tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21221583526437850002024-02-02T04:48:07.643-05:00Public Relations News and ViewsJohn Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-19536098388579947492011-08-02T09:26:00.005-04:002011-08-02T09:32:42.434-04:00Hospital Advertising Doesn't WorkAn article in the July 29 issue of <em>Crain’s HealthPulse</em>, aptly titled “It’s an Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad World for Local Hospitals” references a report that says that hospital advertising expenditures in the New York area have increased by over $10 million, or 28%. The article’s title, a play on the 1963 movie “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” is apt, in that hospitals spending this kind of money for advertising makes about as much sense as the madcap chase across the California desert that was launched in the movie after Jimmy Durante “kicked the bucket.”<br /><br />For those of you unfamiliar with the movie, let me simplify my premise: New York-area Hospitals are flushing more money (over $10 million more) down more toilets (by running costly and ultimately ineffective ads) than they did last year (when they flushed almost $70 million down their collective commodes).<br /><br />Simply put, advertising to attempt to build hospital business or to enhance a hospital’s reputation is almost entirely a fool’s errand. Why? Because, frankly, hospital advertising doesn’t work (go ahead and try to find bona fide research – not some overblown “case study” puffery that ad agencies love to put on their websites – that shows otherwise). <br /><br />99.9% of the time, hospitals use ads to merely “push” information at their intended audience – an audience that long ago turned its back on this type of one-sided communication, and which fails to find any personal relevance in your newest state-of-the-art thing-a-ma-bob. As a result, traditional hospital advertising doesn’t engage the intended audience. Almost always, these ads are done to pacify doctors who insist that the hospital run ads (after all, 4 years of medical school, various internships and hospital residency certainly qualifies you as a marketing expert!) that showcase their undeniable talents. This approach is akin to going to a cocktail party, and beginning a conversation with “Hey, let’s talk about ME!”<br /><br />Against the backdrop of already-thin hospital margins being squeezed tighter and tighter, it is astounding that hospitals continue to waste money at these levels.<br /><br />The rules of marketing and advertising changed a few years ago, yet apparently nobody told the hospital community. Today, merely touting your “state-of-the-art facility,” your “world-renowned specialists,” your “latest technology” – regardless of how “unique,” “innovative” or “leading-edge” it may be – will earn your ad nothing more than a yawn and a quick trip to the recycling bin. The key to successful hospital promotion is to achieve true engagement – connecting with your customers, fostering two-way communication, and delivering value to them as a result of their engagement with your brand. And this can be done successfully for a fraction of what hospitals now spend for advertising space.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-16018979087741601022011-07-11T19:29:00.005-04:002011-07-11T19:36:59.202-04:00The More Things Change...In my last post, I not only quoted the philosopher Ferris Bueller, I talked about how much things have changed in public relations over the course of the past several years. While it is always important to stay ahead of the technology and communication curve, it is far more important to have a sound base for any PR initiative. These are among the things that have NOT changed in the past several years. <br /><br /><strong>The need to plan.</strong> You’ve heard the old saw, “If you don’t know where you are going, then ANY road will get you there!” It was true when I was a young pup in this business, and it remains true today. Planning is essential. Set objectives, outline strategies, assign tactics to those strategies (including all of the new social media platforms), determine what success will look like, and set measurement matrices. A good, sound PR plan is like the score for an orchestra; each instrument knows when and what notes to play, and the end result that emerges is far greater than the sum of its parts.<br /><br /><strong>The necessity of the media.</strong> To paraphrase another modern-day philosopher, Mr. T, “I pity the fool who thinks you should disregard traditional media.” In most cases, there is still no better and more credible way to connect to your audience than with traditional media. The New York Times remains the number one most quoted and referenced site on the Internet for a reason. And what people see on television or in the news (even if it they receive it tweeted, emailed or posted on Facebook) is often seen as holding far greater value and gravitas than a piece that originates solely on the net. <br /><br /><strong>Content is still king.</strong> I don’t care how many “friends” or “likes” you have on Facebook or followers on Twitter. If you are not delivering solid, relevant, useful content, you will not be able to engage with your audience for long. And speaking of engagement…<br /><br /><strong>You need to engage.