Practice Marketing Course - Palmer College

Class on 6/2!

2010-06-01T18:31:00.002-05:00

For class tomorrow we will be covering as many aspects of internal marketing that can be presented in one class. A handout will be provided. Grading sheets for both the Infomercial and Health Care Class Project will be returned at the end of class.

Target Marketing Strategy Section Example

2010-06-01T16:40:00.002-05:00

A. The Target Marketing Strategy should contain the following components:
a. Mission Statement
b. Marketing Strategy
c. Marketing Objectives
d. Target Market
e. Positioning
f. Strategic Pyramids
g. Marketing Mix
h. Marketing Research

B. Target Marketing Strategy Sample:

3.0 Target Marketing Strategy – Mission Statement

Chrysalis Health Solutions (CHS) is an integrative health consulting service that helps patients attain one of the greatest gifts of all – that of good health. Personal gains, such as improved self-esteem and self-motivation, combined with measurable benefits will create tremendous advantages for the patient and the employer/employee wellness programs that CHS partners with.

3.1 Marketing Strategy

Chrysalis Health Solutions will begin by soliciting patients in the chosen target market arena and will simultaneously approach small to medium-sized businesses in the Bettendorf area. In addition to working to attract new patients in the immediate city of Bettendorf, efforts will be focused on drawing patients from the close proximity, (less than 15-minute transit time), from surrounding areas including Riverdale, Pleasant Valley, Davenport, LeClaire and Eldridge. In addition, senior executives at local small to medium-sized businesses will be assertively pursued in the effort of convincing them of the benefits and needs of wellness programs.

3.2 Marketing Objectives

1. Increase market penetration every quarter.
2. Continue to cultivate Chrysalis Health Solution’s image as the premier long-term wellness program provider.
3. To create a visible profile through establishing reciprocal referral sources with the following:

· Chiropractic offices where specialty patient care is required but not offered and the patient can remain for chiropractic services
· Medical physicians seeking alternative health care options for current patients
· Women’s health centers seeking alternative health care options for patients demonstrating hormonal imbalance, menopausal or infertility issues
· Each of these types of offices combined outside of the local area as services can be offered nationwide utilizing current technological advances in the market

3.3 Target Market

The primary target markets include these areas:

1. Women between the ages of onset of menstruation and end of life
a. Individual patients with dispensable income willing to spend out-of-pocket for laboratory testing and consultation fees that are normally not covered by most insurance plans

2. Small to medium-sized business seeking to lower overall health care costs by implementing a wellness program onsite as part of an employee benefit package:
a. Established businesses of more than 50 employees that value a health care office that offers comprehensive alternative laboratory testing particularly in the areas of stress, hormone and gastrointestinal function management

b. Growing businesses of less than 50 employees that need services now and will rely on them to a greater extent as their business requirements grow, particularly those that would benefit from keeping health care costs modulated to a reasonable amount to allow for continued business growth

3.4 Positioning

Chrysalis Health Solutions offers a unique position as a flexible health care entity able to provide laboratory test kits that can be mailed to any location within the United States and report of findings consultations that can be conducted via the internet or over the phone allowing a patient to remain in their location and avoid expensive and cost-prohibitive travel to an on-site location for care. Although considered “alternative” these forms of laboratory analysis are heavily researched and recognized as valid by entities such as the Centers for Disease Control and are fast becoming part of mainstream assessments to provide patients with the most accurate, informative health information possible.

3.5 Strategy Pyramids

Strategy #1: Revenue Diversification

Tactic #1: Specialization through expanding in business clients and referrals from chiropractic, medical and women’s health centers.
· Program 1-A: Indentify potential new clients
· Program 1-B: Additional involvement in relevant associations & business groups

Tactic #2: Service specialization and building on proven skills.
· Program 2-A: Promotion of areas of specialization
· Program 2-B: Leveraging contacts in vertical markets
· Program 3-B: Utilizing the website to communicate and demonstrate this expertise

Tactic #3: Expertise-based marketing.
· Program 3-A: Informative articles in relevant publications
· Program 3-B: Presentations at local venues and online
· Program 3-C: Utilizing the website to communicate and demonstrate this expertise

Tactic #4: Formalization of referral program.
· Program 4-A: Referral log automated for tracking performance
· Program 4-B: Identify high potential professional contacts for referral sources
· Program 4-C: Generate monthly reports

3.6 Marketing Mix

The traditional marketing mix of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing and existing patient/new patient referral will be utilized. Excellent customer service will also be considered an integral part of the marketing mix as achieving total customer satisfaction is imperative is the business is to succeed.

Advertising will be in the form of feature columns printed in the local health magazines and any newspaper articles offering feature coverage of CHS services.

Personal selling will take place in the form of periodic visits to area businesses to discuss practice services.

Sales promotion by distributing free gifts to patients and others in the public, including but limited to, branded items of pencils, pens and stainless steel promotional water bottles.

Public relations will be deployed as the preparation and submission of press releases to announce community presentations and informational events, conducting approximately 3 formal presentation meetings per week, holding numerous informal health education events with target audiences, attending local health fairs and business networking meetings.

Direct marketing will include postcard sizes direct mail pieces with a detachable magnet to be mailed to those within the “52722” zip code for the city of Bettendorf, business cards and informative brochures about Chrysalis Health Solutions.

Experience has proven that the most significant factor in acquiring new patients is a direct result of referrals from both the existing patient base and partnerships with other health care providers.

3.7 Marketing Research

Two types of marketing research were used when CHS was collecting market research. The first type of research was focus groups. The focus groups were collections of 7-9 people who were asked a series of predetermined questions with the responses recorded and analyzed. In addition to the pre-established questions, there was a free-flow discussion format toward the end of the focus group that provided flexibility in allowing the participants to share information and insight with CHS.

Additionally, questionnaires were used to collect market information from perspective patients. The questionnaires were submitted to a total of 100 community members and 50 business owners. The response rate was 43, higher than expected. The validity and usefulness of the questionnaire was ensured by using a graduate statistics student to develop the questionnaire. Overall, both forms of primary market research were insightful for providing information. This research confirmed many already held assumptions of CHS as well as introduced several valuable perspectives that CHS was not yet privy to.

