Atlanta is home to two of our favorite things: HIMSS10 and great hamburgers! Yes, you can learn about the future of healthcare and enjoy delicious beef patties, all in the same day. Some of the tastiest options available are described in our latest post on the Healthcare IT News Destination HIMSS10 blog. From unique locations like Ann’s Snack Bar to living history at The Varsity to creative versions available at Flip Burger Boutique and The Vortex Bar and Grill, there are many ways for you to get your meat on (or its vegetarian equivalent). Liberal use of your napkin is advised.

While we sing the praises of social media, such as Twitter, blogs and LinkedIn, healthcare IT companies need much more to succeed. For example, social media doesn’t replace a marketing strategy, nor does it substitute for public relations efforts. And taking on a social media campaign is not a short-term strategy that should be entered into lightly. You need buy-in, a realistic budget and a dedicated team, whether it’s internal or your PR agency, to man the effort and ensure it’s given the resources required to actually accomplish your short- and long-term goals.

Check out this article from AdAge that further expounds upon these points and appropriately sets social media expectations.

Huh? It may sound ridiculous, but it illustrates one of the most significant marketing and PR challenges facing healthcare IT companies today. Many innovative healthcare companies are pioneering products and services that are ahead of the market—helping improve patient safety, enabling better care delivery or delivering greater efficiencies to business operations. Yet your prospect often doesn’t even realize they HAVE the pain your product sets out to ease. And if they do recognize the pain, they probably have no clue that a product exists that can ease that pain. And if, miraculously, they DO know that such a product exists, it’s highly unlikely that they know that it’s YOUR company that has the best product available.

Until your market acknowledges the need for your offering, it’s futile to plaster the healthcare equivalent of “safe” or “best available” all over your ads, collateral and trade show exhibit.

If you fall into the “ahead of the market” category, here are three communication tips to deliver compelling messages and maximize the chance your market will understand that you exist, you can ease their pain, and you’re the best at what you do.

1. Get out of the inner circle:
   The fastest way to see if your messages resonate is to test them on someone who is a total stranger to the industry. A spouse, for example. Or a friend. Take a minute to deliver your 60 second elevator pitch (what’s an elevator pitch?) and see if they understand what it is you do and why it should make any difference. You’ll probably find that there is significant jargon in your pitch that others don’t understand. (ask about “interoperability,” “SaaS,” or even “portal.”) And it’s not just jargon. We assume that most people are familiar with the same things we are. (Case in point: This Ingenix study shows that fewer than HALF of physicians are familiar with ARRA and the impact it will have on their practices. Wouldn’t you have thought that number would be more like 100% given the attention we’ve all paid it over the last year?) Break down your pitch so it’s understandable by anyone.
2. Adjust on the fly:
   You don’t want to talk over their heads, but you don’t want to talk down to them. How can you get the right level, often when you don’t even know the audience’s level of understanding? An effective communications technique is assume-they-know-but-explain-anyway. “You probably know a lot about interoperability—where disparate computers communicate and share information with other computers—right, Mr. Prospect?” It’s a win-win technique. If they already know, you’re covered. If they don’t, they can save the embarrassment by saying they know now that you’ve helped them with a definition.
   Another gauging technique is to ask. What a concept. “Before I get into some of the technical details of our service, I want to get an undertstanding of how familiar you are with these technologies.” They’ll help you level-set the subsequent portion of the presentation so that you’re presenting at just the right level.
3. Category first. Benefits second.
   Walk around a tradeshow floor or peruse home pages of vendor sites and you’ll be surprised how often you will have no idea what companies do. There’s often a focus on “save money, reduce costs, improve efficiency” without any mention of how. Yet without an understanding of what category you’re in, (are you a consulting organization or a software developer? A product company or a services company?) benefits like these will not resonate with the buyer. They’ll walk on by without your brand having made an impression in their mind. Let the market know who you are first. Then, tell them why that’s important to them.We hear it all the time. “Our product is unique.” “No-one does what we do.” “We don’t really fit into a category.” “Our category is new.” “We’re so different than the category the market wants to put us in.”
   Let’s assume all that is true. You still need to make the potential buyer aware of what you do. Take the car example. A crossover is still a car, even though it’s something more/different/special. So, the communications technique used is this: “You’re familiar with a car, right? Well, the crossover I’d like to sell you starts with that concept, and from there it’s more/different/special.” Same idea selling technology to the healthcare industry. The audience needs to understand where you’re starting from in order to understand what you have. It’s like, “You’re familiar with a consultant, right? Well, we’re like that except we’re more/different/special. Or, “You’re familiar with how hospitals are using the Internet to help communicate with others? Take that idea and add this new, new thing.” Letting the audience have a baseline of understanding from which to start will take you a long way towards having them understand your offering.

