Wanna Make 5000 Tweets Matter? All You Need is Love

I'm @timbigfish on Twitter. I've met some cool people there. We've shared a few ideas. And I've learned a little. It's fun. But I can use my social reach to do something that matters. You can, too. It's easy. All you need is love.               

In early 1967, the Beatles were asked by the BBC to take part in what would be the first-ever, live global television link. 26 countries would participate.  To mark the occasion, the Beatles were asked to write a simple song that would be understood by viewers of all nationalities. John’s “All You Need is Love” emerged as the obvious choice. The song was not only musically and lyrically uncomplicated but also it perfectly captured the aspirations of international youth in the summer of 1967.^a

John liked advertising and was fascinated by the power of slogans He was determined to create something timeless.  And he did.

Beatles’ manager Brian Esptein said, “The nice thing about it is that it cannot be misinterpreted. It is a clear message saying that love is everything.”

So what’s this have to do with my 5000^th tweet? Well three things. Two of which you may have to do with how we promote ideas and one that will use our shared experience to raise money for women’s heart health. All you have to do is read and click (no money required). Here we go:

1.   Keep it Simple – To my fellow artists, our goal isn’t to prove how much we know about our “instrument” but how well we use it to connect with others. Use what you know to create a message that cannot be misinterpreted. People like clarity.

And it starts with this,

2.   It’s About Them – To brand leaders, whatever John’s motivation, the song worked because it captured the aspirations of those who were buying his records and through it’s simplicity connected with new audiences. In the social era of business, people want to see if your “why” and their “why” are aligned. So ask yourself, “Am I focused on what I want? Or, what my audience wants?” Know their heart and you’ll win it.

So, why is this the subject of my 5000^th tweet? The third thing:

3.   Doing something together – to my friends on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, We’re not 26 countries but we all want to see the power of our connections do something that matters. We’re not here for validation. We’re here to share ideas and help one another do something that matters.  Let’s use our clicks. Like this:

My friends at Bigfish and I will donate $10 each up to $1,000 total to raise awareness of women’s heart disease at www.goredforwomen.org for each unique user who tweets, likes, shares, or comments on this message between now and October 5^th.

Use the Facebook Like or Send, Tweet, or Google Plus found on the left side of this webpage (when on the Bigfish site). It'll help us measure our progress. Then, we’ll do the giving.

John said it best, “It’s easy. All you need is love.”^b

Sources:

a. A Hard Day’s Write by Steve Arnold

b. All You Need is Love video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4p8qxGbpOk

Hey Doc, Thumper's Take on Social Media

It’s called the Thumper Principle. Are you familiar with it? The notion was first introduced in a scene from the movie Bambi. Thumper observes that Bambi is “kinda wobbly” and is quickly reproved by his mother. She makes him repeat what his father had impressed on him that morning, “If you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all.” 

Introduced nearly 80-years ago, the Thumper Principle could serve as a test for your next conversation or email. In the era of social business, it could be the sort of rule that you apply to your next tweet or Facebook status update.  But don’t take my word for it. Consider how the Mayo Clinic used this sort of common sense when creating a policy for employee use of social media. They think about it in terms of do’s and don’ts for those who blog, tweet or otherwise share information via social media platforms.

Mayo’s policy:

Don’t lie. Don’t pry. Don’t cheat. Can’t delete. Don’t steal. Don’t reveal.

We live in an over-programmed culture. Life is busy. Each moment is saturated in media. And we’re increasingly sifting through it for a bit of information or the one vital connection that might give us a leg up on the competition, move us one step closer to a goal, or in the context of the single most searched issue on the Internet, perhaps find something that will have a positive affect on our personal health.  Social media is an increasingly vital part of that search.

Patients are consumers and they know that information on almost any subject is available online. In many instances they have access to it. Some of that information they themselves may have created, curated or shared with others.

What you regard as “too much information” in the form of an opinion tweeted or a picture shared on Facebook, they see as a willingness to let others in on their lives. In a word, it’s transparency. And they expect it from you, too.

But if you’re still not comfortable with the idea of sharing information on social media platforms consider using it as a place to gather information.

Maybe listening is the best place for you to start. It is after all an important part of the social media success formula. For example, tap into patient transparency. I’m not talking about personal info but their healthcare related groups. You’re not prying. A recent survey found that patients are comfortable with their health care provider seeking advice from online communities to help better treat their conditions.

But whom are we kidding? You’re probably using social media. Most physicians say that they are (85% personally and 65% for professional use). So, apparently the benefits make social media use worthwhile even in light of the concerns. Well, at least until it gets personal.

About a third of surveyed physicians say that a patient has tried to friend them on Facebook. Three out of 4 decline but some accept. This “friend request” is misunderstood. Most patients don’t really want to be your friend. At least not in that, “what did you do this weekend” sort of way. They simply see you as the person they most trust who has access to information they most prize: how to be healthy.