Proposed Marketing Plan Point Structure

2010-05-21T16:44:00.003-05:00

I've taken a look at everything and have a new breakdown that I'm considering based on depth of work required and complexity of the section in response to submissions and input about the deleterious effects that a 95 point reduction in point value might have on some people's final grade. Here it is:

Executive Summary
Structure & Organization: 5 points
Introduction: 3
Product: 5
Target Market: 3
Competitive Position: 3
Goals & Objectives: 5
Management Team: 3
Financial Requirements: 3
TOTAL: 30

Business Overview & Target Market Identification
Structure & Organization: 5 points
Situation Analysis: 3
Market Summary: 3
Market Demographics: 5
Market Needs: 3
Market Trends: 3
Market Growth: 3
SWOT Analysis: 5
Competition: 3
Additional Service Offering: 3
Keys to Success: 3
Critical Issues: 3
TOTAL: 42

Target Marketing Strategy
Structure & Organization: 5 points
Mission Statement: 5
Marketing Strategy: 3
Marketing Objectives: 5
Target Market: 5
Positioning: 3
Strategic Pyramids: 5
Marketing Mix: 5
Marketing Research: 3
TOTAL: 39

Marketing Plan Implementation Strategy
Structure & Organization: 5 points
Product Marketing Overview: 3
Pricing: 5
Promotional Efforts: 5
Web Plan: 5
Customer Service: 5
TOTAL: 28

Progress Measurement & Monitoring
Structure & Organization: 5 points
Direct Marketing Metrics: 3
Promotional Event Metrics: 5
Website Metrics: 5
Referral Network Metrics: 3
TOTAL: 21

Grand Total: 160 points

Progress Measurement & Monitoring Section Example!!

2010-05-21T16:31:00.003-05:00

Well, it is done. For those who are about to rock out this plan over the weekend, here you go:

A. The Progress Measurement & Monitoring section should contain the following components:
a. Direct marketing metrics
b. Promotional event metrics
c. Website metrics
d. Referral network metrics

B. Progress Measurement & Monitoring Sample:

5.0 Direct Marketing Metrics
The specific direct mail piece was chosen because it has a detachable magnet that the recipient can keep. There is also a gift that can be redeemed if the recipient submits the card. This allows CHS to track the usage of the card. A database has been established to track the number of cards that are returned each month.

5.1 Promotional Event Metrics
Community event statistics are a critical way to document the effectiveness of time and resources spent in these sorts of promotional activities.

5.2.1 Screening Consent Forms
At all community events that involve introductory health screenings, half sheet consent forms will be utilized that will require the following:
· Prospective patients will need to print their name, sign their name and date the paper
· Any pertinent information will be recorded including but not limited to brief details described about current health conditions or concerns that will need to be referenced at a later time when contact is made for an appointment or consultation
· Contact information for follow-up
· Space designation for name of person screening if additional staff is present

These forms will allow for the following metrics to be taken:
· Total number of screenings performed
· Number of individual screenings performed by each staff member if more than one is present
· Total number of respondents that scheduled a consultation or appointment

Based on these metrics the quality of the event can be ascertained which will be helpful in determining whether it would be a profitable event to invest time and resources in again. Individual files will also be kept about each event location to retain all pertinent information including contact information, date and event data.

5.2.2 Year-At-A-Glance Wall Calendar
In order to know when all events have taken place and to plan ahead for future events, a laminated dry erase proof wall calendar will be utilized for each calendar year. This will serve as a record of all community events that have been attended. One color will be used for actual events attended and another color will be used for events that are discovered through various means that are potential events to be considered or investigated.

5.3 Website Metrics
Google Analytics will be utilized to determine the following:
· Site usage
o Number of visits
o Page views
o Pages/visit
o Bounce rate
o Average time on site
o % of new visits
o Traffic sources
o Content overview
o Browser used
o Connection speed of user
o Keywords used in search
o Map overlay of origination locations

5.4 Referral Network Metrics
A database has been established to track the sources of referrals. Each time a referral is received it is counted and responded to with a hand written thank you card and token of appreciation. Through this database it is possible to track repeat referral sources.

Marketing Implementation Strategy Example

2010-05-21T15:07:00.002-05:00

This is what we'll go over during Wednesday's class. For those of you that plan to work on it this weekend to submit it early, here it is:

A. The Marketing Plan Implementation Strategy should contain the following components:
a. Product Marketing Overview
b. Pricing
c. Promotional Efforts
i. Advertising
ii. Public Relations
iii. Direct Marketing
d. Web plan
i. Website goals
ii. Website marketing strategy
iii. Development requirements
e. Customer service

B. Marketing Plan Implementation Strategy Sample:

4.0 Product Marketing Overview
Chrysalis Health Solutions will fulfill the promise made to each patient to provide them with the resources they need to reach their health and wellness goals with unwavering confidence in the practice throughout the process and ultimately throughout the course of the patient’s life.

4.1 Pricing
Chrysalis Health Solutions will seek to provide a premium service at a premium price that offers the best overall value to patients. Ultimately, the patients will realize greater health as a result of their ability to optimize their current health potential and minimize the onset of disease and illness.

Patient billing rates reflect the level of expertise required to perform the work. The average billing rates are shown in the Price List table, below.

Table: Price List

Description Per Unit Price

Initial Report of Findings & Consultation Fee $165.00
Multi-Analysis Report & Consultation Fee $250.00
Follow-up Report of Findings & Consultation Fee $100.00
Student Report of Findings & Consultation Fee $100.00

4.2 Promotional Efforts
The traditional marketing mix of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing and existing patient/new patient referral will be utilized.

4.2.1 Advertising
CHS will assume advertisement in local publications via contact with established print media by the creation and distribution of grand opening press releases and press packets delivered to each outlet. In addition to this free coverage in local news outlets, CHS will contact local health publications, such as the Radish, and request to submit informative articles about the specialty work completed. In addition, inserts into the local Chamber of Commerce newsletters is being considered, ($300 fee for 1,400 distribution rate black and white plus printing costs). Business cards have been produced and informational postcards about the practice have been printed. With regard to referral source relationships, informational packets with practice information, contact information, referral form and corresponding condition-based information is being prepared for delivery to individual practitioners that may become a lucrative referral source.

