To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question?
Faced with a dizzying array of possibilities from twitter to facebook to YouTube, LinkedIn, flicker and others, healthcare providers are struggling with developing a comprehensive social media strategy to engage their customers.
Understandable really. Some of the concern comes from not understanding the power and uses of social media and how consumers are the new paparazzi. Some comes from trying to figure out how a social media strategy fits into the overall marketing plan. Some is purely from executive ignorance in not understanding the place and uses of social media in the life of the healthcare consumer.
In many cases its all of the above and others, including and by far the most pervasive, the never ending paralysis by analysis planning loop and engaging in that quest for the perfect best practice before proceeding.
In these situations it is about internal marketing leadership.
As the marketing expert in your organization, you need to step forward and educate what social media is, how to use it and its advantages to the organization.
It's not just a facebook page, LinkedIn, blog, web site or twitter.
This is an opportunity to experiment, to deliver new content, new key messages with non-traditional methods to reach out too and engage in a meaningful way the healthcare consumer. An opportunity to engage in dialogue, a dialogue which the healthcare consumer desires to have more than you can imagine.
Follow these steps and you're on your way to developing and implementing a strategically-focused, comprehensive and fully integrated social media strategy:
1. Strategy first, tactics second. Any old road will get you to where you want to go without a clear identifiable strategy. This is no different than a traditional marketing approach. Integrate the tools and techniques of social media into your overall marketing efforts.
2. Be clear about your messages and what value using these tools will bring to your healthcare consumers. The purpose is to engage in a dialogue not shout at them. You have to understand what type of information and content your consumers want. Without that knowledge you can say whatever you want, but chances are no one will be reading, responding or listening.
3. Take an integrated approach. What goes on your web site is also on facebook and used in twitter to drive traffic to you. Twitter is a great way to send out links for health related articles or news and information. Have a video? Post it on YouTube. Writing a healthcare blog? You should be if you're not. Make sure twitter, facebook, YouTube, flicker etc., follow you buttons are on your site. Running Back-to- School, Sports or Camp physicals? Put it on twitter, facebook and even those coupon sites like Groupon. Holding a health and wellness event, ditto.
4. Use QR codes with your web site or specific page links or phone number embedded in them to drive them to your site, call center or service line. Through the use of QR codes you can make your print and traditional activities social in nature.
5. Remember at all times your are building brand, perception and experience. This just isn't nice to have, people will remember what you say and do. Be right the first time.
6. Devote resources, budget, time and personnel for the task. This is not a part-time job. It requires a full time position to manage the channels, content and distribution. Your challenge is to keep in front of your healthcare consumers with relevant information, all the time. Attention spans are short. If someone sees no changes on a pretty regular basis in your content or information, they will fall away.
7. Measure everything. Evaluate. Adjust based on your findings.
8. Be creative, don't limit yourself to the tried and true or what a competitor is doing. Be an innovator.
9. Use social media with your physicians and employees to communicate, build organizational support and loyalty.
10. Build excitement around what you are doing, then start all over and begin again.
Jump right in the waters fine!
You can continue the conversation with me on:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich
Michael Krivich is a senior healthcare marketing executive and internationally followed healthcare marketing blogger read daily in over 36 countries around the world. A Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives as well as a Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association, he can be reached at michael@themichaeljgroup.com or 815-293-1471. Areas of expertise include: brand management; strategic marketing; sales and marketing integration; physician marketing; product launch; start-up launch and revenue growth; tactical market planning; customer experience management; rebuilding and revitalizing marketing operations; media relations; and service line revitalizations. Mike is Huthwaite SPIN selling trained and a Miller Heiman Strategic Selling alumni.
Showing posts with label Social Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Media. Show all posts
Marketing to the Networked Patient
11:03 AM
Change, control, health information, hospitals, informed consumer, Marketing, networked patient, quality, Social Media, transparency
Healthcare is changing at a far more rapid pace that at any time in its history. I am not referring to the pharmaceutical or technological advances which have no doubt improved the quality of care and in most cases, the quality of life as well.
Since 1983 with the introduction of DRGs, we as an industry have been touting the benefits of wellness, individual responsibility in health and the patient taking an active role in their healthcare. Much has changed since that time and much has remained the same. But now, the game has really changed.
Welcome to the age of the networked patient.
The networked patient is someone who has an intense curiosity about their health condition, expects to have an active role in making healthcare decisions and this is most important, they want control of their health information. They use in internet, social media and seek out others. They read and study about their health condition. They ask questions and will seek out alternatives. The look at providers from a quality standpoint and make judgments based on that information. They want an answer to their own needs.
The patient is asking what is their ROI by using you?
The days are quickly passing by where we can assume that we are still in control of the overall care and treatment process and information without much questioning or interaction by a patient. And you know what, that is not a bad thing.