So don’t get personal. Create a professional page where you share information that is helpful to a wide variety of those in your patient community. Have a policy for its use. In the context of HIPAA it might sound like this: share what’s helpful to others but don’t share about others.

Oh, and if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

Hey Doc, Mobile Matters

You don’t have to sit in a waiting room long to see it. Yet we still look for science to prove it. Perhaps that’s how we learn what works in health care. And if we’re talking about disease management or pharmaceuticals, I’m with you. Take the time. But if we’re talking about patient experience, it’s time to take act: Mobile is everywhere and, therefore, mobile matters.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, “Eighty-eight percent of U.S. adults own a cell phone (April 2012), and more than half of them use their phone to go online.”

Never mind the teenagers, 94 percent of people between the ages of 30 and 49 own cell phones and 86 percent of people between the ages of 50 and 64 own cell phones. The majority of them access the Internet via that same device.

So do you.

I’ve been in your office as a patient. You’ve handed me your cell phone to show me a website that might help me better understand a medical condition. And, you let me watch over your shoulder as you accessed E-Socrates for our chat about medication. Your use did three things for me as patient.

By handing me your phone to show me the data you were, in effect, saying, “You’re not contagious, you’re my friend and I want you to know what I know.” That is today’s bedside manner inspirational poster moment personified.

But maybe you’re not my doctor and you need the math. According to a 2012 report conducted by Float Mobile Learning, 88 percent of surveyed physicians would like their patients to use mobile devices to monitor health indicators such as weight, blood sugar and vital signs. The same report also found that 80 percent of surveyed physicians use smartphones and medical applications, and some use mobile devices to make quicker clinical decisions.

According to a 2011 report conducted by Jackson & Coker, a leading physician recruiting firm, four out of five practicing physicians use smartphones, computer tablets, various mobile devices and various apps in their medical practices.

Several factors that attribute to doctors’ use of mobile devices including: they are affordable, easy to use and can be easily carried between exams. Well, they’re affordable technologies for patients too. And we use them to gather information and connect with others who might share our health experience. We use mobile and the apps and websites that mobile enables to get better. You can use this information to help me getter better, too.

As an example of how mobile health tools are benefiting health management, a recent study demonstrated that a health-related text messaging system was an effective way to manage diabetes.

Thirty-four patients at a hospital in Peru were used in an experiment; 17 of the 34 were enrolled in a text-messaging program that sent texts regarding risk factors, drug intake reminders, lab tests and medical appointments. The other 17 were enrolled in a control group. Almost twice as many participants in the text-messaging group took their medication as prescribed.

These results go along with Float Mobile Learning’s previous report stating that 40 percent of physicians believe utilizing mobile health technologies will reduce the number of office visits needed by patients. Maybe that part is mixed news. But, patients like it.

So, here’s the deal. You like mobile. Your patients like mobile. Mobile is affordable. Mobile lowers barriers to our communicating with one another. Mobile based solutions can be used to help patients get better and doctors to work with one another. And therefore, mobile matters.

Healthcare Social Media ROI

The popular #hcsm Twitter hashtag is used by health care communicators, patients, physicians, and nurses among others. It’s often used to close tweets about patient experiences, social media best practices, and whether or not its use is cost effective for health care providers. We believe that access to information is a patient’s right and social media helps to enable that. Better info. Better health. But the dollars and cents can be elusive. So, we went looking for some answers.

Our search led us to Chris Boyer. He’s the Director of Digital Communications and Marketing for Inova Health System and external advisory board member of the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media. He has particular expertise in the area of return on investment for dollars spent on social media. He also has a personal health experience that inspires his work.

At eighteen, Chris Boyer was diagnosed with a serious illness. It proved to be traumatic. It convinced him that the patient experience could be better. Today the “better patient experience” is up to him.

So how’s he doing it?

As a social media advocate, he promotes his organization’s use of social media to share health information and promote healthy lifestyles.  His approach has been successful. Yet, he’s still challenged to demonstrate its cost effectiveness.

So why’s that important?

 “Dealing with your executives is going to be the biggest hurdle in any health care organization,” Boyer says. The higher ups believe that the proof is in the pudding. And the pudding is usually made up of a mixture of budgets and cash flow.

According to Chris, there are three focus areas of social media ROI:

• Driving growth in patient choice procedures
• Saving money by using social media to supplement and replace traditional media
• Building engagement and loyalty for lifetime patients

And he routinely demonstrates this to his organization.

Are you challenged to provide similar proof? We can help you work through that. In the meantime, check out Chris’ ukulele-driven social media ROI song. It might provide some inspiration. You can find it at www.christopherboyer.com

You can find us on Twitter. Search #hcsm or check out @timbigfish or @addiemcgowan there.