4.2.2 Public Relations
CHS will conduct health education events with target audiences at the following locations:
· Public library conference rooms
· Employer locations – private businesses

CHS will also attend community health fair events and other specialty women’s events in the community by securing a booth space and directly engaging the public via one-on-one conversations and handout of informational materials.

4.2.3 Direct Marketing
CHS will purchase post card mailers with detachable magnets to be sent to select residences in the 52722 area zip code.

4.3 Web plan
The website for CHS is currently live and working, but needs consistent renewal, both of content and features. The main focus of the Internet presence is to serve as a permanent, always-accessible information and branding tool for prospective patients and business clients, with a secondary goal of providing patient/client-only features.

The website can be viewed by visiting www.myhealthsolution.org.

4.3.1 Website goals
The website goals of CHS are as follows:
1. Convey a professional, expert, yet personal brand.
2. Communicate with current patients/clients.
3. Prospect future patients/clients.
4. Provide access to downloadable new patient paperwork.
5. Provide access to online payment option for services.

4.3.2 Website marketing strategy
The website strategy is very simple. CHS needs to have an up-to-date professional website that reflects the brand and image of the practice. When another health care practitioner refers a patient or a business refers a wellness program client, CHS wants them to be able to visit the practice online and get a good sense of what the practice is and of the expertise of its main stakeholder, Dr. Julie Johnson. The website will be used mainly to attract word of mouth referrals and to continue to market and communicate with existing patients/clients.

4.3.3 Development requirements
The website requires the following:
1. A patient/client-only area where there is access relevant to those that have a pre-established relationship with CHS.
2.The need to provide detailed information about individual test options.
3. The need to have fresh updated, relevant content.
4. There is interest in providing a discussion board in the patient/client only area so patients can share their personal stories with each other and benefit from those interactions.

4.4 Customer Service
The patients and business clients judge the competence of CHS based on how they are treated. This is their primary and in many cases, their only measurement of CHS capabilities. To that end, it must be ensured that each of them will answer positively to the following questions:
· Do CHS personnel act in a professional manner?
· Do they know who I am?
· Do they remember my name?
· Are they genuinely concerned about my best interest?
· Will they substantiate their advice and council if needed?

To ensure that there is a positive response to the above questions, the following measures have been put into place:
· Each new patient/client receives a welcome packet with all pertinent information and a welcome gift
· Patient/client response time is within 1 business day
· All specialty laboratory fees are charged to the patient at cost
· All supplementary products through Standard Process, Inc. are sold at cost
· Patient/clients receive a referral reward gift for each new patient/client referred to CHS

Marketing Plan Point Value - I need your input!

2010-05-21T10:33:00.002-05:00

Okay - I've been receiving input via email and comments on the blog that people would like for the point value of the plan to remain what it was or close to it so that those that didn't fair well on the midterm can still make up the grade with the project. I need to hear from more people on this. I'm open to reconsidering my initial thought and hope that you've seen me demonstrate flexibility the entire trimester. I'm not trying to do anything but give you something of value so if altering the point value would make this proposition more fair or equitable in your view then let me know. I want to see if this sort of input is isolated to just a select few or if it is an across the board feeling. Speak up! :)

Your infomercials have been awesome!!

2010-05-19T11:29:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to comment that the infomercials that have been sent to me thus far have been fantastic! I've really enjoyed watching them and can't wait to see more.

Updated Course Outline

2010-05-19T11:22:00.002-05:00

5/21: Target Marketing Strategy; Marketing Plan Implementation Strategy; Review of Health Care Class Project

5/26: Completion of Marketing Plan Implementation Strategy; Progress Measurement & Monitoring **Health Care Class Project Due & Infomercial Due

5/28: Building Consumer Relationships; Customer Service

6/2: Internal Marketing Focus

6/4: External Marketing Focus

6/9: Marketing Plan Summation; Class Summation; Review for Final Exam **Marketing Plan Project Due

If you have any questions, please let me know!

Amended Marketing Plan Project Information

2010-05-19T11:18:00.002-05:00

Amended Marketing Plan Project

110 points

Due June 9^th, 2010

**Graded plan will be submitted back to you at the final exam

Task: Assemble the components of a marketing plan for your first year of practice as listed below using the provided samples and structured format. Due to the removal of the expense requirement data, you will now have a budget limit of $10,000. Your plan should reflect spending that is approximate to that amount. (For example, a full-on media blitz with 30-second TV commercials, print ads, yellow page ads, radio spots and weekly community events would NOT fall within that $10,000 budget for one year.)

Please refer to each individual section handout for specific layout and format.

I. Executive Summary – 10 points **Handed out in class on 5/19

II. Business Overview & Target Market Identification – 30 points **Handed out in class on 5/19

III. Target Marketing Strategy– 20 points **Will be covered in class on 5/21

IV. Marketing Plan Implementation Strategy – 25 points **Will be covered in class on 5/21

V. Progress Measurement & Monitoring – 25 points **Will be covered in class on 5/26

Advertising Questions Answered

2010-05-14T09:12:00.003-05:00

Hey all!

Thanks for having me today. I could talk for HOURS about advertising and public relations (not that you'd want to listen) but since we only had a 1/2 hour, I'm here to answer any lingering questions you may have.

Here's a couple I got today from your feedback sheets:

1. What is the most effective marketing tool for a one-time event?

Of course, there is no easy answer here. That's what sucks about adverting and public relations. The answer depends on what your event is, who you want to come and how much money you are willing to invest in the event. I would tell you that for ANY event, good public relations will get you the most bang for your buck...but that's because it doesn't cost you any bucks at all. Use your connections. Ask fellow business owners if you can promote your event in their businesses by putting simple (clean, well-designed) fliers on their counter or on a bulletin board. Post those same fliers on free community bulletin boards (places like Hy-Vee and Greatest Grains). Send that flier as a printable pdf to your entire patient database and ask them to forward it on to anyone they may think would be interested. All of these things are free (after cost of printing, in COLOR, of course). Make sure your event is listed in local publications that list local events for FREE. Radish Magazine and the River Cities Reader both do that here in the QCA. The Quad City Times and Dispatch Argus list events on their website for free, also. You just have to submit a press release to them. (Make sure you time it right, not to early for coverage, but not on their deadline date either.) Don't know how to write a proper press release? Google it. Duh. As far as paid advertising goes, radio is good for events, but is still pretty expensive and REMEMBER: what is so great about your event that someone would take time out of their busy lives to come to it. Free food??? Kids activities??? Specific health condition you're presenting on? (Some biggies are fibromyalgia and migranes. "Wellness" is to vague. So is "how chiropractic can help you." Get specific.)

