|
Dear VNN Member:
It seems amazing to me that the first decade of the 21st century is coming to a close in a just a few hours. Where are the flying cars? The "Star Trek" transport system? The amazing medical wands that tell us what's wrong with our pets by simply waving the wand near them?
We certainly have seen a lot of new and exciting changes though...iPads, Droid Phones and the explosion of social media and mobile apps. It's really changing how businesses, large and small, are interacting with clients or customers.
Dr. Jim and I are both happy to be involved with helping you market your practice through media and to understand how media continues to morph and evolve. We are looking forward to a very exciting 2011!
|
| Animals in the News This Week |
The Michael Vick controversy continues to have legs. With his mention of Vick in a recent phone call, lots of animal lovers are none too happy with President Obama right now. Does the Michael Vick focus deserve a mention in the Top Ten Animal Stories of 2010? There were quite literally dozen of incredible stories focused on veterinary medicine or animals during 2010. VNN Member, Dr. Patty Khuly lists her Top Ten in a recent USA Today article, but you might have your favorites too. Consider this as a blog topic or something to use in an upcoming local media segment. Other lists include The Most Newsworthy Dogs of 2010. Also, remember that this type of information is great to share on your website and your hospital's social media sites! |
| Social Media Tips and Ideas for 2011 |
 It's utterly amazing how fast we can communicate and disseminate information now. By connecting your mobile device to your social network, you can have constant access to the latest happenings in your "virtual" social world.
But, does this instant access necessarily help you with your business? How do you know that your newly appointed "social media manager" is actually working and not wasting your payroll dollars in a meaningless exercise online?
Facebook has now updated their Business Page Insights. This helpful administrative tool can show you just who your page is connecting with, their demographics and how they interact with your updates and posts. Take a look at this great article from Mashable that gives you an overview of how Insights work and what information you can gather from this tool. There are tips in here about timing your updates to match when your followers are "listening" as well as seeing whether or not your Facebook link on your website is working for you!
How about Twitter? Are you doing a good job "tweeting" out pertinent information to people who follow you? Check out www.Klout.com to find out just how effective you are! For the record, our PetDocsonCall09 account has "klout" of 51 (scale from 1-100) and VetNewsNetwork has a score of 48! You can connect your PERSONAL Facebook account with Klout as well, but I would recommend that you wait until they finish their development of Klout for Facebook Business pages (it's rumoured to be in the works!)
 Finally, don't miss what promises to be a very informative and exciting educational opportunity for all VNN members! We are very proud to present web marketing expert, Mr. Kevin Knebl, in a one hour long webinar open to all VNN members. Kevin will discuss social media in a context that has been specifically designed for our group. This hour-long webinar will take place on Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 at 2 pm EST and there will be opportunities for you to ask questions! Attendance is limited, so please RSVP at www.MyVNN.com/news. |
| Looking back at 2010... |
 There were many memorable moments in media during this past year. Probably the biggest story is the fact that Facebook experienced a growth rate of more than 55% (year to year) in the US during 2010!! More than 151 million of us now have Facebook accounts and there is no sign of the growth slowing! Again, if you have not considered how you are going to use social media for your business, you need to start thinking about it. Either Dr. Jim or I can help you get started and we are just a phone call or email away.
Remember how we have been saying that you need to be careful with what you say and do online?? Well, the Library of Congress has started archiving "tweets" as of April of 2010. Amazingly, they will actually reach back to the start of Twitter in 2006 and archive every single tweet!!
And, in numbers that simply astonish me, YouTube announced that more than 700 BILLION YouTube videos were viewed during this last year. Every minute, more than a day's worth of videos are uploaded to this, the second largest search engine on the Web. Utilizing videos to help promote your expertise and your practice is not only a great idea, it will help keep you ahead of the curve when it comes to marketing your practice! Using our VNN customized video blog service is one way to quickly generate a library of videos for a YouTube channel, your website and other social media sites. |
| Upcoming Events and Reminders |
January is:
Also, looking further forward, February is National Pet Dental Health Month. NOW is the time to start thinking about how you are going to approach your local media and/or how you can use our VNN resources to help market this annual event. |
|
|
Sincerely,
 Thomas Dock, CVJ
Managing Editor
tomdock@MyVNN.com
317-281-8658
Dr. Jim Humphries
President/News Director
dr.jim@MyVNN.com
719-495-2100
|
|
|
| | |
Changes are coming to VNN!For a month now, we have sent out emails, placed notices in these newsletters and even sent a special physical mailing to all members of VNN. Our membership structure is changing and, as of January 31st, 2011, VNN resources will only be available to members who have paid their membership dues.Many of you (more than 100) have already contacted us about this change and we appreciate the trust and confidence you have shown in us and our resources.If you have not yet sent your membership dues, please visit www.MyVNN.com/renew and click the My Profile tab. Instructions for paying by credit card or check are listed. Additionally, you have the option to choose an individual membership in VNN or a Hospital membership if you have two or more members in your practice who are active in VNN.
|
|
|