</strong> Public relations is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its public. That takes engagement. And while connecting with various publics is often accomplished in a very different ways today than it was 10 years ago, the end result should be the same: to create and maintain connections. In other words, engage. <br /><br />Yes, things have absolutely changed for PR agencies and practitioners. We would be among the fools that Mr. T would pity if we were to think or act otherwise. But a solid foundation that starts with a good, sound and well-vetted plan, that employs the strengths of both traditional and social media, that delivers good and useful content and makes and nurtures connections is still the way that excellent PR is practiced today.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-25224247539076640062011-06-15T09:21:00.004-04:002011-06-15T09:38:42.508-04:00Life Moves Pretty FastOne of the great modern-day philosophers, Ferris Bueller twice said (at the beginning and at the end of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/">the iconic 1986 movie</a>, so it must be important), “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”<br /><br />The same can be said generally about all businesses. But in particular, the Public Relations business has moved incredibly fast.<br /><br />When I started R&J back in 1986, the same year that Ferris gave us his great advice about life, I had an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Selectric_typewriter">IBM Selectric typewriter </a>on my desk, and the only Gekko we ever heard from was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Gekko">Gordon</a>, who was telling us (convincingly) that “greed is good.” We didn’t even have a fax machine; they were just then gaining widespread utilization. Back in that time, our role as public relations practitioners was clear and simple: to get publicity – and lots of it – for our clients. We did this by writing lots and lots of press releases (and mailing – yes <em>mailing</em> – them out to the media, usually with 5” X 7” glossy photo prints), establishing personal relationships with journalists (and there were a lot more of those covering much narrower “beats” back then), and pitching like crazy. It was a great business – fun and rewarding in so many ways. <br /><br />But a funny thing happened along the way. Life moved pretty fast.<br />Business changed, and with that change, came the need for a far greater degree of strategic, forward-looking business counsel and strategic thinking. To accommodate these business needs, the public relations industry also underwent tremendous change. And the transformation of our business and our industry that was necessary to stay ahead of our clients’ needs has been incredible – often happening at break-neck speed. <br /><br />Today’s successful PR firm is far more than a publicity shop. Today, we often play a central role in brand development, market strategy and business-building for our clients. We’re called in at the beginning of discussions on positioning, market strategy and brand personality. We consult on the ins-and-outs, and the potential ramifications of every communication tactic – both traditional and in social media. We prepare, and when needed, execute crisis management plans. In short, we are important counselors and marketing partners for our clients, and not simply “publicists” (although publicity is still a very important deliverable for many of our clients).<br /><br />Firms like ours welcome this never-ending change. We thrive on it, and look forward to engaging with new media channels and outlets, and new techniques. It’s actually become fun to learn how express a full marketing thought in 140 characters or less! And I am very fortunate to have surrounded myself with a lot of smart, curious and insightful people, who don’t hesitate to remind me how fast things change, and how if we aren’t riding the wave, then we risk being swallowed up by it.<br /><br />Yes, Ferris had it right: Life does, indeed, move pretty fast. We are happy to have evolved along the way, and to have helped our clients through many of these changes. We continue to look ahead for the next inevitable round of changes. <br /><br />Finally, to many of our clients who’ve been along with us for much of this incredible ride, as Ferris would say,<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Vvm0wvOGw">Danke Schön</a>!John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-65038326399815777312011-05-18T08:30:00.003-04:002011-05-18T08:39:57.172-04:00Better Bosses Want Their Employees to FailIt may sound counter-intuitive, but better bosses actually want their employees to fail. Ok, maybe I’d better define “failure” before we go too much farther here.<br /><br />By failure, I mean stretching their boundaries. Offering ideas. Trying new and innovative ways to ultimately achieve success. Figuring out ways to help your company and your customers to do more. To do what it is that you do better. And to do what they do for less money or with fewer resources devoted to their completion.<br /> <br />By this definition of failure, most of those new ideas and suggested tactics will fail. But even if their ideas sometimes fail, you want employees to keep producing them.