There is a lot of noise out there. It’s hard for the market to understand it all—all the opportunities available to them. The harder you work at keeping your message simple, clear, understandable and relevant, the quicker you’ll achieve the elevated levels of brand awareness that translate to company growth.

Twitter is rapidly becoming an everyday tool for all businesses, including healthcare IT companies. As this social network becomes more entrenched in the marketing and PR world, people need to understand ways to successfully use Twitter to promote their company or brand. After finding ways to attract fellow Tweeters to follow an account, people running the page need to know how keep people from unfollowing that same micro-blog. Below are some reasons why people stop following other Tweeters and ways to avoid this from happening:

1. You share too much information: Although the main question Twitter poses is “what you are doing,” most people do not care if you are brushing your teeth or sitting on the porch. Twitter is meant to start a conversation, and the only way that you can do that is by providing valuable information to your followers.
2. You are constantly updating your status: Similar to reason number one, constantly updating your status on Twitter will annoy followers and they will not be able to see what the other Twitter accounts have to say. Unless you are in the middle of a major crisis or an interesting event, avoid repeated back-to-back tweets.
3. You refuse to post a picture or profile information: This is important because there are hundreds of John Smith’s out there – make sure that people can differentiate you from everyone else with the same name. If you provide clues about who you are and your interests, you will be able to attract appropriate Tweeters from the beginning and they will know what to expect from you in the future.
4. You tweet about things that you do not care about: Retweeting a friend or associate may seem like a great way to get on their good side, but could cause trouble for you. If your followers want to engage you in a conversation on the topic, you will lose credibility when you can’t or won’t discuss the topic. Stick to topics that you know about and are willing to discuss.
5. You inappropriately tweet about politics or controversial issues: If you happen to be Don Imus or Rush Limbaugh, who are paid to be controversial, you can tweet about anything you like regardless of who you insult. Otherwise, discussing these topics will probably offend at least one of your followers. Even on Twitter, the age old rule of not discussing politics, money or religion with people you don’t know is still a good one to live by.
6. You belittle people or places, even though they are following you: Just ask James Andrews how negatively tweeting about Memphis worked for him. Even though the PR practitioner apologized and explained his comments about the city, the comments are still available on the Internet and the event shows how enraged people can become by a tweet that is disparaging to any part of their life.
7. You are overly passionate about your favorite company, team or brand: Don’t shove your passions down everyone’s throats. Like reason number one that people stop following you, you need to know and understand that there should be a balance on the social network. Twitter is about your personality and the information that you can share. Unless you are part of the team or organization, try to only tweet about your favorite things every once in a while. However, if you have to tweet about your passions, you can set up a separate account for this type of tweeting and make sure that you only have followers that want to receive your impassioned messages.
8. You refuse to show any personality: Once again, you have to strike a balance. Twitter may be a professional outlet for you, but you can show some personality. Tweeting about an interesting article you just read or how excited you are about an upcoming event will add some dimension to your online presence and will help followers connect with you.
9. You are always negative: Do you want to be friends with someone who only spouts out negative ideas or thoughts? Constant negativity is not only bad for your health, but also for your networking relationships. This practice could earn you a reputation of never being happy or satisfied.
10. You are afraid to tweet: Everyone has that follower that updates their Twitter page once a month – that is not the point of Twitter. The point is to start and continue a conversation. If you are not tweeting on a regular basis, no one will want to continue that conversation with you.

