The Side Note

Organizations that go looking for reasons not to engage in social media are going to find some, especially those in the healthcare arena. With an uncertain regulatory landscape combined with the loss of control of messaging, taking the social media plunge can be a scary step. Despite the lack of direction from regulators, many healthcare organizations have taken the step into the unknown with great results.

Johnson & Johnson’s social media campaign to promote the Acuvue disposable contact lens is a smart one. With a Facebook page dedicated to the brand and more than 25,000 followers, the corporation can speak directly to people who wear the contact lens as well as provide them with product updates and health information. To add to this Johnson & Johnson uses a Facebook application to remind wearers they need to change their lenses on a regular basis. By setting up these auto-reminders, wearers will not only have a better product experience, but they will have to re-order more often. Building the relationship with current clients will help Acuvue build its client base and expand it.

Glaxo Smith Kline’s product Alli, a FDA-approved weight-loss drug, uses an integrated social media approach with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube working together to provide health information to potential customers. Here Alli is really using their customers for consumer insight. By providing a space for feedback, offering surveys and encouraging users to share their stories, Alli gains understanding of its customers and their interests. This information helps Alli target its outreach. By creating messaging to address client concerns and posting information directly related to these concerns, the pharmaceutical company shows customers it cares about them. This leads to increased sales for Alli.

Another example of the healthcare industry using social media to its benefit is the Eating Disorder Center of Denver. By promoting better body images and using its patients’ self-affirmations, the Eating Disorder Center of Denver has been able to speak directly to those in need of its services and offer them a solution to their problem.

The bottom line of social media, and communication in general, is that you need to be active where your customers are engaged. And the best way to find out where they are online is to ask them. If your customers are on Facebook, than you need to engage them on Facebook. You need to find ways to create genuine connections and whether it’s helping them through a tough day or reminding them to change their contacts, you are creating something greater – brand loyalty.