<br /><br />To achieve this state of business Nirvana – where employees feel free and empowered to consistently offer out-of-the-box thinking and ideas that just might ultimately drive greater success – you need to have engaged employees. That’s where being a better boss comes in. Better bosses work to foster a culture of employee engagement (note: not simply employee “satisfaction,” or even “accountability.” No, I’m talking about genuine engagement).<br /><br />Engaged employees are the cream of the crop. They are fully involved in – and enthusiastic about – their work. They work with passion, partly because they feel a profound connection to their company. This connection allows them to act in ways that advance their organization's interests. In short, they drive innovation and move the company forward.<br /><br />There are many ways to promote employee engagement. In fact, a whole sub-species of business books has been written on the subject. But a good place to start is at the top. Remind yourself that an organization tends to mimic the example set by its leaders. Ultimately, it is YOUR CHOICE to lead your people to help you to become the kind of business that YOU want to be! <br /><br />So be a better boss. Empower and engage your employees. And encourage them to productively “fail forward.”<br /><br />On that point, I believe Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: <em>“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”</em>John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-796951496373200862011-02-18T06:50:00.000-05:002011-05-18T08:51:17.542-04:00Better Employee Engagement Leads to Greater Revenue for HospitalsThe 2010 Hospital Pulse Report: Employee and Nurse Perspectives on American Health Care was recently released by Press Ganey Associates, and it should serve as a wake-up call to hospital administrators.<br /><br />The report, which surveyed the experiences of more than 235,000 employees at nearly 400 U.S. hospitals, tells us that 45% of hospital workers — almost half! – consider themselves “distanced from or discontent with their current work.”<br /><br />Even more troubling is the fact that workers who are closest to patient care have the lowest partnership scores. In other words, the actual caregivers are the least likely to feel satisfied and engaged with their organization.<br /><br />Wow.<br /><br />The report goes on to tell us that, not surprisingly, there is a strong correlation between employee engagement and patient satisfaction.<br /><br />Now let’s complete the circle: If employees are not engaged and satisfied, patient satisfaction suffers. And we all know that low patient satisfaction leads to declining admissions, erosion of brand equity, and loss of market share.<br /><br />Times are tough. Money is not easily or readily available for things that are not considered “essential” at hospitals. But smart hospital leaders would be well-served to realize that engaged employees who feel invested in their jobs are a primary driver of patient satisfaction and perceived of quality care.<br /><br />Hospitals that provide ongoing avenues for positive employee engagement will reap the rewards of better patient care — and increased revenues.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-61111961909605570722011-01-14T11:44:00.000-05:002011-05-18T08:48:37.698-04:00Communicating in a Crisis -- Choose WiselyWe do a fair amount of crisis management work for our healthcare and consumer products clients. You never know when a crisis is going to hit, and you never know what twists and turns it might take. No matter what your industry, crisis preparedness and a plan for a disciplined response are a necessity. How your organization behaves and communicates during a crisis can be crucial to your future.<br /><br />With many organizations that we’ve consulted with over the past several years, especially recently, we have highlighted and planned for the use of social media – Twitter and Facebook predominantly – as prominent communication vehicles within their crisis communication plans.<br /><br />The temptation by many organizations is to rely on those very useful and quite effective social media tools exclusively for communication. But every crisis is different, and all audiences are not created equal.<br /><br />Case in point, the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.<br /><br />While Twitter was an incredibly useful tool in communicating from Haiti to the rest of the outside world, a new study by the Knight Foundation reminds us that sometimes we have to think on a more basic level. The study concludes that radio – yes, radio – was the “most effective tool for serving the public,” just as it had been with the Indian Ocean tsunami and other recent natural disasters.<br /><br />My point here is simply this: Don’t ignore the obvious when it comes to communicating in a crisis. In the case of Haiti, getting the word out to the widest audience – an audience without many modern tools, and one in which a good deal of people were illiterate – was the number one priority. And good old fashioned radio was the best tool to get the word out.<br /><br />As the old expression goes, “horses for courses.” It isn’t necessarily the vehicle you need to focus on, but the environment in which your message needs to be delivered.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-62364142345284453202010-10-07T07:54:00.001-04:002010-10-07T07:56:13.402-04:00Take Proactive Steps to Ensure YOUR Brand is the One You Want!When speaking to many marketing people on the subject of branding, I often hear an exasperated response along the lines of, “We don’t do any branding, and as a matter of fact we don’t even have a brand!”