Are there any reasons why you stop following people on Twitter? How do you avoid losing followers on the micro-blogging site?

That’s right. Social media isn’t a fad, but instead a fundamental shift in the way we communicate in both business and personal aspects. A few months back, I wrote the blog post, “Social Media: A passing phase that’ll never catch on…just like the Internet,” and to that same point, the video below from Socialnomics demonstrates an excellent compilation of striking statistics revolving around the growing use of social media and technology.

“I’ve come loaded with statistics, for I’ve noticed that a man can’t prove anything without statistics.” —Mark Twain

Whether this social media shift is the biggest since the Industrial Revolution is up to you to evaluate and relatively determine, but it is no question that social media is made up of increasingly essential communication tools (like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, etc.) that have altered our relationships and the way we do business even in our B2B healthcare IT environment. The new technology is out there, and those stats give you an idea of the volume of users embracing it and not sitting idly by waiting for the next movement on the horizon.

After watching this video, the important question that I’m asking is “What will these statistics look like six months or six years from now?” Comment and share your thoughts below!

Whether you’re selling to consumers or other businesses, there’s no better endorsement than one from a client, and this is especially true for healthcare IT vendors. Showing prospects that you have clients willing to speak on your behalf gives your product third-party credibility and often puts it ahead of competitive products. We’ve included five ways you can utilize your clients to drive sales and generate buzz around your offerings.

1. Media opportunities: When securing media coverage highlighting a customer’s use of your products, it’s important to realize the story has a life beyond the month it’s issued. You can e-mail prospects and customers a link to the piece once it comes out; order a PDF from the publication for e-mailing or posting on your Web site; or secure hard copy reprints for use as part of a direct mail or for your sales team to hand out at meetings or tradeshows.
2. Testimonials and case studies: These marketing tactics arm you with powerful sales tools that can be used a variety of ways. Testimonials can be sprinkled throughout your Web site, in brochures or other marketing collateral—they ultimately support the statements you are making and give them credibility. Case studies on the other hand can be posted to your Web site or e-mailed and handed out to prospects. They show prospects how your clients are using the technology and the results and benefits they might experience. This article offers some helpful tips on asking clients to participate in case studies and testimonials.
3. Speaking and award opportunities: Having clients present educational sessions or participate as part of an expert panel at industry events is a great way to demonstrate the value of your products as is nominating clients for industry awards. These tactics enable potential prospects interested in the speaking or award topic to learn about your organization in a non-advertorial way.
4. Referrals: By developing strong working relationships with clients and encouraging their product feedback, you’ll often find that they are happy to refer your offering to colleagues. You can also create a database of client references to put in touch with prospects who want to speak to end-users.
5. Client forums: Creating user groups, client forums or best practices award programs will help you get to know your clients better. It could also help you uncover details that might lead to great media opportunities you otherwise may not have known. Additionally, creating this type of community for users can be attractive to those interested in your technology so they can learn how others are implementing the applications and using them on a daily basis.

Investing the time to know your clients can have a huge payoff. Not only will you make them happy by promoting their business, but you’ll also reap the benefits of having third-party credibility.

Looking to get more out of Twitter? Avid users and newcomers alike can easily expand their industry knowledge, stay on top of the latest trends and monitor best practices − all by following the right mix of associations, pundits and experts. Here’s a brief guide to get you started:

1. Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (@HIMSS). Few PR and marketing professionals in the health IT field aren’t affected by the current dialogue surrounding EMRs, interoperability and the related technologies. HIMSS provides valuable updates on industry events, healthcare reform and a multitude of other topics.
2. Medical Group Management Association (@mgma). If physician practices are part of your target market, this is an excellent resource for staying on top of those issues that impact physicians from a clinical, administrative and financial perspective.
3. Healthcare Financial Management Association (@hfmaorg). By following HFMA, you’ll learn how financial trends are affecting healthcare organizations. You’ll also receive results of recent studies and valuable statistics.
4. Bulldog Reporter (@BulldogReporter). While not specific to healthcare, this is a great resource for B2B PR professionals looking for news and insights to better hone their strategies for generating positive media exposure.
5. Public Relations Society of America (@prsa). As the world’s largest PR organization, PRSA offers tips on educational tools, like webinars and publications, as well as news on issues affecting those working in the field.
6. PRSourceCode (@PRSourceCode). Geared specifically toward PR professionals within the IT industry, this resource provides ways to grow your PR savvy, from Webinars to interviews with editors and industry influencers.
7. HISTalk (@IngaHISTalk). This well-read blog covers a wide range of news and opinion related to the healthcare IT industry and is a great way to hear the perspective of those professionals working in the trenches.
8. iHealthBeat (@iHealthBeat). Compiled by the California Health Care Foundation, this free newsletter combines recent headlines from a variety of news media, including healthcare trades, magazines and daily newspapers. With so much content being written about healthcare IT, it’s a simple way to scan the headlines and make sure you’re not missing something specific your unique interests.
9. The New York Times Prescriptions Blog (@NYTPrescription). Monitoring the constant activity surrounding the proposed healthcare reform is no easy task. This blog from The New York Times is a great all-in-one-source for the latest on current proposals, what they mean for various stakeholders and what the experts have to say about it.
10. AP Style Book (@APStylebook). Keeping up on the latest style rules is much simpler when you follow the AP Style Book. You can even ask the editor a question and receive a response to a specific style question.

Any others you’d add to the list? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

This Q&A is from our conversation with Jim Riley, vice president sales and marketing at Capario. We asked him to share his thoughts on the healthcare company’s recent rebranding initiative, which spanned everything from a new corporate name, logo and tagline to a new Web site, collateral materials and a comprehensive public relations campaign.

Q: Why did you select the name Capario? What brand attributes did you want to represent?
A: When we started the rebranding process, we viewed it as more than a marketing strategy – it was a company-wide, fundamental change in the way we did business. A brand personality of fresh, contemporary, innovative and unique accurately portrayed the image we wanted to reflect and the new direction we were taking.

With this in mind, we chose Capario. It had a ring to it, was free of connotation, stood out from our competitors, enabled us to purchase an easy-to-remember URL and was different than the other healthcare IT names out there.

By selecting Capario, we avoided descriptive names that would pigeonhole us into one product offering and knew our selection would allow us to evolve as the healthcare industry’s needs changed.

Q: What was the most important lesson you learned throughout the project?
A: Rebranding has a trickledown effect on every aspect of your business. It’s important to look closely at each internal piece of paper and electronic document as well as software interfaces and other client-facing items because you can be assured there is a name or a logo on everything. For example, payroll checks, 401K accounts, lobby signage, HR manuals and client enrollment forms all have to be updated. To meet deadlines and successfully re-launch your organization, it requires company-wide buy in. Every department must work with marketing to orchestrate this great effort.

Another important consideration is the legal process involved in re-naming your company. Ensuring your new name does not have trademark issues or resemble other company names in your space is vital. It’s a far larger process than you may imagine that requires patience, time and a good trademark lawyer.

Q: How did you prepare internal staff for the launch?
A: Constant internal communication was imperative as we rebranded. We wanted staff to feel like they were part of the process, promote buy in and ensure that they had the opportunity to contribute to the decisions we were making to reshape the company. Effective communication at each step of the way helped us generate a feeling of excitement and gave staff ownership of the changes we implemented from the name to collateral.

To prepare staff for external communications, we developed FAQs, talking points and other support materials for each department. We also held informational sessions with client-facing teams to prepare them for the changes and questions they might encounter from clients and prospects. Overall, our efforts seemed to pay off and made the transition as smooth as possible.

Q: How has the market responded to the new brand?
A: We feel our new brand has been well accepted in the market and that it’s a positive reflection on our approach to the way we do business.

