative to assess the intricacies of their efforts and devise a plan that would lead to better overall success for the organization. The first task was to understand the membership appeals process for MRTSA, as well as the community dynamics. One critical element to campaign success was the desire to attract a younger audience to membership. The iconic graphics from their ambulances were woven throughout the solicitation to develop brand consistency and easy recognition of the campaign. Establishing trust was equally important, so testimonials from previous patients were included, as well as photographs of actual MRTSA employees.

TrailBlaze Creative worked with MRTSA to innovate their campaign, implementing discount incentives for online processing and targeted messaging based on audience segments. By surveying members who provided an email address, TrailBlaze was able to determine areas for campaign improvement and updating. Namely, TrailBlaze’s survey revealed that many members and participants were unaware of the complimentary and low-cost services offered by MRTSA within the community, including free car seat checks, bike safety checks, and CPR training courses. Utilizing email and social media marketing to influence the campaign and raise awareness about MRTSA’s services helped TrailBlaze and MRTSA realize collaborative success.

Summit: Vision Realized

Through their collaboration with TrailBlaze, MRTSA brought consistency to their branding, improved their membership appeals process, and pinpointed opportunities to continue targeted campaign messaging and increase awareness of their various, resident-friendly services. The future of the MRTSA campaign will include implementing a wellness program as a solution to attract younger members who may become members to participate in a local discount program but will be less likely to use costly ambulance transportation services. By continuing to survey MRTSA’s audiences, TrailBlaze will work to further innovate the campaign for optimal efficiency and success.