<br /><br />I try to remind them that, of course they have a brand, because a brand is, by definition, a mark of distinction that is representative of how your product is perceived by its intended target audience. Like it or not, every organization and every product out there has a fundamental “brand” in the eyes of its consumers.<br /><br />Sadly, it may not be the brand they want!<br /><br />It is important to realize that the branding of your organization is happening, with or without your participation. Perceptions of your brand are being shaped through experience, word of mouth, and every public act undertaken by the organization and its people. Even though you may not be actively shaping the perceptions of your brand in the marketplace, strong (and lasting) perceptions are still being formed.<br /><br />This begs the question, if you are not actively managing your brand, then who or what is?<br /><br />If you are not actively shaping and nurturing your intended brand message in the marketplace, then you can be sure it’s being shaped either by consumer scuttlebutt or worse, by your competition. Either way, are you content to let someone or something other than you determine what the marketplace perceives about your organization?<br /><br />An appropriate (albeit graphic) analogy might be a car hurtling down the highway. The driver has chosen not to drive -- he may be napping or is busy doing something “more important” -- but that does not mean the car will not arrive somewhere – it will – we just don’t know where it will arrive, how suddenly it will get there, or whether we will need a tow truck, an ambulance or a hearse to clean up the mess.<br /><br />The bottom line is you DO have a brand, and it is essential that you know exactly what your consumers’ perceptions of that brand are. If you are happy with those perceptions, then your next step is to develop a strategy to defend and enhance it. If, however, you need to change your brand perception, a strategic and comprehensive program to move public perception in your favor is in order.<br /><br />Consider this: Strong brands are sought out by consumers, who are willing to pay a premium for those brands. Studies show that strong brands command price premiums of, on average, 7% over lesser brands. That HAS to be worth the effort!<br /><br />Let me know what you think. Respond or email me at Jlonsdorf@RandJpr.com.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-37765196948302374112010-07-14T12:20:00.006-04:002010-07-14T13:15:09.483-04:00Hospital Patient Satisfaction - A Short StoryIn the world of hospitals, it is well documented that superior patient satisfaction leads to higher quality scores, a better market position, and greater revenues. <br /><br />Much of the same research also tells us that the single biggest driver of patient satisfaction is employee engagement.<br /><br />Despite all of this compelling research, far too many many hospitals continue to believe that patient satisfaction can be influenced by consumer advertising -- billboards, newspaper ads, radio, etc.<br /><br />So here's a story -- one that I swear is 100% true.<br /><br />It starts with the unfortunate fact that my wife is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. We've entrusted her care here since the beginning of October, and we've found the people who work here, from top to bottom, are beyond compare. <br /><br />So here's the story: About 2 months ago, I was at Sloan with Lyn. I went to get a cup of coffee, but the coffee machine was being serviced by two people -- one training the other. As I approached, I overheard the trainer emphatically saying to the trainee, "The way we do things here at Sloan is simple. Everyone you deal with -- everyone -- is to be treated like they are a member of YOUR family." <br /><br />I think that speaks volumes about this place. <br /><br />I have now blogged that story twice, and told just about anyone who would listen -- no doubt many are telling their friends as well. Oh, and the hospital didn't need to spend $10,000 on a billboard to get that kind of good will, did it?<br /><br />What does YOUR hospital do to foster a similar culture among its employees?John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-80303920849862348832010-07-08T08:50:00.008-04:002010-07-08T12:55:19.085-04:00Minnesota Newspaper Sorts Through Nurses' Strike -- and Gets it RightThe hospital industry has been abuzz over the past several weeks, over the prospect of 12,000 nurses at 14 Minnesota hospitals striking over a variety of issues. The brief, but acrimonious strike that took place last week was punctuated by leaders of the nurses union accusing the hospitals of pressing for procedures and work rules that would lead to unsafe patient care. <br /><br />Shockingly, in the end, it seems it was all about money. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.twincities.com/opinion/ci_15460271?nclick_check=1">An editorial </a>published in the <a href="http://www.twincities.com">Pioneer Press </a>of St. Paul hit the nail on the head. Its title: <em>Nurses Care. So Do Hospital Bosses.