How do we know whether or not a new technology will actually improve our healthcare experience?
The Healthcare Leadership Chat on Tuesdays on Twitter is one of my favorite Twitter chats. On May 23, 2017, the topic covers technology in healthcare. That’s like three important and favorite topics of mine in one: Twitter (social media), technology and also customer/patient experience. I’ll try to participate live – as always – but also wanted […]
Read MoreWhy star reviews are less useful than they could be ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
On average, my Uber drivers have rated me 4.7 stars out of 5. I wonder why I wasn’t the perfect passenger! LOL. What are the requirements so I can work on getting that up? 😂🤔😱 (I love Uber and this is just an example, friends!) And then the other day I went to a three-star […]
Read MoreWhy not to worry about the “industry standard!”
The so called “industry standard” is something many marketers talk and care about. What’s the industry average, and are we a bit better? Let me rephrase that: Are we slightly above industry average? Who wants to be average? I don’t. I’m trying to be the best version of myself and in my field – however […]
Read MoreIs authentic storytelling content marketing still a differentiator when everyone does it?
Here’s the scenario: Two competitors both use similar authentic storytelling content marketing techniques. They all read my book, which you can order here.Ha. But seriously, let’s take that scenario. Is this technique still usable when everyone – including our competitors – use it? Totally! Yes. Yes. You own your stories and others own theirs. Many […]
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VIDEO: How helpful marketing teams can find ways to publish stakeholder content
Helpful storytellers often find ways to find a story for just about any topic. Look a little deeper to help people share their stories. Here's how.
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ZDoggMD: How humor, uniqueness and fun can tell educational stories for millions
Zubin Damania, MD, was a Stanford physician who was following in his dad’s footsteps: Being a doctor in the typical healthcare system. But that wasn’t enough he told the audience at the Healthcare Internet Conference in Las Vegas in 2016. “I was living somebody else’s story.” So he made changes. Huge ones. For him and […]
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Healthcare ads: Should we use actual patients?
Colin Hung wrote a great post over on the Healthcare Leadership blog and shares a video, used as a TV commercial, that includes actual patients, according to Colin’s blog post. Colin asks “How do you feel about using actual patients, families and doctors in healthcare advertising?” I have an opinion on that…
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What industries can benefit from content marketing or authentic storytelling?
It’s always dangerous to throw round absolutes, but I have yet to come up with an industry where content marketing is absolutely not possible or zero percent helpful. Basically authentic storytelling content marketing comes down to these pillars:
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Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Hit me with a good story after I almost donated
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it seems everyone is running their own fundraising campaigns. I got one email from an airline that said I could earn miles if I would donate to help fund breast cancer research. I even clicked over and picked a dollar amount for my donation and checked how many […]
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Hope might not be a strategy, but stories that instill hope are motivators
You’ve probably heard some of those digital marketing/content marketing/general strategy experts out there who blurt out: “Hope is not a strategy.” Usually, they say (and I’ve said it before) that when somebody says: “I hope this will happen when I do [insert current strategy].” And they are correct to a degree. Hope is not a […]
Read More![[MARKETING] Why we shouldn’t make up quotes for people in our marketing stories](https://i0.wp.com/authenticstorytelling.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/img_6624.jpg?fit=374%2C374&ssl=1)
[MARKETING] Why we shouldn’t make up quotes for people in our marketing stories
October 4, 2016
Change Leadership, Content distribution, Content gathering, Creativity, Health, Training
It can seem easier for writers and content creators to write the quotes from “actual people” marketing materials. It’s one way to make sure they stay on message, I suppose. Marketing materials, of course, can include printed pieces, other offline items and all kinds of digital components, including ads, blogs and eNewsletters. And many marketers […]
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A guy’s perspective: Do women really make most healthcare decisions?
I hear those studies often: “Since women make most healthcare decisions, marketers need to …” When I hear the studies and statements I sometimes would think: “Oh sure. Maybe. But I can and do make my own decisions.” And that’s true, but then I look at what actually causes me to go see a doctor! […]
Read More![How to promote your event through great storytelling [HEALTHCARE EXAMPLE]](https://i2.wp.com/authenticstorytelling.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/bell.png?fit=750%2C422&ssl=1)
How to promote your event through great storytelling [HEALTHCARE EXAMPLE]
A lot of event promotion I see out there is, well, just very promotional. Here’s our event The time Date Maybe the purpose is stated And whatever it is that we want from you – often to give us money to attend But having unique events and promotions of those events can help organizations and their […]
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How to use content marketing to retain current customers
I hear lots of talk about how content marketing is great to acquire new customers for businesses or patients in healthcare. But one thing that is easily (and often) forgotten is that content marketing can also help us retain current customers. Some experts and thought leaders out there even compare content marketing to dating. We […]
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MEN’S HEALTH: Why not to ignore the little health problems
I had this pain in my left waist for months, but only when I was laying down. My wife suggested I should maybe go see our family doctor and have him take a look. I’m fine. But you may know how it is. It only hurt from time to time and not that bad even. […]
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Why your website content needs to be specific
Web content needs specificity. Every once in a while, people say to me: Why do we need to be so specific? We didn’t do that previously? We just shared the typical stuff. And that’s the problem, many people are sharing the typical things. These are the facts. In the case of healthcare you can easily […]
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Why news media and content marketers can’t just publish what everyone else is publishing
August 26, 2016
Content distribution, Creativity, Health, Journalism and Content Marketing, Strategies
News publishing and content marketing publishing have a lot in common and here’s another one to add to the list: Publishing what everyone else is publishing won’t set you apart. Let’s start with content marketing in health care. February is Heart Month and many healthcare organizations publish healthy heart tips or how to spot a […]
Read More![[FITNESS BLOG TEST] How accurate is the heart beats per minute on the Fitbit Surge?](https://i2.wp.com/authenticstorytelling.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/img_5831.jpg?fit=374%2C390&ssl=1)
[FITNESS BLOG TEST] How accurate is the heart beats per minute on the Fitbit Surge?
