Marke Dickinson, Chief Marketing Officer of ChenMed, owes much of his success as a CMO to the lessons he learned as a member of his high school cross country team in southeastern Pennsylvania.
“Distance running is 90 percent mental, seven percent physical and three percent guts,” the ChenMed CMO remembers. “Mental discipline is the key to running a successful race and achieving great marketing results. My effectiveness as CMO is grounded in starting every project with the mental discipline to understand my target audience and the problem my product solves for them. Only then can I begin the creative process of designing great messaging and eye-catching visuals.”
Dickinson’s mental discipline has served him and his 35-person Marketing organization well as he leads his team during a period of rapid growth for ChenMed. In order for his team to scale through growth successfully, Dickinson outlined a set of marketing convictions to which he holds his team accountable: Values, Communication, Quality, Agility and Stewardship. It’s important that his team keeps these convictions top-of-mind and fully integrated into everything they do. Therefore, each week team members discuss a conviction and share their personal reflections on it, which has been thought-provoking and inspiring.
The 36-year-old company is on a mission to become America’s leading primary care provider, transforming care of the neediest populations. It offers VIP primary care to senior citizens from moderate to low-income communities; and the need for ChenMed services has resulted in a 30 percent growth rate and nearly 100 medical centers in 12 states. The company plans to open hundreds more locations over the next five years, and Dickinson knows the demands for exceptional marketing will only intensify. “Companies exist to grow,” he says. “Marketing provides the fuel that enables growth, which makes it an important strategic business partner in the success of any company.”
“ChenMed has demonstrated their outcome-driven model works. Their doctors and care teams have reduced patient hospitalizations – a key indicator of improved patient health – by 30 to 50 percent.”
ChenMed’s care model provides Dickinson with unique marketing opportunities. The company’s physicians and their care teams focus on better health outcomes for their patients. They spend time with patients and get to know them – learning about their home environment, family life, and other social determinants of health. ChenMed doctors see their patients at least once a month, and more frequently if needed, to stay on top of health issues and stop little health issues from becoming big ones. They even give their cell phone numbers to patients so patients can call them with questions or concerns.
“Health care is local. Our strong ties to our patients, our communities, community leaders, community partners and public officials enables us to be their provider of choice,” Dickinson explains. He adds, “We also deploy more traditional methods of tracking competitive dynamics; however, ChenMed is built on the love that we develop through our deep relationships with our patients and involvement in our communities.”
ChenMed has demonstrated their outcome-driven model works. Their doctors and care teams have reduced patient hospitalizations – a key indicator of improved patient health – by 30 to 50 percent. “Our marketing is fundamentally about tapping into our audience’s emotional desire to remain healthy and enjoy their lives,” says Dickinson. “We inspire them to dream about dancing at their grandchild’s wedding, holding their great grandchild, and other wonderful experiences they can attain through better health. Marketing is only effective when its able to tap into the consumer’s emotions and then compel him or her to take an action.”
Dickinson concludes: “I once worked for a CEO who encouraged me to be very thoughtful about how I affect others, and the lasting impact that will have. By sharing my convictions, I hope to leave a legacy that makes a difference in people’s lives; and remembering that has helped me be more disciplined as a people leader and marketing professional.”
Posted in CLF | Successful CMOs Magazine 2021, Marke D. Dickinson, Chief Marketing Officer of ChenMed Profile