</em><br /><br />In the editorial, the paper took the nurses to task for their cynical (and apparently transparent) approach to gaining public and union support: <br /><br /><em>By relying on an argument that demonized hospital managers and attempted to raise panic about pervasive mortal danger in Twin Cities hospitals, the nurses union undermined its own credibility and the cause of intelligent discourse. </em><br /><br />The paper went on to state: <em>Arguing that hospital managers and the citizen boards who direct them care only about money and not at all about patients or employees is...outrageous.</em><br /><br />More and more hospitals will be faced with labor issues -- not only among nurses, but also among support workers and technicians -- as healthcare dollars continue to get tighter and tighter. Moving forward, let's hope that these disputes can be resolved by reasonable people undertaking a discussion that centers around the best and most effective utilization of available resources, and not on a cynical attempt to demonize the opposition. <br /><br />Because hospital bosses care, too.<blockquote></blockquote>John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-78358707084817839192010-06-17T13:37:00.006-04:002010-06-17T13:52:26.829-04:00Tacky? Or superior marketing thought?If you've just awoken from a long Rip Van Winkle-like sleep, you may not know that the <a href="http://www.fifa.com/">World Cup </a>is taking place this fortnight in South Africa. Companies from around the globe pay millions of dollars to get their name associated with this largest and most watched sporting event on the planet. <br /><br />But what if you don't have the resources (or inclination) to spend that kind or money? Or what if one of your competitors already forked over the cash to claim a coveted category-exclusive sponsorship?<br /><br />Perhaps there IS another way to get some notice. <a href="http://www.bavaria.com/">Dutch beer brand Bavaria </a>sure found a way, and it is getting noticed in the <a href="http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/16/world-cup-marketing-stunt-leads-to-arrests/?scp=1&sq=Orange%20dresses&st=cse">media all over the world</a>.<br /><br />Is this a criminal enterprise, or merely the case of "David" once again finding a way to slay "Goliath?" <a href="http://www.stylelist.com/2010/06/16/orange-dresses-world-cup-dutch-beer/">Take a look </a>and you be the judge.<br /><br />In the meantime, here's a photo of guerrilla marketing in action:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOCNgAgvU5BrMOwQsdaoTuNJEWZnSQY0zD8K_xta128uzRxKXA0Se70D5uTT9STXBpXHp8v53irexwWR5Y-R1cH1g9fqxAq-1aHmpMkuMJRd8dhP6CkqRfRXqOo3LoVB-kMBp1UQWnFw/s1600/15lede_dresses-blogSpan.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOCNgAgvU5BrMOwQsdaoTuNJEWZnSQY0zD8K_xta128uzRxKXA0Se70D5uTT9STXBpXHp8v53irexwWR5Y-R1cH1g9fqxAq-1aHmpMkuMJRd8dhP6CkqRfRXqOo3LoVB-kMBp1UQWnFw/s320/15lede_dresses-blogSpan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483801179704026738" /></a>John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-79641669830866915512010-06-14T20:52:00.000-04:002010-06-17T14:15:03.244-04:00If You Run a Hospital, You Need Better Employee EngagementThe 2010 Hospital Pulse Report: Employee and Nurse Perspectives on American Health Care was recently released by Press Ganey Associates, and it should serve as a wake up call to hospital administrators.<br /><br />The report, which surveyed the experiences of more than 235,000 employees at nearly 400 U.S. hospitals, tells us that 45% of hospital workers -- <em>almost half!</em> -- consider themselves "distanced from or discontent with their current work." <br /><br />Even more troubling, those working closest to patient care have the lowest partnership scores. In other words, these employees are the least likely to feel satisfied and engaged with their organization.<br /><br />Wow.<br /><br />The report goes on to tell us that, not surprisingly, there is a strong correlation between patient satisfaction and employee partnership. <br /><br />Now let's complete the circle: If employees are not engaged and satisfied, patient satisfaction suffers. And we all know that low patient satisfaction equals declining admissions, erosion of brand equity, and loss of market share.<br /><br />Times are tough. Money is not easily or readily available for things that are not considered "essential" at hospitals. But the fact remains that hospital leaders need to look to employee engagement and satisfaction as a primary driver of patient satisfaction and perception of quality care.<br /><br />Those hospitals that provide the best environment for employees will reap the reward of better patient care -- and increased revenues.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-38593863311430681732010-03-08T15:24:00.004-05:002010-03-08T15:57:25.936-05:00Follow the Money<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bCW0GJs2PFZo1evT6rV6rMJZOBiJ94b8SWwOjELM8frk7JLNbXAO0dKnn7MMT43bVYoeGpBo-_aMYbySZq9t8ngpXJCkdv2CuyVwgSN2HNca9cHCxmbSAgi1GnkZqB4K2a_javyV1-U/s1600-h/Gallery-deepthroat-dies---007.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bCW0GJs2PFZo1evT6rV6rMJZOBiJ94b8SWwOjELM8frk7JLNbXAO0dKnn7MMT43bVYoeGpBo-_aMYbySZq9t8ngpXJCkdv2CuyVwgSN2HNca9cHCxmbSAgi1GnkZqB4K2a_javyV1-U/s320/Gallery-deepthroat-dies---007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446369064431244226" /></a><br />To paraphrase the character "Deep Throat" from the Watergate movie <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074119/">All the President's Men</a></em>: If you want to know the REAL story, you have to follow the money.