2. What is most effective for continuous (image) advertising?

Advertise in some of those smaller, family publications. Sign a contract to get a lower rate and advertise consistently. Eventually, you could offer to submit articles to them and because you have a good working relationship, they might take you up on it. Be there go-to expert chiropractor. If I were in private practice, I would work the hardest on making sure my current patients were happy and could easily refer their friends and family to me. We all know word-of-mouth is the MOST effective! If you can retain your current patient base and exceed their expectations, they will sell your services for you. Also? If you want to build a family-centered practice, impress the Mom. Wow her with how much you care about her kids. Have a cheap give-away for them and a kid area in your office. Studies show that Mom's make all the healthcare decisions in the family...and the best way to get to a Mom is through her kids! =)

So, I ramble. I know. Any other questions? Unclear about my answers above? Leave follow up questions in the comments here and I'll get back to you...

Have a great weekend!

-Katie Hoyt

Class on 5/14

2010-05-11T19:00:00.001-05:00

I am switching the topic on the Course Outline sheet and will be covering Media Relations tomorrow and Advertising/Public Relations information on Friday.

Infomercial Assignment Update

2010-05-11T15:18:00.004-05:00

Hello Everyone!

I understand that there are some of you that are uncomfortable with utilizing YouTube for your Infomercial Assignment. To accomodate that I am making a change in the way that the assignment can be completed. Here are your two options:

1. You can use YouTube and send me a link via email, (julie.johnson@palmer.edu), so that I can view it and give you a grade. Please utilize all privacy controls available to you. (As a side note and reminder, this does allow you to be able to view yourself and make your own assessments.)

2. You can choose to deliver your 1 minute Infomercial in front of the class. I will be allowing the 1st 10 minutes of class from now until the 26th, (the new due date), to allow for this. In order to plan appropriately I need an email from you alerting me to the date that you'd like to deliver your Infomercial so that I can plan accordingly. This will give the option to 10 people per class to deliver their Infomercial. Remember that you are being graded on "Demonstrated Professionalism" so you must also look the part. Dress appropriately.

I will no longer be offering the option for you to make an appointment to come to my office and utilize my equipment or deliver it in my office.

If you have any further questions, please let me know!

Business Overview Example

2010-05-10T20:23:00.002-05:00

Situation Analysis

2.0 Situation Analysis

Johnson Chiropractic Center is entering its first year of business. The business model presented has been well researched and reviewed and is modeled after other chiropractic offices that have established practices with greater than 10 years of profitable business. It is also acknowledged that marketing is especially important to maintain growth and market penetration. In addition to offering an integrative chiropractic facility for Quad-City area residents, Johnson Chiropractic Center’s main activity is the creation and implementation of wellness programs in small business and larger corporate settings. The basic market need is the reduction of small business and corporate health care costs and the increase in employee efficiency that can be achieved through long-term wellness programs.

2.1 Market Summary

Johnson Chiropractic Center possesses good information about the market and knows a great deal about the common attributes of prized and loyal health care consumers. This information will be leveraged to better understand who is served, their specific needs and how Johnson Chiropractic Center can better communicate with them.

Target Markets

2007 2008 2009 2010
Potential Customers

Corporate & Mfg Employees
9,876 9,997 10,030 10,150

Small Business Employees
5,924 6,813 7,835 9,010

General Residents/Other
355,880 377,625 383,500 392,719

Total
371,680 394,435 401,365 411,879

2.1.1 Market Demographics

The profile for Johnson Chiropractic Center customer consists of the following geographic, demographic, and behavior factors:

Geographics
· The immediate geographic target is the city of Bettendorf
· A 20-mile radius is in need of services and comprises the general Quad-Cities region
· The total immediate targeted population is 392, 719

Demographics for Targeted Region
· Male 47.2%
· Female 52.8%
· Median Age 38.9 years
<5 years 6.7%
5-19 years 19.9%
20-34 years 18.8%
35-54 years 29.7%
55-65 years 11.1%
65+ years 13.8%
· Ethnicity
White 88%
Black 5.4%
Asian 1.1%
Hispanic 6%
Other 4.9%
(There can be >100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races.)
· Median family income $41,236
· Average owner-occupied housing value $136,750
· Average contract rent $500
· Total housing units 149,726

Behavior Factors
· Recognize the need to have physical activity, mobility and better health in their lives
· Have incorporated some sort of daily/ weekly routine to support this need or are strongly considered adopting such a routine
· Are willing to utilize a wellness program that are offered by their employer as part of their compensation package

2.1.2 Market Needs

Johnson Chiropractic Center (JCC) is providing patients and/or businesses with a health care management program that will increase productivity and decrease overall costs. Johnson Chiropractic Center seeks to fulfill the following benefits that are important to its health care consumers:

· Customization- JCC will offer a totally customized solution for each patient/business as well as each employee within the business.
· Convenience- Consumers will not use the service if it is not convenient. JCC recognizes this and strives to make its services as convenient as possible for the targeted consumer groups.
· Results-orientated strategy- JCC will need to improve a business’ bottom line in order to attract and maintain consumers. While JCC will strive to address all of its consumer’s needs, the reality is that they must indeed provide significant value for the companies themselves in order to grow their market share.

2.1.3 Market Trends

There have been two significant market trends in the last five years:

Increased usage of chiropractic care on behalf of individuals. Health and “wellness” has become more mainstream in American's lives over the last decade. Five to ten years ago there were widespread reports about an impeding health crisis. Americans, relative to their Western European counterparts have higher incidents of obesity, poor health and wellness. To a large degree, this is correlated to American's unhealthy diet of fast food, and generally poor food choices, especially fried foods, in addition to a poor value placed on taking care of “Self” by incorporating healthy lifestyle choices such as physical activity, a good diet and other means of taking care of the body.

