One of our account managers presented a new social media web strategy to a group of physician clients this week. Working with physicians is always an interesting experience as they are some of the most intelligent people we interact with, but can also be some of the most self-possessed. †
In this instance, our team proposed a series of social media tactics integrated with a microsite that focuses on sports medicine. Anyone who actively competes in athletics, whether on a formal basis or as a “weekend athlete” can potentially experience an injury. †These physicians are particularly skilled and credentialed at dealing with many forms of sports injuries and, in fact, treat a wide range of professional and amateur athletes. † †They’re aware of a lengthy inventory of human interest stories about patients who have battled through injuries, surgeries and rehabilitation to regain an ability to compete or participate in their chosen endeavors. Social media is a great way to convey the essence of some of these stories, right?
Well, maybe.
As smart as these physicians are, they had a difficult time envisioning how social media would work. †Their questions were pretty basic:
- What do we write about?
- What happens if someone responds with something negative about us?
- How will people find us on the web?
- What happens if someone writes something negative about us?
- How much time will this take?
- What happens if someone implies something negative about us?
- What other physicians are doing this?
- What happens if †something negative is written about us?
The account manager did a masterful job of walking the doctors through each of these issues and addressing their concerns. †(It was ironically similar to how they might speak to one of their patients about a complex knee reconstruction procedure. Yes, I speak from experience.). †Several of the physicians were willing to move forward without hesitation, until one of them decided to ask about the budget. †After another round of thorough explanations, they approved the proposal. Whew! †All of that effort at 7:00 a.m. and we didn’t even get a cup of coffee.†
Ultimately, the deciding factor was this – the doctors had been spending thousands of dollars each year on t-shirts, sponsorships, Yellow Pages advertising, etc. with absolutely no feedback from the marketplace to see if it worked. †With the strategies in our proposal, they will receive immediate feedback and can reallocate their efforts to the areas that are productive, increasing their visibility in the process and all at a budget that is less than what they were spending on the previous promotional activities. †And if the other doctors in the practice become jealous, so much the better. Then, perhaps they’ll want to start their own social media programs. †
Okay, now whose acting self-possessed?
By the way, if you want to know how we answered the questions, just contact me (Monday through Friday, after 9:00a.m. and before 4:45p.m., lunch is from 11:30-1:30, otherwise you’ll get my answering service).
Dr. Mike