<br /><br />So what is the real story these days in advertising? Well, for the first time ever, <a href="http://www.outsellinc.com/">Outsell, Inc.'s</a> annual advertising and marketing study reveals that U.S. advertisers will spend more this year on digital media than on print. This long-predicted milestone has finally arrived thanks to a 9.6% planned increase in digital advertising in 2010.<br /><br />Does this signal the end of print as we know it? Hardly. The same study tells us that ad spending for magazines will rise this year by 1.9%, to $9.4 billion.<br /><br />It does, however, raise the interesting question that, if Madison Avenue believes that the Internet is worthy of these kinds of ad expenditures, shouldn't you, as a marketer, sit up, take notice and make sure your marketing messages are delivered in the environment where the greatest number of eyes will see them?John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-3816748840348717672010-02-26T12:38:00.001-05:002010-02-26T12:42:42.962-05:00Hospitals must embrace social media and let ROI take care of itself | Article | Homepage articlesHere's a great article on hospitals' use of social media from Jenn Riggle. She hita a lot of nails firmly on the head in this.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ragan.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=5AA50C55146B4C8C98F903986BC02C56&tier=4&id=FDD5F81B7C5947F5B810D9B03BC943A9&AudID=3FF14703FD8C4AE98B9B4365B978201A">Hospitals must embrace social media and let ROI take care of itself | Article | Homepage articles</a>John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-11206021519548434982010-02-24T16:15:00.002-05:002010-02-24T16:17:50.572-05:00Make Sure You Know Where the Emergency Brake IsAnyone who knows me, or reads this blog, knows that I am a strong proponent of social media as a big part of the overall marketing mix. As part of an effective communications package, every organization needs to use a combination of social media tools to speak directly with their audience. <br /><br />Although social media is intended to be somewhat unfiltered, some organizations – particularly hospitals – are governed by laws and privacy issues that can preclude an unfiltered stakeholder engagement. For that reason, it is important to craft and vet a social media response protocol prior to engaging in these new, and operationally-different, media tools. <br /><br />As part of your social media effort, you need to develop a comprehensive social media policy. This policy will provide needed checks and balances for all of your employees and external stakeholders who could potentially contribute content or comment on any of your company-controlled social media properties. It should also provide guidance on moderating comments and input from the general public. <br /><br />Your goal should not necessarily be to control and manage the message and tone of social media communication with your various publics. Rather, your goal should be to ensure that the dialogue is fair and adheres to standards that you’ve thought through and pre-set for propriety and privacy.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-71625163817375774872010-02-19T18:55:00.001-05:002010-02-24T15:58:28.922-05:00TAKE THE PLUNGE!I’ve come to the conclusion that social media scares a lot of people. That is understandable. It’s new. It involves unfamiliar protocols and nomenclature. It seems so easy and natural for 16-year-olds, yet is a different world altogether for those of us who still remember where we were when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon.<br /><br />Nonetheless, social media is here to stay. <br /><br />So it’s time to take the plunge. Here’s what I recommend: a staged roll-out of social media tools and channels, so that you don’t “bite off more than you can chew.” Start small. Join and use Facebook (really use it; don’t be a bystander or wallflower). See what others in your industry are doing. Become a fan of sites that are delivering the kind of information you wish you were delivering about your company. Your Facebook experience shouldn’t be defined by the number of “friends” you have, but rather by the quality of contacts and experiences you can generate.<br /><br />Keep a record of the kinds of information and resources you’d like YOUR company’s fan page to deliver. And yes, check out your competitors and what peer companies in different parts of the country (or even the world!) are doing.<br /><br />And when you are ready, launch your page, keeping in mind it is NOT a website, which can sit fallow for months. Social media IS customer and stakeholder engagement. Be prepared to engage!John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-42599069666950837992010-02-14T23:33:00.001-05:002010-02-24T15:40:21.111-05:00Time for Hospitals to Embrace Social MediaIt’s time for hospitals to embrace social media.<br /><br />Interactive online technologies, or “social media,” allow online users to search for and share content, and have become an indispensable tool in today’s communication mix – except, it seems, at smaller community hospitals. Social media sites are firmly entrenched as the primary method for online dialogue and communication for a good deal of the population today, covering people of all ages.