Social media marketing and the astute physician business owner

As a business coach to entrepreneurial physicians, I've almost forgotten about that time when I didn't have a clue about blogging, let alone Facebook or Twitter.

And the value of these exercises in apparent self-absorption (after all - who cares to read a tweet about your dog producing a hairball, or your steak-and-fries dinner?) took me some time to appreciate. It's challenging to introduce these ideas to physician social media "newbies" who don't have time to go to the bathroom let alone tweet about it!

So I'm happy when name-recognized marketers put out handy explanations of why one should care about modern marketing -- it makes my job easier.

The new ebook "Let's Talk - Social Media for Small Business" by John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing (in another of his inspired joint ventures, this time with Microsoft -- lessons to be learned there!) gives a succinct overview of the new tools of social media marketing and why/how to use them effectively.
(You do have to undergo the somewhat painful step of signing up with Windows Live to get the download).

As he writes:

Today’s approach to marketing, the approach infused with social media, leans much more
heavily on the 4 Cs of marketing. Tons of relevant, education-based, and perhaps user-generated Content that is filtered, aggregated, and delivered in a Context that makes it useful for people who are starving to make Connections with people, products, and brands they can build a Community around.

Content + Context + Connections + Community = Social Media Marketing

Another useful resource, to be filed away for the day you decide to reach out as a Resource and Expert to reporters is "10 of the Best Social Media Tools for PR Professionals and Journalists". This post will only make sense once you have figured out the value of social media marketing -- so just hold onto it for future use.

I scan the Help A Reporter Out (HARO) emails that I get 2 or 3 times a day, to spot that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get direct access to a reporter who's dying to hear just what I have to say. And I certainly know several clients who would be great experts on many of the health topics. Check it out -- this may be your shortest cut to Wall Street Journal front page fame!