I love my Fitbit. It tracks my sleep, steps and heart rate. The heart beats per minute is probably what I check the least but it’s still interesting to swipe over to from time to time. I check my tracked sleep daily and know that I need to hit around seven hours without waking to […]
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Instagram Stories delete after 24 hours but is that privacy?
In early August 2016, Instagram announced and launched Instagram Stories. From the Instagram blog: You can bring your story to life in new ways with text and drawing tools. The photos and videos will disappear after 24 hours and won’t appear on your profile grid or in feed. Read more here Stories show up at […]
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Sharing valuable and educational information everywhere – including the sidewalk – in content marketing
As you hear me say frequently, I’m a big believer in and practitioner of Create Once, Publish Eveywhere (aka COPE) Sometimes people take that to mean digital only, but COPE actually applies to all channels. Gather content once and then share it everywhere. That could include digital channels – like blogs, social media and display ads – and […]
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Why every strategist needs a team to execute content marketing strategies
As I’m continuing to help hospitals and health plans coast to coast start and implement their content marketing, content creation, social media and eNewsletter strategies one thing has become super clear in the last 5-10 years: Content marketing and storytelling is a team effort. I notice this especially when I hear some speakers at conferences […]
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How Instagram helps us recognize shareable moments and tell even better stories
One of the things I like about Instagram is that – at least in theory – it’s actually harder to share content than it is on Twitter or Facebook. Taking good photos takes a different level of effort and even skillset. On those other two networks, you can share blog post links or quick soundbites […]
Read MoreWhy it can be okay for organizations to share stories that might appear conflicting
We have to stay on message. On brand. Etc. Etc. I get it. It’s important that our brand is representing what it is, but it’s too easy to apply old school marketing techniques to the new world of integrated marketing and authentic storytelling. One area where message alignment continues to come up is in content […]
Read More[HEALTHCARE] What do we call people before they become patients?
As I’m continuing to think about the future of storytelling, content marketing and other digital marketing strategies as they relate to population health and healthcare marketing I wondered if we’re missing a word to describe patients before they become patients. Recommended reading: Population health and storytelling What value-based care means to me Currently, physicians have […]
Read MoreMy top 6 reasons how a blog can help you reach your marketing and business goals
When done right blogging and authentic storytelling content marketing can help us reach our marketing and business goals. Done right means that we share information that is valuable and relevant but not markety to our audiences. It doesn’t always sell. So here are my top 6 reasons how well-executed blogging help reach our marketing and business […]
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What value-based healthcare means to me – the patient
I’ve been reading some pretty interesting books on patient experience and value-based healthcare. In addition, I keynoted at the Population Health Forum in Boston in May 2016 and discussed how storytelling can help people be healthier. Also, in May, I keynoted at the Cleveland Clinic Patient Experience Summit and was able to catch up with […]
Read MoreOrganizational storytelling: Should we check the background of people whose stories we are sharing?
Storytelling strategies can be full of reasons why not to publish something. In fact, if we want to find a reason to not publish a story that can be a super easy task: We don’t have the time. We don’t want to. I’m not a good writer. Somebody, somewhere may potentially be offended by something in the […]
Read More![[STORYTELLING] Cameras on people can help us gather authentic stories](https://i0.wp.com/authenticstorytelling.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/img_4201-1.jpg?fit=750%2C422&ssl=1)
[STORYTELLING] Cameras on people can help us gather authentic stories
While at a Chicago White Sox game in 2016 my wife pointed out to me that the approaching vendor had two cameras attached to him. One pointed at him and one at the crowd. Of course, I asked him about it. “We are doing a special on vendors and it’ll be on the website. They […]
Read More[INTEGRATION STRATEGIES] Online-offline cohesiveness is s sign of good customer service
Being available and transparent about when companies and their experts are available is also a sign of good customer service. Customer service in the healthcare industry is called patient experience. The same principles apply to both areas of customer service. In 2016, patients and customers expect full integration across all channels. For example, I […]
Read MoreHow to decide which online reviews to respond to
Businesses, products, even doctors are reviewed online now. Everyone has license to be a critic is one way to look at it. Another way is that people have the right to participate, share their experiences and help others in our communities make better decisions about those things being reviewed. Of course with people sharing their […]
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My Authentic Storytelling Book
"Get Real: Telling Authentic Stories for Long-term Success" discusses why you, your organization and anyone really should consider sharing authentic stories with each other ... READ MORE
My customer service book
Confirmed talks
Berlin, Germany
June 29, 2017
Raleigh, NC
Aug. 22, 2017
Speaking feedback
Top 10 Content Marketer
on Klout 2016
Quotes
Christoph
May 22, 2017
Change Leadership, Customer service, Health, Technology