<br /><br />As part of an effective communications package, every organization needs to use a combination of social media tools to speak directly with their audience. Failing to do so risks alienating your patients and your community. Worse, it allows – and perhaps invites – the dialogue about what’s happening within your hospital and its service lines to be driven by outside, often unreliable sources. <br /><br /><a href="http://ebennett.org/hsnl/">Latest estimates</a> show that over 500 hospitals in the U.S. are using some form of social media – and many are using multiple social media tools. If you are a healthcare marketing pro, isn’t it time to get YOUR hospital on board?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhZz4Z8aWTpIsAyBvPhblDJ2AoOSgs4hACzunGL4z1JxMBAISZGT3_PnAzc3nT3s08iw_T2ABEV6X3RuoV8k-Sn-_l-2XSlVe-_1KrsnEvw1T35OrXw4JkJ29CMD0v07DmD2ztqo3C1o/s1600-h/hospital_bed_count.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhZz4Z8aWTpIsAyBvPhblDJ2AoOSgs4hACzunGL4z1JxMBAISZGT3_PnAzc3nT3s08iw_T2ABEV6X3RuoV8k-Sn-_l-2XSlVe-_1KrsnEvw1T35OrXw4JkJ29CMD0v07DmD2ztqo3C1o/s400/hospital_bed_count.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441911548344439282" /></a>John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-69206540981902091022010-01-21T03:23:00.001-05:002010-02-24T15:29:39.168-05:00Hospitals need to Embrace "Marketing"Just about every hospital I’ve dealt with has a “marketing” department. Why did I put “marketing” in the dreaded quotation marks? Well, because “marketing” means so very many different things to individual hospitals or healthcare systems. <br /><br />In some cases, “marketing” means “fund raising.” To others, it means sending out press releases on health and wellness programs. Still others equate “marketing” with “advertising,” (generally resulting in little more than a shameful waste of money, if you ask me). <br /><br />In truth, <a href="http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/DefinitionofMarketing.aspx">(according to the American Marketing Association):</a><br /><br /><strong><em>Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.</em></strong><br /><br />Hospitals are quick to point out that they are doing the latest procedure, that they have the most modern equipment, and they generally provide high-tech services. Isn’t it time for hospitals to move into the 21st Century with their marketing?John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-85136230868036888532009-12-24T10:11:00.002-05:002009-12-24T10:24:29.915-05:00A Very MERRY CHRISTMAS!Here's hoping your Christmas is a very blessed and wonderful one, filled with all of the truly good and important things in life -- and perhaps a little "razzelberry dressing" and more than one "woofle jelly cake."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYLq5kVqoR0&feature=related">Here's a little something from me</a>, courtesy of the first, and still the best, animated Christmas special EVER produced for television. (Music by Julie Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill, by the way!)<br /><br />Merry Christmas, and best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-53101125615469332532009-12-22T15:12:00.001-05:002009-12-22T15:16:01.107-05:00How to Be a Good ClientHere's an early Christmas (or a late Hanukkah) present for those of you out there who hire agencies.<br /><br />Ryan Greives writes <a href="http://crm.sys-con.com/node/1226512">a quick primer on what it takes to be a good client (click here)</a> for a PR firm. Almost all of this is certainly applicable to ad agencies, design firms, and interactive shops as well.<br /><br />If you hire any type of marketing communications firm, this Top 10 list is required reading. By following these simple suggestions, you will get your firm to work harder and to <em>always</em> do their absolute best for you. <br /><br />If I might add an additional point: Know that all we want is to make you look good. We are not out to take your job (we are on the "agency side" because that's what we love to do). And we are not out to grab the glory. No, our "glory" comes from having a satisfied and appreciative client who pays our bills in a timely manner. Making you look like a superstar to your CEO, your Board, or whomever signs your paycheck is the best possible outcome for us.<br /><br />Hope you have a very happy holiday season, and my best wishes for a very successful and rewarding 2010!John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-15249457485143970272009-12-09T17:23:00.001-05:002009-12-22T17:42:48.921-05:00And the Gold Medal Goes to...Well, maybe our client <a href="http://www.visionresearch.com/">Vision Research</a> won't be on the medal stand in Vancouver, but their technology will be helping American Olympians and the American viewing public to better understand just what goes into a winning performance.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nbc.com/">NBC</a>, which is covering the Olympics, has enlisted the Vision Research ultra-high-speed <a href="http://www.visionresearch.com/index.cfm?sector=htm/app&page=products&prodcatid=1">Phantom camera</a> to "slow down" the action of Olympic athletes, giving them and their coaches information that can lead to a winning edge.<br /><br />At the same time, the television viewing public gets to see amazing details and things that give a far greater appreciation to the physics of sport.