Marketing to the networked patient
There are some key to keep in mind when starting to market to the networked patient:.
Your brand, your brand promise and messaging is all important;
Quality data transparency, reporting and patient access to same is everything;
Access to their own health information 24/7 is a deal breaker if not provided;
Talk about the patient experience and outcomes;
Don't insult this patient with messaging that is all fluff, about us or is just plain condescending;
All communication needs to be personalized talking to the patient not at them;
Use all available communication channels- Iphone apps, email, social media, web site blue button, direct mail, etc.
Be creative, this is uncharted territory so limits are nonexistent and don't place any on yourself. Stop saying, why we can't do something, start saying how we can. This is a major change in the way healthcare is administered and delivered in the U.S. Providers need to recognizing that the age of the healthcare consumer is upon us. Failure to do so will be at your own peril.
You can continue the conversation with me on:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich
Michael Krivich is Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives and a Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association and can be reached at michael@themichaeljgroup.com or 815-293-1471 for consulting services in strategic marketing, integration of sales and marketing, media relations and interim marketing executive leadership assignments. Huthwaite SPIN selling trained and a Miller Heiman Strategic Selling alumni, both highly respected and successful international sales training organizations , I can lead your organization though the challenge of integrating sales and marketing.
Since 1983 with the introduction of DRGs, we as an industry have been touting the benefits of wellness, individual responsibility in health and the patient taking an active role in their healthcare. Much has changed since that time and much has remained the same. But now, the game has really changed.
Welcome to the age of the networked patient.
The networked patient is someone who has an intense curiosity about their health condition, expects to have an active role in making healthcare decisions and this is most important, they want control of their health information. They use in internet, social media and seek out others. They read and study about their health condition. They ask questions and will seek out alternatives. The look at providers from a quality standpoint and make judgments based on that information. They want an answer to their own needs.
The patient is asking what is their ROI by using you?
The days are quickly passing by where we can assume that we are still in control of the overall care and treatment process and information without much questioning or interaction by a patient. And you know what, that is not a bad thing.
Marketing to the networked patient
There are some key to keep in mind when starting to market to the networked patient:.
Your brand, your brand promise and messaging is all important;
Quality data transparency, reporting and patient access to same is everything;
Access to their own health information 24/7 is a deal breaker if not provided;
Talk about the patient experience and outcomes;
Don't insult this patient with messaging that is all fluff, about us or is just plain condescending;
All communication needs to be personalized talking to the patient not at them;
Use all available communication channels- Iphone apps, email, social media, web site blue button, direct mail, etc.
Be creative, this is uncharted territory so limits are nonexistent and don't place any on yourself. Stop saying, why we can't do something, start saying how we can. This is a major change in the way healthcare is administered and delivered in the U.S. Providers need to recognizing that the age of the healthcare consumer is upon us. Failure to do so will be at your own peril.
You can continue the conversation with me on:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich
Michael Krivich is Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives and a Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association and can be reached at michael@themichaeljgroup.com or 815-293-1471 for consulting services in strategic marketing, integration of sales and marketing, media relations and interim marketing executive leadership assignments. Huthwaite SPIN selling trained and a Miller Heiman Strategic Selling alumni, both highly respected and successful international sales training organizations , I can lead your organization though the challenge of integrating sales and marketing.
How Can You Use Social Media in Your Healthcare Marketing Efforts?
9:58 AM
blogging, facebook, Healthcare Marketing, international, LinkedIn, Social Media, twitter
A lot is being written about using social media in healthcare marketing. Most, if not all, pertains to driving patient volume and revenue. Though I am a heavy user of social media though facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and blogging, I really wonder if social media will ever drive volume and revenue? It may impact indirectly long term volume and revenue growth, but as of now, the jury is out.
My guess is that it won't short-term, but it can be used to build your brand effectively, raise awareness and provide you with a no-cost, low-cost way to maintain a continuous presence in your market. After all, presence builds preference, and too much of healthcare marketing is a one shot, one or two communication channels effort that is limited in exposure and audience reach due to lack of funding and sustainability.
So, if we assume the premise is correct that volume and revenue growth in the short term will not occur due to the impact of social media, that what should you do?
Well, you need to be in social media. It is a growing and important communication channel that allows you to control the brand message and connect with savvy consumers.
Consider these ideas:
Commit to a written plan and strategy for using social media. Resist the temptation to say we need to do this without making sure the strategy is part of your overall marketing effort, and the tactic makes sense for you with a clear understanding of what you want to do.
Use social media as a method for gathering competitive intelligence about your major competition. You can learn a lot by what that they are writing and talking about.
Make sure everything links back to your web page. Use email marketing to build sign-ups.
Measure the effectiveness of everything you do. Use that data to understand what your audience wants and give them more. Once that is established, begin introducing new ideas, concepts, services etc.