The incorporation of “wellness programs” within the "basket of benefits," a part of the total compensation package. As wellness programs have become a more common element in the working American's lives, companies have begun to incorporate wellness programs as part of their benefit package for employees. This has occurred for at least two reasons. One reason is a flexible method to compensate employees. The second reason is that is has a positive effect on a company's bottom line. Study after study supports the contention that a “well” employee is happier, healthier, and more productive. For no other reason, offering wellness programs to employees is a smart cost-benefit decision.

Market Forecast

2.1.4 Market Growth

In 1999, the U.S. medical bill was $738 million, of which businesses paid 30 percent. Recent studies indicate positive returns on investments for wellness programs of various companies ranging from $1.91:1 to $5.78:1. General Electric's aircraft engines division, for example, saves $1 million per year through its wellness programs. Traveler's Insurance Company reported savings of $7.8 million in 2000, attributable to its wellness programs, and a return of $3.41 for every dollar invested in wellness.

Important demographic changes are taking place in America that point to the importance of worker productivity in coming decades:

.16 million new jobs will be created by the year 2011, but there will only be 14 million workers to fill them.
· In 2009, women comprised one-third of the work force, a ratio that will increase to one-half by the year 2011.
· An estimated 80 percent of jobs to be filled in the immediate future will require more than a high-school education. Only 74 percent of Americans, however, finish high school, and only 67 percent graduate with adequate skills.
*The number of skilled workers available to fill new jobs is decreasing, meaning that employers are facing more severe competition for labor. Thus, the health and productivity of each employee becomes crucial to a company's success.

Target Market Growth

2.2 SWOT Analysis

The following SWOT analysis captures the key strengths and weaknesses within the business, and describes the opportunities and threats facing JCC.

2.2.1 Strengths
· Results-orientated approach to attracting and maintaining patients.
· A well-researched, detailed health wellness program that is long-term in focus.
· Intensively trained staff.

2.2.2 Weaknesses
· High costs associated with customized, personal service.
· The inability to work on a high volume business model.
· The costs of attracting a large corporate client.

2.2.3 Opportunities
· Participation within a growing market.
· The large increase in patients/businesses that follow with the acceptance of JCC's program.
· The ability to leverage future quantitative analysis that supports the contention that long-term wellness programs have a significant, positive impact on a company's bottom line.

2.2.4 Threats
· Lack of immunity to an economic downturn.
· Potential competition from larger, well established competitors.
· A change in society where the individual begins to take far more responsibility for his/her health maintenance.

2.3 Competition

The main competitors for Johnson Chiropractic Center are other chiropractic practices in addition to other health care modalities.

2.4 Service Offering

Johnson Chiropractic Center provides wellness strategies/programs to businesses in the Quad-Cities area. A wellness strategy is a long-term effort, combining both health-promotion and exercise-related activities designed to facilitate positive lifestyle changes in members of the community or work force.

Johnson Chiropractic Center will work with a company's senior management to help it develop a mission statement for its wellness program. The client company's employees will undergo a health-risk analysis, following which each employee will be given the opportunity to meet with a health professional to design a personalized health program.
Finally, Johnson Chiropractic Center will furnish employee progress reports to senior management with which to carry out the incentive program and generally monitor changes in the behavior of its work force.

2.5 Keys to Success

Johnson Chiropractic Center’s keys to success are:
· Marketing services to companies and individuals.
· Recruitment of experienced managerial talent.
· Dedication and hard work of the founders.
· Raising productivity.
· Lowering overall costs.

2.6 Critical Issues

Johnson Chiropractic Center faces several critical issues:
· Signing up a sufficient number of medium-sized companies and “resident patients”. It is more cost effective for JCC to service a couple medium-sized companies than many small companies.
· Continue to drive down the costs associated with serving a health care consumer.

Amendment to class on 5/7!!

2010-05-06T20:29:00.001-05:00

There will be no prezi presentation....just a handout that we'll review together.

Class on 5/7!!

2010-05-06T15:55:00.003-05:00

Class on Friday is all about event planning. I will provide an event materials & event planning handout. In addition, I will also have a corresponding handout to go along with the prezi presentation for class. Have a great day!

Overview of Class Projects & Due Dates

2010-05-06T15:44:00.002-05:00

As a reminder everyone, these are the projects that are due for class. Please note the project name, due date, added project information and any extra credit awarded. Let me know if you have any questions.

Infomercial Project: Due 5/19

Worth 10 points
1 extra credit point if turned in early
Review previous blog post for assignment instructions

Healthcare Class Project: Due 5/26

Worth 75 points
Refer to a previous blog for a breakdown of point value
A copy of the exact grading sheet that I will use will be available for review in the library until the web site is live

Marketing Plan Project: Due 6/9

Worth 205 points
As a reminder, I said in class that the outline I provided you with the list of questions under each section was to stimulate thought. The 8 sections overall must be components to the final project, but what you have in each section may be unique to the person writing the plan.
A copy of the exact grading sheet that I will use will be available for review in the library as well until the web site for Practice Marketing class live. I'm in the process of creating it right now.
THIS IS A HUGE ASSIGNMENT. Don't wait until the last minute to do this. I will actually be looking at each one and grading them. You will receive your copy back with hand written remarks on the day of the final.
You will be awarded 10 extra credit points if you turn it in by 5/31!!!

Infomercial Assignment

2010-05-04T16:38:00.002-05:00

This assignment is due on 5/26/10. It is worth 10 points.

The description of the assignment is as follows:

The point of this project is challenge you to explain what chiropractic is in 60 seconds or less. This infomercial is something that could conceivably take place as you’re picking up groceries, in an elevator or at a professional business networking event. It can also be a skill that you polish to continue to reinforce to new patients or existing patients what chiropractic is and is not. Words cannot describe how important it is to have this in your back pocket ready to go, especially if interviewed on the spot by a member of the media. You don't want to risk losing that opportunity to represent yourself, your practice and the profession in the best most well understood light possible.

