How does an organization go from initial launch to serious market presence in just three short years? Stanford Laboratory’s magic formula was to leverage the experience and responsiveness of a virtual marketing department, develop great positioning, and build a rock solid sales team.

Company Background
Stanford University Medical Center Clinical Laboratories (SUMCCL) is a world-class clinical laboratory that provides Pathology and Laboratory testing services to Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, and dozens of other hospitals and medical centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Stanford Laboratory is recognized for delivering outstanding testing quality and customer service to physicians and patients alike, and currently processes more than 3,000 non-Stanford cases each day.

Challenges and Opportunities
When Stanford Laboratory began outreach operations in 2003, its goals were to expand its services to hospitals, clinics, and physicians beyond Stanford Hospital and Clinics, and to launch an Esoteric Testing program for specialized evaluation of diseases.

The Laboratory faced two primary challenges to achieving these ambitious objectives. First, its organizational culture and reputation were those of an academic institution. To transition to a more commercially-oriented enterprise would not only require a new mindset and operational efficiencies, but also a powerful message to the market outside the University, one that the Laboratory had previously not faced.

Second, the Laboratory did not have a dedicated internal marketing department to create and implement this critical new messaging, let alone the tools its sales team would need to turn prospects into customers.

The Solution: Axis Marketing Communications
Shortly before Stanford Laboratory’s launch, Director of Sales and Marketing Louis Tzoumbas evaluated the offerings and approaches of several different marketing agencies. While an organization like Stanford might ordinarily consider a national or large regional agency, Tzoumbas was concerned that such a provider would not generate the Return on Investment (ROI) he required. He also knew that the Laboratory would need a highly flexible, responsive marketing partner in order to meet its strategic growth targets.

Tzoumbas met with Axis Marketing Communications, and noted an immediate positive connection. “Gabrielle Guidero and I established a good rapport right away. We were on the same wavelength, and I was confident that she would be able to implement my vision.”

Current Results and Future Steps
Since that first meeting, Axis has become the effective marketing department of Stanford Laboratory. Guidero and her virtual team of designers cover a wide range of strategic and tactical responsibilities that would otherwise be the domain of an internal group. From frequent collaboration with cross-departmental planning teams to the rapid implementation of must-have requests, Axis is now fully integrated into the Laboratory's sales and marketing process.

In working closely with medical directors and other stakeholders throughout Stanford’s organization, Axis has also successfully completed numerous large-scale marketing initiatives, such as the development and launch of a comprehensive Web site in a rapid, three-month timeline; the design and production of a 200-page book to support the Laboratory’s Esoteric Testing Program; and a sophisticated multi-media presentation for Stanford’s presenters at the Washington G2 Reports Conference in Washington, D.C.

During the last three years, Stanford Laboratory has gained 20% of the Bay Area’s market, the country’s fifth largest. Tzoumbas attributes the Lab’s exponential growth to the powerful combination of marketing support provided by Axis; strong, persuasive positioning; and a very competent sales staff that complements the organization’s technical expertise. “Axis continues to be highly responsive and able to meet our aggressive deadlines. They know our organization very well now, and are able to get even more done quickly due to that familiarity.”

Looking to the future, the Axis Marcom-Stanford Laboratory team anticipates tremendous new opportunities. Tzoumbas is planning the Laboratory’s continued growth throughout the Bay Area, as well the expansion of its Esoteric Testing Program to a national audience. To support these latest goals, Axis will provide the critical project management and marketing specialists necessary for success, aligning its contribution to the Laboratory’s needs, budget, and vision, and reinforcing the value and effectiveness of a virtual marketing department.