In public relations, press releases aren’t really the Holy Grail, but they are certainly a meat and potatoes staple of the profession. That being said, many have speculated if this form of PR is moving toward extinction, especially as social media continues to gain momentum. A recent opinion piece from Bulldog Reporter highlights this exact issue and evaluates the press release’s vital signs. Currently, there is no true replacement for press releases, but surely there’s room for improvement.

So, what can you do to ensure your press release stands out from the rest of the healthcare IT vendors while keeping up with the changing times?

Minimize the marketing hype
For starters, and yes we are all guilty of it at one point or another, make your press release as straightforward and fact-based as possible by including the information that editors want.

• Try to minimize marketing language.
• Hone in on the news you are presenting and what it’s all about.
• Make sure the editors and – just as important – your target audiences understand what you’re highlighting.

Supplement with social media and other tools
While you may pay for wire distribution of press releases, social media sites like Twitter provide a free medium for disseminating your company’s recent news. By posting a compelling, brief overview of the content, you may gain the attention of individuals in your target audience and, depending on who’s watching, a news editor.

SEO-friendly content is another cost-free way to optimize visibility. You could even improve your ranking in Google and Yahoo searches. Think, key words that your prospects would type into a search engine when looking for a new solution in your sector.

Get it to the right person
While wire services are an easy way to send out a press release to numerous people, they don’t necessarily mean it is ending up in the correct person’s inbox. Make certain you are being as targeted as possible in your distribution. For example, national distribution may not always be the way to go.

Additionally, follow or befriend editors on social media sites like LinkedIn or Twitter as well as monitor each publication’s blog. This will keep you informed of what they’re covering and what might pique their interest. After you’ve done your homework, don’t be afraid to reach out and share your news if it’s a good fit.

Though this may seem like PR 101, going back to the basics with a few new bells and whistles will help you stay ahead of the competition and garner the attention your news deserves.

When discussing social media with our healthcare IT clients or industry colleagues that are new to the realm of Web 2.0, the inevitable question we’re often faced with is “how do you find the time to keep up and do all this blogging and twittering?”

Yes, blogs, RSS feeds, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and other social media sites have the potential to be overwhelming and unproductive at first when you’re in the experimental phase, but the art of mastery comes with following your objectives and managing your use of time wisely. After all, when it comes to social media, YOU control the clock on your social media activities.

Here are three quick tips on social media time management to help guide your strategy:

1. Select social media tools that have a large following in your industry. There’s not a need to join and participate in every social media site in existence. Join the ones that make the most sense to your business needs, as well as the markets of your customers and prospects. For healthcare technology, we’ve found blogs, Twitter and LinkedIn to be most useful; so this is where we spend the majority of our social media time. Since many healthcare IT companies and publications are transitioning onto Facebook and similar sites, our presence in that space is becoming a more time-worthy activity in which we will also focus our efforts. Your choices/priorities may be different, and that’s ok.
2. Choose quality over quantity. The people that usually find Twitter or other social media sites overwhelming and stressful to try to stay on top of are the ones who are not judicious in who or what they’re following. It’s impossible to consume all the information out there, so be selective, and try scanning instead of reading every single message.
   
   With Twitter as the example, having a lot of followers can be a good thing; it means lots of people are interested in your content and what you have to say. What some people don’t get is that followers and people that YOU choose to follow should be treated as two entirely different things. Too many connections can be a distraction; only follow those that have valuable content that interests you. Don’t feel that you have to follow back everyone that follows you to be polite or that you can’t “unfollow” the guy that floods your Twitter page with a constant stream of uninteresting tweets.
3. Create a schedule. Finding the balance between too much and not enough is the golden ticket when it comes to social media networking. As you are more familiar with your purpose on the outlets and your objectives, it will come more naturally. But in the beginning, a good way to manage your time is to set regular schedules and block out time for your social media activities. Whether you try to check and monitor everything throughout the day or focus on it in open slots in your schedule, setting a limit on your time allows you to be more conscious of your overall activity in the end.