Despite having more than 400 million active users, Facebook still has its skeptics.  Some common complaints I’ve heard:

• “It’s a waste of time!”
• “Who needs an update on what I’m eating for lunch?”
• “Why do I need to be a Fan of anything?”

Okay, sure. My status updates aren’t always riveting or note-worthy (see: “Dear Coffee, Marry me. Xoxo, Kelly”) and I’m not ashamed to say I “like” a Fan Page called “I Don’t Feel Like Folding My Laundry So I Just Restart The Dryer.”

But while I’m not alone in using the Status Update and Fan Page for innocuous fun, some people are using these basic Facebook features to help improve their health…and even save their own lives.

Like this guy, who decided to quit smoking and inadvertently created a support group among his Facebook friends simply by updating his status with the number of days he’d been smoke free.  As his friends followed his progress, they “liked” his status as the number of days increased and left comments of encouragement when his updates expressed wavering resolve.   Having a virtual audience to not only hold him accountable but also to offer him support no doubt helped contribute to his continued success.

Then there’s this woman, who is using Facebook to help her find a kidney donor.  Living in a state that ranks among the nation’s lowest in percentage of licensed drivers who are registered organ donors, she got creative and set up a Page called “Mel Needs a Kidney.” As of the end of May, she had heard from about 100 people who offered to get tested to see if they were a match.  In addition to increasing her chances of finding a donor, her efforts are also helping raise awareness of organ donation and registration in Michigan.

So while it’s true many Facebook users limit their activities to tending virtual farms or tagging friends in party photos, there are some who are using the platform to improve their lives.  And that’s something I’ll “like” any day.

Developing key messages is perhaps the most essential practice of a strategic communications department or company.  But it’s not always easy.  The process can take time and patience, but by identifying the features, advantages and benefits (FABs) of your offering, you can ensure consistent, targeted messaging across all communication platforms.

Although we are in the business of marketing healthcare, we can learn a lot from auto manufacturers; they are expert FAB’ers.  Watch carefully the next time you see a television commercial for a new car to see if you can follow the pattern. I’ll bet you’ll be able to identify the three components:

• Feature: A prominent part, characteristic or special attraction
  • “The new Cadillac CVS has pop-up navigation, a 40 gig hard drive, wood trim and a sunroof.”
• Advantage: A favorable impression or effect (of the feature)
  • “It’s a luxury vehicle…”
• Benefit: Something that promotes well-being (from the perspective of the recipient)
  •  ”…that will turn you on.”

Granted, healthcare benefits may not be as stimulating, but they certainly fall into the “well-being” category.  Auto manufacturers drive home the benefit by using sound and images. They create their brands on television and rely on the internet and dealerships to sell them.

Check out my article to learn more and soon you’ll be creating FABulous messages with confidence!

At Dobies Healthcare Group, we believe a brand is only as strong as the connection between the organization’s actions and its messages. After all, your brand is more than what you say – it’s what you do.

So how do you determine what your brand is really saying?  Two words: Brand audit.

A brand audit systematically assesses the company’s brand from three vantage points:

1. Communications: How authentically the company appears in documents, proposals, advertising, Web sites and other venues
2. Internal: What employees think
3. External: What the customer believes

An audit is like peeling an onion one layer at a time to expose the core essence of the brand, and reviewing these three areas can help leadership understand how well the brand aligns with the organization’s strategic priorities and core values. Plus, it creates a road map for both marketers and executives to use in improving the brand’s overall authenticity. 

To learn more, check out my article on brand audits and take the first steps toward truly living your brand.

Earlier this year, I showed how online engagement after the earthquake in Haiti helped prove that people are using social media to connect with others in meaningful ways.  Today, I bring you yet another example, this time in relation to healthcare.

A new study reports that 40% of online consumers are turning to social media for health information.  And they’re not just talking about medical conditions, diagnoses, treatments and news.  The study found the primary reason for using social media was emotional:

“…many healthcare social media users want reassurance, support, and a sense of intimacy from people who are going through a similar experience.”

But according to a recent New York Times article and Pew Research report, this won’t come as a surprise to the many Americans affected by chronic illnesses.  Over the last few years, social networking has become a lifeline for many who are living with a chronic disease or life-changing condition.  By blogging, chatting and engaging with others on social networking sites like PatientsLikeMe, Diabetic Connect and CureTogether, they are able to share advice, war stories and empathy with others in similar situations.  Best of all, this can all happen from the comfort of home, a great advantage for those whose illness has left them homebound.

As social media continues to grow, look for more hospitals and physician practices to better connect with patients (and ultimately improve the patient experience) by complementing their informational Web content with virtual support groups and online forums.

“Live a creative life!”

This was the challenge proposed to a bewildered group of grad students during my first night of this semester’s class, The Creative Process.  I know I am not the only student who arrived that night eager to spend a semester discussing advertising production processes and sharing war stories about creative departments and campaigns.  Turns out, the course strategy is ‘to read and discuss leading texts on the theory and practice of creativity in science and business.’

So, here I am in week five, writing a paper in support of the belief that creativity is process-oriented rather than talent-oriented, as exemplified in the book The Double Helix:  A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA.  Yep, you read that correctly - I’m learning about creativity via bioscience.  Yawn.  I am an absolute proponent of process and agree with the theory that there are steps we usually take (even if they are not consciously defined) to generate new ideas.  I just didn’t know that there are people out there who study creativity so thoroughly.  Or that I would ever read a book about DNA. 