<br /><br />Check out <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/34344719#34344719">this report (click here)</a> from <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/3688725">Lester Holt</a> on the <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/">TODAY Show</a>, breaking down how <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Chu">US Olympian Julie Chu</a> generates so much velocity to her slap shot.<br /><br />Vision Research cameras serve a wealth of important functions, slowing down even the fastest motion to allow the analysis of motion that is far too fast for the human eye, and even beyond the capabilities of traditional film and video cameras.<br /><br />I don't know about you, but I think this stuff is REALLY cool! For a gallery of ultra-high-speed video shot with Vision Research cameras, <a href="http://www.visionresearch.com/index.cfm?sector=htm/app&page=Gallery">click here</a>.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-26071270728308877232009-08-07T10:44:00.004-04:002009-08-07T10:55:19.613-04:00When "10 Times as Slow" is BETTER!<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/business/media/07adco.html?_r=1">Here's a very interesting article</a> about what the <a href="http://www.nfl.com">NFL</a> is doing to promote itself. <br /><br />The cameras used to produce the striking images in this campaign are made in the USA by <a href="http://www,visionresearch.com">Vision Research</a> -- one of my clients. The cameras have been used in the past two Super Bowls by the CBS (Giants win over New England) and the FOX (Steelers last year) production crews -- with amazing success. The ultra slo-mo of the Giants' David Tyree catch replay was called "the most replayed highlight of the year" by <a href="http://www.espn.com">ESPN</a>. And if you remember last year, two different scoring plays were ruled on by slo-mo from Vision Research Phantom HD cameras.<br /><br />The military routinely uses a series of Vision Research cameras, sometimes shooting 1.4 MILLION FRAMES PER SECOND to record and analyze weapons systems.<br /><br />To see some astounding non-sports footage, go to <a href="http://www.visionresearch.com">www.visionresearch.com</a>, and click on <a href="http://www.visionresearch.com/index.cfm?sector=htm/app&page=Gallery">GALLERY</a> at the top.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-25653720463868831212009-05-06T16:11:00.004-04:002009-05-06T16:24:39.345-04:00The Seven Deadly Sins of Social MediaDavid Griner, a social media strategist for <a href="http://www.luckie.com/">Luckie & Company</a> in Birmingham, AL, just published what I see as the definitive outline of rules for beginning -- and more importantly -- continuing and profiting from a social media program.<br /><br />With the very catchy title "<a href="http://www.thesocialpath.com/2009/05/seven-deadly-sins.html">The Seven Deadly Sins of Social Media</a>," Griner's article is both fun to read and a real eye-opener. So click on it <a href="http://www.thesocialpath.com/2009/05/seven-deadly-sins.html">here</a> and let me (and David!) know what you think!John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-16349829240797340562009-04-23T13:11:00.001-04:002009-04-24T17:05:42.569-04:00Rupert Murdoch "Gets It"Newspaper maven <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Murdoch">Rupert Murdoch </a>just appointed Jonathan Miller, recently of AOL, as his head of digital operations. This includes a wide range of products, including <a href="http://www.myspace.com/">MySpace</a>, <a href="http://photobucket.com/">Photobucket</a>, and <a href="http://www.hulu.com">Hulu</a>. Miller's job is to make sure Murdoch's News Corp.'s online assets are "central to, not separate from, the enterprise."<br /><br />Instead of newspapers bitching about how the Internet is killing them, perhaps they'd do better to look to the vision that Murdoch seems to possess. Yes, old Rupert "gets it" -- media convergence is here to stay. <br /><br />Now you tell me: if a 78-year-old Australian can figure it out, why can't the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a>?<br /><br />Newspapers that think their old tried and true model (sell ads, build subscription base, take money to the bank) will work in the 21st Century are sorely mistaken. And, no, it's NOT enough to just put your content up online and sell a few Internet banners. It's time for a fully integrated strategy. Newspaper content has always been superior. How about starting THERE and leveraging that as an advantage?John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-28713519668749096912009-04-14T16:44:00.001-04:002009-04-24T16:47:59.408-04:00If Facebook Were a Country......It would be the 5th most populous on the globe!<br /><br />Yes, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> just passed the 200 million (!) mark in active users. For those of you who STILL think Facebook is the 21st Century equivalent of passing a note in study hall, it's time you shifted your thinking.<br /><br />If you are NOT on Facebook, you might want to give it a try.John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2122158352643785000.post-90006210760499056392009-04-09T06:38:00.000-04:002009-04-24T16:40:45.491-04:00Time to Stop Using "Time" in My Post HeadlinesJust looked back at my blog and noticed that I seem to constantly be telling people what time it is. If you are depending on me for this, perhaps it's time you bought a watch!John Lonsdorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06025370326733020072noreply@blogger.com0