You are to videotape yourself doing your infomercial and post it on You Tube. Once that has been done you must send me the link so that I can go view it and grade you. Send your link to julie.johnson@palmer.edu. You are more than welcome to turn it in before the due date. Doing so will assure you an extra credit point!

If you have any questions, please let me know.

It will be graded in the following way:

Stayed within time limit - 2 points
Use of distracters - 2 points
Chiropractic message - 2 points
Demonstrated professionalism - 2 points
Utilized media appropriately (YouTube) - 2 points

Point breakdown of Healthcare Class Project

2010-05-04T12:55:00.002-05:00

Target Market Identification 5 points
Identification of condition-based portion 5 points
Chiropractic education portion 10 points
Handout 10 points
Overview of presentation 40 points
Clarity of transitions in presentation 5 points

Total 75 points

Let me know if you have any questions!

Healthcare Class Project

2010-05-04T12:39:00.003-05:00

There were a couple of you that came up to me after class last Friday to ask about the Healthcare Class Project. As a reminder: You do NOT have to give the lecture in class. We simply don't have time for that. If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Class on May 5th!

2010-05-04T12:35:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone!

As a reminder, during class tomorrow we will be covering informercials & networking. I will also be handing out what your assignment will be for the Informercial Project that is due on the 19th.

In addition, I will be reviewing your midterm during the second half of class. Have a great day!

Marketing to Medical Offices

2010-05-02T16:42:00.002-05:00

There was a second article in the April 2010 issue of the ACA News that I also feel compelled to share with you. It was called "Training Your Marketing Ambassadors: Enlist the help of your staff to market to M.D.s"

Creating referral partnerships with other health care professionals benefits you on multiple levels. Not only can you create a best case scenario for the patient by co-managing patient cases, but you can also ensure that you continue to establish your professional credibility by showing those in your community that you are integrative in your approach and can maintain professional relationships with other health care experts.

The recommendations made in the article were geared more toward staff, but can certainly be executed by the doctor or by the entire team. Here they are:

1. If your office is having a blood drive, a scoliosis screening or are giving a community lecture on managing back pain you can ask to place flyers about the event in the MD's waiting room.

2. Offer literature such as a copy of an interesting recent study or an evidence-based brochure about chiropractic care that includes your office contact information, location and hours. You can also create and leave referral pads for your office.

3. While dropping off educational literature consider including promotional items from your office. Occasional small treats also help to grease the wheel as well. For example, if you or a staff member are planning to make a visit, stop and pick up a small edible arrangement or Starbucks coffees. The point is that it's the little things that add to the experience and help build relationships.

4. How do you do it?

Gather information about the office or begin by asking some important questions: Do you see a lot of back pain, neck pain or headache patients? (Yes - I know that it is NOT the only thing we do, but it's a way to open the door to further the education they have about chiropractic care. Start with what they know!)
Make a list of the doctors that are within a decent proximity and accessibility to your office. Also, consider what insurance they cover. If they are primarily HMO-based then your office should be able to accept a majority of its insurance plans. Make sure you ask the staff members what insurance plans they see the most, and make sure that you can match the main ones.
Keep notes on each office as to what information you've gained and what you might want to ask about next time you have contact with that office.
Plan to dedicate time to marketing each week - once you've identified and researched physicians to market to take an hour or two each week to cold-call new offices or visit new offices.
Maintain existing relationships by paying attention to how referrals are going and ensuring that the DC/MD meet at least 2-4 times each year if only briefly for a cup of coffee. Keeping these relationships alive and furthering their growth is critical. Another option would be to host a "Physician's Night" in your office and invite all of your contacts to get to know each other!

Chiropractic Involvement in Public Health Initiatives as featured in the April 2010 issue of the ACA News

2010-05-02T16:30:00.003-05:00

I was reading a recent edition of the ACA News and found an article that I thought I would share excerpts from.

They did a survey of 566 chiropractors and found that 78% of them consider health promotion & community outreach important for the success of their practices. 65% report having participated in community health promotion and disease prevention efforts with 41% of those indicating that they have been involved in such events in the past year.

It was listed that the most popular outreach activities included participating in local health fairs (50%); reaching out to local schools, retirement centers, fitness centers and/or community centers with seminars on health promotion & disease prevention (47%); presenting patient education seminars in the office (38%); and publishing articles on prevention & health promotion in the local media (22%).

A quote that our Palmer West President Dr. Bill Meeker had in the article was very interesting: "By aligning ourselves with the larger public health mission, we become a part of the health care team and show that we are able to solve public health problems - and we get positive press, respect and cultural authority." What do you think about this?

Another point that was made was as chiropractors we practice one-on-one public health with our patients. Often a typical primary care provider may see a patient no more than once or twice a year. On the other hand, we may see patients several times a year or more which gives us multiple opportunities to engage a patient in health promotion and prevention. What a great opportunity!!

The bottom line here is that YOU'VE got to get active. It's really up to each person to make the effort here.

The results are in!

2010-04-28T17:05:00.002-05:00

Well, here's the breakdown:

21 A's
31 B's
28 C's
11 F's
(2 Make-ups)

I am leaving my office in a moment to walk over and post the grades just outside of the Philosophy & Practice Management Office on the 2nd Floor of the Administration Building.

Overall when I reviewed the statistical data for the test it showed that it was a fair deal. You know if you studied and if you didn't and for those that took the time to make an effort on the extra credit 5 point option, it really paid off for you. Nice work!

Oh, and for those that I just met today, it was nice to meet you as well. I hope that you're enjoying the nice weather and look forward to seeing you more often in class! :)

Midterm Review Information

2010-04-27T14:48:00.003-05:00

It was brought to my attention that I did not provide the outline handout from the most recent prezi presentations as I had intended to. Although time did get away from me where that's concerned, you are still able to go to prezi.com and review the presentations to take notes yourself. In lieu of that I will provide a general list of the primary topic areas that I focused on for your midterm:

4 P's of Marketing

Marketing Management

Differentiating Yourself in the Marketplace

Marketing Environment

Credibility Statements

Societal Marketing

Goals of Marketing

Selling

Health Literacy

Professional Credibility

Target Markets

Life Cycle Segments

Marketing Plan

Marketing Process

Executive Summary

Consumer wants & needs

Marketing Mix

Market Metrics

Business Overview

Political Environment

Buying Behavior

High Impact Introductions

Business Plan

Social Roles

Brand Personality

Forces of Consumer Relationships

SWOT Analysis

Adoption process

Rate of Adoption

As always I welcome any comments or questions!