More interesting are these definitions of ‘creativity,’ from my notes:

The ability to combine old elements in new ways.
It’s about making the familiar strange and the strange familiar.
It’s effective surprise.
When nothing is new except the arrangement.
It’s an anti-probability event.
Whatever makes more out of less.
One word:  Bioassociation

According to my professor, all creative types have something in common: They pay attention and they take notes.  That’s exactly what I am trying to do during class this semester – it’s keeping me awake. 

Creatively yours,
R~

In the wake of the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, social media is proving once again to be a powerful tool for sharing information and raising funds in times of crisis.  Check out these stats:

• Three days after the earthquake, 3% of all blog posts were related to Haiti’s earthquake.
• By January 15, the American Red Cross’ Twitter account had gained more than 10,000 followers.
• By January 22, 42% of Facebook users in the United States had donated money or goods to aid Haiti relief  -  23% of these donors did so via text message.  
• More than $25 million has been raised for the American Red Cross’ relief effort in Haiti through $10-donations made by simply texting HAITI to 90999.

These figures help reinforce the belief that people turn to social media not just to consume information, but also to connect and engage in meaningful ways with organizations and each other.

Now that we’re a full month into 2010, I wonder how many people have given up their New Year’s resolution to get healthy and fit. After seeing a story on television about an incentive-based weight loss Web site, I was curious to learn if they had discovered a new way to help people stay on track. Turns out, Healthywage.com helps people make healthy choices – and the best part is they reward those who succeed!

After analyzing each participant’s health history, goals and preferences, Healthywage.com designs a personalized health program that includes weight loss goals, nutritional information and guidelines, and overall wellness goals. There is no cost to participate at the basic level but those who want to enhance their motivation and super-size their reward can choose to invest $150 or $400. Those who reach their annual goal by following the proposed program and program rules receive up to $1,000 depending on their investment. How cool is that? 

From a marketing perspective, the new Web site’s late January launch is perfectly timed to capture the attention of those who have lost interest in their weight-loss resolution. Sometimes, timing (and now, reward) is everything. What a great way to get healthy and fit!

Transparency in quality reporting goes both ways.  Good ratings – and bad – are posted every day for all kinds of products and services. When it comes to health care, I absolutely believe in transparency and public reporting of quality and patient safety measures. In fact, right now we’re in the process of creating a brand new “Quality Matters” microsite for one of our clients.

Recently, MSNBC reported that some physicians were having patients sign “gag order” waivers to prevent their ranting on review Web sites. Unbelievable.  Would you trust a physician who required you to sign such a document? Allowing patients to review doctors on Web sites is not only is in the best interest of consumers and public health, but it is also a matter of freedom of speech. In fairness, however, I believe doctors should be exempt from federal privacy laws that prevent them from publicly responding to patients. 

As healthcare marketers, we may not be able to change federal law, but we can help manage the reputation of our physician clients on these Web sites.  Here’s how:

1. Use a username that clearly identifies you as a representative from the practice, such as OfficeMgr_SmithMedical, with proper contact information in the user profile.
2. Acknowledge comments with replies that let reviewers know you are listening (without, of course, acknowledging patient name or identification).
3. Direct patients to contact a specific person at the practice to voice concerns and resolve issues.
4. Encourage reviewers to continue the conversation with your practice.

Any healthcare marketer worth her salt knows that women are the primary healthcare decision makers in America (although, with the current economy, some suspect the tide might be turning).  So when I saw an article on how to market to women on Facebook, I couldn’t help but be interested.  Because women make up more than 56% of the overall Facebook population, it’s a great place for your hospital or physician practice to connect with its core audience.  But how do you keep these decision makers engaged? 

A couple of my favorite tips from Mashable:

• Quality Counts:  Annoy your female fans with spammy updates and be prepared to face the wrath of the “hide” button.  Remember, they can remove your marketing messages from their news feeds with the simple click of a mouse.  And, of course, out of sight = out of mind.
• Provide Utility:  Give your fans something to look forward to on a daily or weekly basis by regularly posting helpful tips or practical ideas that can improve their health or lifestyle.
• Give Fans a Voice:  Make your fans feel involved by creating a two-way conversation and asking their opinion.  Bonus: You have an instant focus group at your fingertips.
• Keep Your Fans in the Loop:  Update your fans about current goings-on, good and even bad.  With the rise of transparency in healthcare, Facebook can be a great venue to help address negative news before it gets out of hand.

How does your organization use Facebook to engage its female audience? Please post your ideas in a comment below!

As a healthcare marketing firm, our clients count on us to produce creative ideas that engage patients, spread quality improvement and inspire new behaviors. We pride ourselves in coming up with campaigns that begin by improving patient experience and continue through traditional, social and viral media. We absolutely love what we do.

Most recently we put our marketing muscle into an award-winning maternity campaign that focused on the physician/hospital connection and the patient experience.  Congrats to Janice, Denise, Randee and Kelley for bringing home a Platinum branding award from HealthLeaders, and two Emeralds and two certificates of merit from the Kansas Association of Health Care Communicators.  More importantly, thanks for helping Lawrence Memorial Hospital deliver more babies despite the baby bust!