VNN Media Insider
June 17th, 2010 |
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| Welcome to our newest Certified Veterinary Journalist: Dr. Tony Kremer of Illinois! Dr. Kremer also serves on our Board of Certification.
Becoming credentialed through the American Society of Veterinary Journalists is an important step in raising the level of professionalism in animal health news.
Visit ASVJ.org to learn more and to submit your application! |
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| Dear VNN Member: |
 Eight weeks...in case you have lost count, that's how long it's been since the Deepwater Horizon explosion. That's also the length of time that this disaster has been in the news. Beyond the press conference and endless cycle of blame, there are human and animal lives being adversely affected. So many people want to know how to help... Another popular topic this week has been the on-going feud between the Humane Society of the United States and HumaneWatch. Several VNN members have used this story in their media and they are reporting a LOT of controversy. Check out VNN Member, George Price's website for a typical discussion or VNN Member Patty Khuly's blog as she also tackles this topic. |
| New at MyVNN.com | |
You will also note that there is a new "face" on the VNN video blog. Dr. Krista Gibson, from Scottsdale, AZ, is the first VNN member to be featured on the MyVNN.com website. We would like to include more of our members in a rotation as we produce new videos. Let us know if you are interested and we can let you know what type of camera/lighting you might need.
We can also help you with a customizable video for your website, YouTube Channel, Facebook page or wherever. We are happy to add your hospital logo along with any website information, phone numbers or anything else that you think would help to brand your video.
Coming up next month: DId you know that pets are a factor in causing about 900 structure fires every year? Our furry friends are actually a leading cause of housefires, right behind unattended candles!! Our newest VNN story will detail how owners can prevent fires from happening. This will be a great story for recognizing National Pet Fire Safety Day on July 15th. |
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| What's Your Facebook Page Doing for You? |
What Can You Do to "Go Viral" on Facebook?  Dr. Jim and I have been talking about the power of social media sites, like Facebook, to take your message to millions of pet owners for more than a year now. Some folks "get it" and are seeing some nice growth on their Facebook pages (and maybe even some increased door swings as well)! Others...well, due to time commitments or lack of interest, their social media presence is really foundering. According to Slideshare.net, you can help increase the reach of your social media by simply following a few rules (which will probably sound somewhat familiar!) First, whenever you are updating a status, posting a video or creating a new discussion, be sure to think in "headlines" and use a good news "hook" to capture the reader's attention. Dr. Jim has a great article in the Media Training section of MyVNN.com titled " How to Write Headlines and Titles Like a Pro" that can be very helpful. Next, be sure that your staff, family and friends have all "liked" your page and that they comment on (or "like") your status updates frequently. The more often people comment on your updates, the more often it will be seen in feeds. (On a side note, I try to do this with everyone's page routinely...if you want to help your fellow VNN members, check out the "Favorites" at either our VNN page or our PetDocsOnCall page and find a few hospitals that you know and/or like). Invite participation and interaction. Don't just post "Dog bites man"....mix it up and have some fun. Ask questions, ask for input and find creative ways to involve your fans. Finally, you must post consistently. There is nothing sadder than a Facebook page (or blog post or website) that hasn't been updated for several weeks. If your website is still focused on the pet food recall from 2007, you need to get busy!! Ask your team members for ideas on posting, go through our Message Point Library, or use our story resources and News Alerts for ideas. Don't let your social media presence die a slow, lingering death...liven up your pages and get your entire staff involved. You will see a difference very quickly! |
| Reminders | |
In a little over two weeks, please be on the look-out for a physical mailing from the Veterinary News Network. We had many of our members miss the last mailing (in April) and I suspect that some well-intentioned office staff mistook our communication as advertisements or junk mail. Also, please double check your mailing address in our database. Simply log in to MyVNN.com, click on the My Profile tab and make sure your address is accurate.
Also, we mentioned in an email earlier today that our new phone tree, "reverse 911" system will be tested on Friday, June 18th. This system will enable us to notify you of breaking animal news or important information through your cell phone and/or voice mail. If you haven't listed a cell phone number at MyVNN.com, please log in and do so as soon as possible. For our few members outside of North America, our system will probably not reach you during this first round of testing. We will keep you posted as to when we can reach out to you as well.
Several of your VNN colleagues are auditioning for a new show on the Oprah Network. You can vote for any (or all) of these VNN members by viewing their videos and clicking on the Vote! button. Simply click on the members name and you will be taken to their video!
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Welcome to our new members from Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Texas!
Sincerely,
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This is "Travelin' Jack", New Mexico's Pet Ambassador and good friend to VNN. You can read about 