Say Cheese

I don’t take good pictures. Let me rephrase that. I’m okay taking the picture just not so good at being in it. But pictures are powerful. They allow us to share an idea, convey a message, and feel the moment in an instantaneous way.                                                                                                                                          

So to my fellow marketers I say, “Talk less. Show more.” And if you’ve got the will, let your customers show too.

Let my customers show what? Let them show their experience with activities that relate to your brand. The big guys do it. Consider American Airlines social campaign that allowed passengers to share pictures from their vacation and business trips. You can do this too.

It plays out by engaging already smartphone savvy, camera happy consumers on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. And it happens at relatively no cost to you. Here’s how:

If you’re in healthcare, invite pictures of healthy lifestyles. For example, “show us your walking path”

If you’re in real estate, ask for pictures from the community. For example, “show us your favorite coffee shop, eatery or night spot”

If you’re in lawn care, how about inviting followers to share pictures of their favorite outdoor activity?

Inviting picture driven interaction lets consumers help create content for your brand, it drives more attention to their personal news feeds, and thus leverages their social reach to create additional consideration for you.

People will have fun. You’ll reach their friends. And brand connections will multiply. All without a single word except maybe, “Cheeeese!”

Worthwhile Connections

I have a confession to make. I like to be liked. Being retweeted is joyous. And someone pinning my work is a sort of validation. But I’m learning that these moments of connectivity - even if worthwhile - are fleeting. I ask things like:
                                                        

Was my instagram cool enough?

How many people saw my Facebook post and ignored it versus those who liked or commented on it?

Are you retweeting me to connect with me? Or because you think my ideas are worth sharing with others?

Is all this social interaction some sort of affirmation or is it part of an ongoing conversation? I don’t know. But I do know this. Everyone connects somewhere. And sometimes that somewhere requires a bit more investment than a mouse click.

In 2011, a group called ChompOn published a report focusing on the immediate next sale, to provide a starting point in discussing the value of social actions.

•   Facebook Share: $14

•   Facebook Like: $8

•   Twitter Tweet: $5

•   Twitter Follow: $2

So what’s the value of our other interactions?

I think it’s a lot but at least as much as those we make socially.

I invite you do to this with me. Right now with just a word or two of affirmation, consolation or as a simple gesture of appreciation -- write a note.

Write to someone with whom you routinely interact with online or perhaps haven’t interacted with in some time. Write to them on behalf of your workplace. Write because you have something to say and want one specific person to hear it. Write because receiving it in the mail will blow their mind. Write because it’s worth it.

Oh and if you like this post, share it. It’s worth $14 – or so they say – and it will make me think that we’re connected even if only for a moment.

What's the Worst That Could Happen?

Every Sunday night I participate in a Twitter chat with health care experts. Each is wrestling with the same question, can I or how can I be social and still be HIPAA compliant. The answer is found in what you say, not where you say it.

Medical knowledge, clinical competence and professional credentials are all important things that a physician brings to the doctor-patient relationship. They’re evidence of expertise. But for patients, it’s more often about the doctor’s ability to ask the right questions, listen carefully and convey health information in terms that are easy to understand.

In short, it’s about communication. And communicating in today’s culture includes connecting with the patient community including the friends and family members that help the patient use health information toward the best outcomes.

Pew Internet Research says that about 25 percent of patients are using social media as both a means for gathering health information and for evaluating the communication skills of prospective health care providers. My personal Facebook news feed would suggest that 25 percent is a modest number.

Either way, that makes social media interaction a vital part of any health care marketing and communications strategy. Yet, according to a May 2011 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, only 21 percent of hospitals are using social media. And separate reports indicate that even fewer practices and physicians are using it.

Why are so few participating? Some suggest it’s out of concern for HIPAA compliance. Others express a fear of negative feedback. It seems that they are being held back by the assumption that social media is risky.

So, what is the worst thing that could happen?

Today’s patients are more empowered and engaged than ever. They’re informed and involved. They look to health care providers to share information that enables them to manage medical conditions, control cost and find hope for the best possible health outcomes. They expect you’ll use common sense to avoid compromising their personal health info.

If the health information you provide revolves around those ideas and is presented in that context, you’re on your way to better connections. That’s a good thing, right?

Patients are also looking to others who suffer similar ailments for support.

If you’re moderating an occasional Twitter discussion that enables such dialogue or sharing it on your Facebook wall, you’re on your way to empowering a patient community. And, that’s okay, too – right?

Being absent from social media platforms means missing out the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to ask the right questions, listen carefully and convey meaningful health information in terms that are easy to understand. And since that is what patients value most, then not being there is the worst thing that could happen.