I've made a change to your midterm!

2010-04-27T11:35:00.004-05:00

Here is the updated format:

32 Multiple choice with one correct answer
18 True/False
Extra credit option up to 5 points

Again - I welcome any comments or questions!

Your midterm has been written!!! What you need to know....

2010-04-26T14:12:00.004-05:00

This is a 50 point midterm. Essentially you could earn 55 points from the experience.

Here's the deal with the ENTIRE test (including the extra credit section): I formulated each and every question directly and VERBATIM from a prezi presentation. So, if you know the information given during the class presentations there should be no issue. If you attempt to guess however, then it may get dicey. As a reminder, you go to http://www.prezi.com/ and type in "Practice Marketing" in the search area. There are a total of 6 prezi presentations (5 essentially because one of them was from the first day of class).

I welcome any comments or questions!

Why Employers Must Tackle the Obesity Epidemic

2010-04-22T17:27:00.002-05:00

I got this email today and thought that it was a perfect compliment to the information that I had included in the Marketing Plan document I've given as an example. In it I highlight the creation of wellness programs for small businesses and local industry. This would be a perfect compliment to that information!

The World Health Organization predicts that there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world by 2015 and more than 700 million of them will be obese.*

The World Congress 5th Annual Obesity Congress, September 29-30 in Washington, DC, will convene over 100 Washington insiders, leading wellness advocates, renowned employer groups and high performing health plans on the latest regulatory changes designed to combat obesity and to increase wellness initiatives.

For more information on the Congress, visit www.worldcongress.com/obesity

Jim Fivecoat, Manager of Retirement Plans at Michelin will present "Why Employers Should Deal with the Obesity Epidemic".

Attendees of this presentation will:

* Understand obesity as the root cause rather than viewing it as part of something else
* Hear how Michelin has been capturing employee BMI and the response
* Learn how to collaborate with health plans to ensure bariatric surgery is covered for employees

Learn more at www.worldcongress.com/Obesity

Regards,

Melynda

Melynda Hilliard
Conference Producer
Obesity Congress

Link where I got Demographic Stats

2010-04-20T19:21:00.002-05:00

http://censtats.census.gov/data/IA/1601906355.pdf

This is an example of what was brought up:

Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000
Geographic Area: Bettendorf city, Iowa
[For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see text]
Subject Number Percent
Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,275 100.0
SEX AND AGE
Male . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,180 48.5
Female. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,095 51.5
Under 5 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,924 6.2
5 to 9 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,242 7.2
10 to 14 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,475 7.9
15 to 19 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,299 7.4
20 to 24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,368 4.4
25 to 34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,579 11.4
35 to 44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,177 16.6
45 to 54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,298 16.9
55 to 59 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,771 5.7
60 to 64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,264 4.0
65 to 74 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,040 6.5
75 to 84 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,373 4.4
85 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465 1.5
Median age (years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.7 (X)
18 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,075 73.8
Male . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,012 35.2
Female. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,063 38.6
21 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,056 70.5
62 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,630 14.8
65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,878 12.4
Male . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,576 5.0
Female. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,302 7.4
RACE
One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,938 98.9
White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,715 95.0
Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494 1.6
American Indian and Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . 67 0.2
Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444 1.4
Asian Indian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 0.4
Chinese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 0.2
Filipino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 0.1
Japanese. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 0.1
Korean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 0.3
Vietnamese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 0.1
Other Asian 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 0.2
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander . . . . 4 -
Native Hawaiian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 -
Guamanian or Chamorro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 -
Samoan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - -
Other Pacific Islander 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -
Some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 0.7
Two or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337 1.1
Race alone or in combination with one
or more other races: 3
White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,017 96.0
Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601 1.9
American Indian and Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 0.6
Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531 1.7
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander . . . . . . 19 0.1
Subject Number Percent
HISPANIC OR LATINO AND RACE
Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,275 100.0
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772 2.5
Mexican . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557 1.8
Puerto Rican. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 0.1
Cuban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 -
Other Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 0.6
Not Hispanic or Latino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,503 97.5
White alone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,228 93.5
RELATIONSHIP
Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,275 100.0
In households . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,981 99.1
Householder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,474 39.9
Spouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,418 23.7
Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,499 30.4
Own child under 18 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,846 25.1
Other relatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 627 2.0
Under 18 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 0.8
Nonrelatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 963 3.1
Unmarried partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495 1.6
In group quarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 0.9
Institutionalized population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 0.6
Noninstitutionalized population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 0.4
HOUSEHOLD BY TYPE
Total households. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,474 100.0
Family households (families) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,714 69.9
With own children under 18 years . . . . . . . . . . 4,235 34.0
Married-couple family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,418 59.5
With own children under 18 years . . . . . . . . . . 3,403 27.3
Female householder, no husband present . . . . . 1,005 8.1
With own children under 18 years . . . . . . . . . . 680 5.5
Nonfamily households . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,760 30.1
Householder living alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,244 26.0
Householder 65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,212 9.7
Households with individuals under 18 years . . . . . 4,429 35.5
Households with individuals 65 years and over . . 2,736 21.9
Average household size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.48 (X)
Average family size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.01 (X)
HOUSING OCCUPANCY
Total housing units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,044 100.0
Occupied housing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,474 95.6
Vacant housing units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570 4.4
For seasonal, recreational, or
occasional use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 0.5
Homeowner vacancy rate (percent) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5 (X)
Rental vacancy rate (percent) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.3 (X)
HOUSING TENURE
Occupied housing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,474 100.0
Owner-occupied housing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,646 77.3
Renter-occupied housing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,828 22.7

There was a lot more, but I'm not including it here.

