Founded in 1990, the French Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology brings together more than 800 experts, radiotherapists, oncologists, radiographers, physicists and researchers.
Oncological radiotherapy, distinct from radiology, belongs to the therapeutic arsenal in the fight against cancer. The main mission of the SFRO is to promote best practice and innovation in the field of radiation therapy and to bring together all the professionals who treat some 175,000 cancer patients annually in France.
MCI France, a long-standing partner, was mandated in 2021 to orchestrate all of the SFRO's communication and partnerships. This strategic collaboration aims to strengthen the visibility of the SFRO well beyond its annual congress.
A historic agreement to delocalise and promote radiotherapy in the regions
In July 2022, an agreement was signed between SFRO and ADIRESCA (Association of Specific Devices for Cancerology), formerly ACORESCA, aimed at improving the dissemination of essential information to oncology practitioners and, by extension, to patients treated with radiation therapy.
The ambitions of this new partnership, concluded by Professor David Azria, President of SFRO (2022-2023) and Dr Fabienne Empereur, President of ADIRESCA (2022-2023), were announced ahead of the annual congress to around 15 journalists at a press conference held in the MCI France studio.
Logos France, an agency specialising in media relations and part of mci group, managed the entire press conference: writing the press release, selecting media (specialists and generalists), sending and managing invitations, supporting speakers, hosting questions and answers, and attending to press office duties during the congress.
Record engagement on social networks: strategic sector monitoring as a key driver for success
Established in 2021, the SFRO's strategic sector monitoring consists of collecting in real time all the information and advances in the speciality and relaying it on social networks to inform members of the oncological radiotherapy community. Every day, three to five scientific articles are shared on the X platform, and every Monday, a weekly report is shared on LinkedIn.
The interview of the month is another highly anticipated rendezvous for the SFRO community. It highlights the current work and projects of an opinion leader, member of the Board, expert or personality in the field. These interviews, shared on social networks, always receive a high engagement rate.
Thanks to these efforts, the four SFRO accounts have experienced exponential growth in recent months with +60% subscribers on LinkedIn and +11% on X for accounts dedicated to the association; +20% on Facebook and +18% on Instagram for accounts dedicated to the annual event.
Transformation and growth: an improved member experience and 17% increase in membership in one year
Between January and December 2023, the number of SFRO members increased from 351 to 411, an increase of 17%. This achievement can be attributed to the digital renewal of the association and its dynamism among young oncology radiotherapists.
Indeed, it is through targeted messages (more than 60 publications in 2023) and an email campaign aimed at members and non-members that one of the new flagship benefits dedicated to members was relayed: access to the JUISCI platform.
Thanks to a fully customised environment, SFRO members now have access to a daily scientific monitoring tool, in snackable format, on the latest advances and clinical studies in radiotherapy and oncology. The platform also allows community sharing between professionals in the field.
The first event outside Paris and a record participation rate
The 34th edition of the SFRO congress was held in September 2023 in Montpellier, outside the Paris region, a first in 25 years!
MCI France, which managed the entire congress, considered the concerns of exhibitors and stakeholders about the potential impact of this new location on the participation rate. Despite initial apprehension, the congress achieved a record rate of participants (+ 25%), with notably increased participation from French-speaking Arab countries.
The promotional campaign, which extended over a period of eight months, included 27 targeted emails to a database enriched with more than 5,100 contacts. It generated an average opening rate of between 45% and 55%. The 32 publications posted on the association's four social networks resulted in 202 new subscribers and generated a significant volume of impressions.
Another notable statistic from the 2023 Congress was the fully sold-out exhibition with 43 partners, comprising 42 stands distributed over 528m². 510 abstracts were submitted: 32 posters and 148 e-posters, 34 commented posters /oral communications, 247 international speakers and 6 partner symposia - all sold! These figures demonstrate the success of this edition and a promising future for the next SFRO congresses.
Strategic continuation of SFRO’s actions for a bright future
The start of 2024 was marked by the launch of three promotional videos aimed at highlighting the mission of the SFRO, detailing the exclusive benefits offered to members and retracing the major dates which marked the development of the association. These videos, accessible on the SFRO website, will also be relayed on social networks and shared in communications targeted to members and potential members.
In the coming months various social media subscribers will be encouraged to convert into contributing members of the SFRO thanks to attractive membership campaigns. A promotional kit has been developed, designed not only to encourage membership but also to encourage members to actively use the JUISCI platform and thus stimulate interest in the SFRO and interactions between professionals.
Scientific monitoring will continue to feed the SFRO networks with regular relevant and engaging publications, enriched with targeted hashtags.
Finally, strategic partnerships with associations in the field, opinion leaders and a selection of related media and conferences are also in the pipeline. These collaborations aim to expand and strengthen SFRO's position as a leader in the field of oncology and radiotherapy.
At the end of his mandate, Prof Azria granted us an exclusive interview in which he takes stock of his presidency of the SFRO. He shares with us the projects and initiatives that he led during his mandate, his collaboration with the MCI teams, the achievements of which he is most proud and his vision for the future of the SFRO. Watch his interview below.
Do you want to boost your community and increase your association's visibility? Contact Aurencie Ranson, Marketing and Development Director at MCI France, to discuss strategies for sustainably engaging your community.
