Musings on Social Media

Thanks to the team for setting this up so I can just drop by and share. 

I am currently teaching strategic marketing for healthcare and it's been great. The things that are happening in this space are emblematic of what is happening in many industries. Please share interesting stories from your industry. 

Customer Ratings

Here's a link to a website where patients rate their physicians. Customer rating are in their infancy. It won't be long before we have sophisticated tools for word of mouth recommendations. 

http://www.checkbook.org/patientcentral/default.cfm

Twitter

Mayo Clinic is leading the way in utilizing social meda. They have 100's of youtube videos explaiing everything from what it's like to visit Mayo to specific condition explanations. They offer twitter classes to all employees and have started experimenting with using twitter to communicate from the operating room to let families know how their loved one's surgery is progressing. 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/when-your-doctor-is-on-twitter/?apage=2

Community

Healthcare is a natural place for sharing. Websites like patients like me will flourish. 

http://www.patientslikeme.com/ 

I could go on and on, luckily for you, it's getting late. 

Bloggin Noggins Update

At our last meeting on July 24 the group discussed the following:

• our schedule
• training programs
• our sandbox blog
• roles - how members can make contributions

Our Schedule
It was agreed that a less flexible schedule and more regular offerings would enable more regular attendance for members. We have chosen to meet on Fridays at The Bagel Bin. We will meet routinely every other Friday for lunch at noon. We will adjust the schedule when holiday weekends occur, eg we would not meet the day after Thanksgiving. Luncheon meetings will feature 30-minute training programs. We will meet once a month Friday mornings at 7:30 a.m. for social conversation and open discussion on blogging. It is hoped that three meetings a month permits all members to engage at least once a month.

All meetings will be posted using the LinkedIn Events applications feature. Simply find the Events application on your LinkedIn home page along the right border. Select the link "See events your connections are attending." You can also use the menu at the left border and open the Applications folder choosing Events. Do an advanced search entering "Bloggin Noggins." Register by selecting "Attending." You can also "share" the event forwarding it to others.

Upcoming events:
August 14 Noon
August 21 7:30 a.m.
August 28 Noon

Training Programs
The following list of training topics was proposed by those in attendance.

• Promoting your blog.
• Integrating your blog with other social media.
• Using widgets, plug-ins and what not.
• Blog rolls
• "Finding you voice" - What to write, finding material to post.
• Choosing a platform - WordPress, TypePad, Blogger or...
• Pros and cons of self-hosting your blog.
• RSS feeds, email marketing, trackbacks, permalinks and more.
• Incorporating images, videos and controlling page layout.
• Building your personal brand using your blog.
• Critiquing blogs - the good, the bad and the ugly.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and your blog.
• Using tags, Delicious and Digg.
  
• and your suggestion added by posting a comment...
  

We ask you to respond with your interest by making comments to this post. Tell us what you want presented on August 14 and in subsequent meetings. You can also suggest other topics of interest. Comments are vital to blogs. Add yours often, please.

Our "sandbox" blog
We've launched this blog as a "sandbox" blog, a place to play, learn and "find your voice." It's for all members to share and contribute. So have at it! If you've attended one of our recent lunches, you've been invited by email to join as an author. Presently eleven have accepted author roles. If you've not yet been invited, send an email Greg.Taylor.RG@gmail.com

Roles
How you can contribute.

• Become an author.
• Be a mentor. See Michele Heine's post
• Be a greeter or host a meeting.
• Be a presenter.
• Offer your skills in a desired role... you name it!
  

Helping others

During my job search, I've had to do some soul searching about what it is I really want to do. I've looked back on what I've really enjoyed doing over the years. I'm a Project Manager. People are ask me what I do and I sometimes struggle to explain my job to someone who is not technical. I've come to the realization that my job is to help team members do their job. If everyone does their job on time, then the project will complete on time and everyone will be happy.

I've also done a lot of volunteering at my children's schools. I've been involved with the Parent's Association for eight years and been an officer for three of those. I really enjoyed the opportunity to help and be involved. After my position was eliminated and I was laid off, I was able to do a lot of volunteering that I normally wouldn't and it was very satisfying.

I've been doing a lot of networking during my job search. I've met with lots of new and interesting people, who like me, are looking for their next assignment. It gives me lots of pleasure to be able to help them with their search by connecting them with someone at a target company or giving them advice on their search or helping them find information.

I've also had the opportunity to start a blog. The blog talks about how to get money for things you don't want anymore and also talks about saving money. Ultimately, it is my way of sharing what I've learned over the years with a goal of helping others do the same.

It is my goal that as a member of the Bloggin' Noggins I will be able to help people. Yes I want to learn some things for myself, but in the end I want to help people with their blogs. So I've volunteered to be in charge of trying to match new new and challenged bloggers with a BN "expert". Keep your eye out in the Discussions of the LinkedIn Bloggin Noggins group.

Michele Heine

Abstraction

Now that the Small show is over, it's time for a new exhibit at the High Falls Gallery: The Abstraction show is about to open.

Join the artists for the opening this Sunday, 07/26/2009 from 3 to 6pm.

Here is a link to the flyer in PDF format: ag abs109 invite 1up.pdf

[original post at khk.net ]