Keep the content current and interactive. Use twitter to broadcast changes to your web site, news articles, interviews, wellness programs, specials, doctor interviews, health and wellness tips.etc. Link with your facebook, LinkedIn and blog so that notifications are always automatic and posted to those sites. Video needs YouTube exposure. Always make sure you have a call to action- request more info, register for a program, make a doc appointment.
Be creative. There is so much health information out there published on a daily basis that this can be used to position you as the local "go-to" source for news and information.
Daily activity as opposed to once in a while. Make it a part of someones ongoing responsibility to do this daily. People lose interest if you're not changing, updating, educating, informing building your brand daily. No one follows an organization that is not current and relevant to the times. Make your brand strong.
This is all about brand building, your brand promise and value. Use social media to promote your brand marketing campaigns and public relations.
Your cost for doing all this is limited to the staff time involved. Now, if you so choose to outsource that a different matter and you need to budget for same.
Use social media to leverage everything you do.
Good luck and happy socializing!
News
I would like to share some exciting news. Healthcare Marketing Matters has gone international and page views are increasing at a regular rate. The blog is now read in the United States and then (in alphabetical order) Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Latvia, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia and Sweden.
Thank You
My twitter following continues to grow as well. Several hospitals in Florida are now following me and I am grateful. The hospitals are: HCA East Florida; Palms W Hospital; St. Lucie Medical Center; Central Florida Regional; Kendall Regional Medical Center; HCA St. Pete General; Northwest Medical; HCA West Florida; and Ed White Hospital.
Michael Krivich is Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives and a Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association and can be reached at michael@themichaeljgroup.com or 815-293-1471 for consulting services in strategic marketing, media relations and interim marketing executive leadership assignments. Huthwaite SPIN selling trained and a Miller Heiman Strategic Selling alumni, both highly respected and successful international sales training organizations , I can lead your organization though the challenge of integrating sales and marketing.
My guess is that it won't short-term, but it can be used to build your brand effectively, raise awareness and provide you with a no-cost, low-cost way to maintain a continuous presence in your market. After all, presence builds preference, and too much of healthcare marketing is a one shot, one or two communication channels effort that is limited in exposure and audience reach due to lack of funding and sustainability.
So, if we assume the premise is correct that volume and revenue growth in the short term will not occur due to the impact of social media, that what should you do?
Well, you need to be in social media. It is a growing and important communication channel that allows you to control the brand message and connect with savvy consumers.
Consider these ideas:
Commit to a written plan and strategy for using social media. Resist the temptation to say we need to do this without making sure the strategy is part of your overall marketing effort, and the tactic makes sense for you with a clear understanding of what you want to do.
Use social media as a method for gathering competitive intelligence about your major competition. You can learn a lot by what that they are writing and talking about.
Make sure everything links back to your web page. Use email marketing to build sign-ups.
Measure the effectiveness of everything you do. Use that data to understand what your audience wants and give them more. Once that is established, begin introducing new ideas, concepts, services etc.
Keep the content current and interactive. Use twitter to broadcast changes to your web site, news articles, interviews, wellness programs, specials, doctor interviews, health and wellness tips.etc. Link with your facebook, LinkedIn and blog so that notifications are always automatic and posted to those sites. Video needs YouTube exposure. Always make sure you have a call to action- request more info, register for a program, make a doc appointment.
Be creative. There is so much health information out there published on a daily basis that this can be used to position you as the local "go-to" source for news and information.
Daily activity as opposed to once in a while. Make it a part of someones ongoing responsibility to do this daily. People lose interest if you're not changing, updating, educating, informing building your brand daily. No one follows an organization that is not current and relevant to the times. Make your brand strong.
This is all about brand building, your brand promise and value. Use social media to promote your brand marketing campaigns and public relations.
Your cost for doing all this is limited to the staff time involved. Now, if you so choose to outsource that a different matter and you need to budget for same.
Use social media to leverage everything you do.
Good luck and happy socializing!
News
I would like to share some exciting news. Healthcare Marketing Matters has gone international and page views are increasing at a regular rate. The blog is now read in the United States and then (in alphabetical order) Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Latvia, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia and Sweden.
Thank You
My twitter following continues to grow as well. Several hospitals in Florida are now following me and I am grateful. The hospitals are: HCA East Florida; Palms W Hospital; St. Lucie Medical Center; Central Florida Regional; Kendall Regional Medical Center; HCA St. Pete General; Northwest Medical; HCA West Florida; and Ed White Hospital.
Michael Krivich is Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives and a Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association and can be reached at michael@themichaeljgroup.com or 815-293-1471 for consulting services in strategic marketing, media relations and interim marketing executive leadership assignments. Huthwaite SPIN selling trained and a Miller Heiman Strategic Selling alumni, both highly respected and successful international sales training organizations , I can lead your organization though the challenge of integrating sales and marketing.