Executive Summary Example

2010-04-20T16:34:00.001-05:00

Johnson Chiropractic Marketing Plan

Executive Summary

Johnson Chiropractic Center will serve Quad-City area residents and businesses, helping them to address structural integrity and function of the musculoskeletal system to achieve the best quality of life for the “resident patient” or the employees of local small or corporate businesses.

My business is based on two simple facts:
1. Healthy people are more productive.
2. It costs less to prevent illness, pain and dysfunction than to treat it after it has occurred.

At Johnson Chiropractic Center, I tie mobility, function and quality of life to health care issues. I believe that traditional approaches to the current health care crisis are only one part of an integrative approach to health care that will best serve the patient and employee. My goal is to establish partnership within the health community to do my part to rectify the largely reactive nature of health care. It has been proven that an approach that emphasizes prevention and good health promotion is a much more proactive and cost effective strategy to health care.

By helping patients and employees change their behavior patterns and choose more healthy lifestyles Johnson Chiropractic Center will lower health care expenditures while raising overall productivity and quality of life experience. Health care expenditures will decrease due to reduced chronic illness, dysfunction and common musculoskeletal related pain including neck and back pain, in addition to headaches.

The state of America’s health care crisis, coupled with current demographic changes, threaten to not only exacerbate the crisis, but also to further erode general patient/employee productivity and contribution to the community, family and country. These environmental factors coupled with the local competitive situation analysis show a favorable opportunity in this market. I believe that the time is right for Johnson Chiropractic Center to contribute to the overall health and wellness of this community.

Lessons from a Blue Collar Man

2010-04-20T15:40:00.002-05:00

The article that I referenced in class called "Lessons from a Blue Collar Man" can be found in the February 2010 issue of Inc. The Magazine for Growing Companies.

The website for the magazine is: http://www.inc.com.

The specific link to the article is: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100201/lessons-from-a-blue-collar-millionaire.html.

As a reminder the article did an exceptional job of covering one of the toughest things you will face in practice: managing employees.

The brief introductory paragraph says, "When Nick Sarillo launched his business, he had one goal: to create a company unlike any he had seen. Fourteen years later, Nick's Pizza & Pub is a model for anyone who wants to keep profits high, turnover low, and customers very, very happy."

Check it out - live and learn!

Health Literacy

2010-04-20T12:49:00.002-05:00

Although we covered "Health Literacy" in one of our class sessions, I'm including more information here due to a recent breakout session I attended at the recent Iowa Public Health Association conference in Ames, Iowa.

It was entitled "Beyond Reducing Reader Burden: Effective Methods for Communicating with Patients with Low Health Literacy & Numeracy" and it was presented by Dr. Susan Roberts-Dobie & Dr. Elana Joram. They are both from the University of Northern Iowa.

With regards to how it impacts health marketing, this was just another confirmation that this impacts everything you will do when marketing your practice either internally or externally and that if properly taken into consideration could conceivably save you both time and money in the long run.

Most of the time when we think of "literacy" issues we think of someone that can't read, which may or may not be the case when talking about health literacy issues. One of the many points that the presenter brought up in discussion was the fact that when under duress all of us are in the same boat. For us as people with doctorate degrees and those within the maybe 2% of all Americans that will achieve this level of education, it can still apply when faced with a situation where we are in the middle of a crisis with a loved one or smack dab in the thick of it ourselves. In those circumstances it becomes harder to understand and to make the most coherant decision. Consider then someone whose education level may be significantly compromised or someone who may not speak English at all for example.

This was given as the impact of people with limited or low health literacy:

Report poorer overall health
Are less likely to make use of screenings
Present in later stages of disease
Are more likely to be hospitalized
Have poorer understanding of treatment
Have lower adherance to medical directions

When considering then how to phrase any marketing pieces think about this:

Keep it short
1-2 syllable words
Most sentences 8-10 words only
3-5 sentences per paragraph
Write in a conversational tone
Limit jargon & scientific language/acronyms
Be consistent with word choice
Use number words rather than statistics
Avoid symbols
Avoid long lists
Only tell people what they need to know
Stick to one idea at a time - the brain holds on well to three things at a time (Top 3)
**Consider this even with intake forms not just marketing pieces!

Tips for Text:

Use 12-14 point type with headings 2 points larger
Use serif text
Don't use fancy script
DO NOT USE ALL CAPS
Avoid white on color writing
Use bold and underline not italics for emphasis

There were a couple of other helpful tips that I thought you might interesting:

The brain processes graphics first - consider that when creating materials
When doing patient education consider using props - people remember things when they can see them and touch them (Nutrition information - plate, plastic veggies/fruits)
We all like to have information that is easy to understand & accessible
Consider using texting to give appointment reminders or weekly health tips (there are numerous computer programs that assist with this)
Consider podcasts & other forms of interactive media to communicate with patients
Use the "Teach Back Method" when doing patient education: instead of telling them to do something have them show you how to do it

I hope this extra information that I just came across and wasn't able to cover in class was helpful!

Prezi Presentation Links

2010-04-20T12:22:00.002-05:00

Prezi #1: First Day of Class/Syllabus Review & Course Requirements
https://prezi.com/secure/?lock=1f89a502cb74b88b2ddf5c0a81c24897e0d80a71

Prezi #2: What is Marketing?
https://prezi.com/secure/?lock=0614fce1facc4ecfa123003528b1ad2458e7fec7

Prezi #3: What is Marketing Completion & Marketing Plan Overview
https://prezi.com/secure/?lock=14e8cf9505a246c9881a441557552b029a6fc2fd

Prezi #4: The Environment & Language of Marketing/Health Literacy
https://prezi.com/secure/?lock=c9f922f44d8140962b0bafd7a4e09950aa350c2f

Prezi #5: High Impact Introductions, Executive Summary & Business Overview
https://prezi.com/secure/?lock=60301b5ac16e12ac44a0e549e067192350f1a52b

Prezi #6: Consumer Behavior
https://prezi.com/secure/?lock=984adeacb51dd62d2b08c1639c9067cdd9247f25

Submissions from the class for Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

2010-04-07T15:39:00.006-05:00

Question: What is the research comparing the "soft sell" with the "hard sell" when it comes to patient compliance?

My comment: I am looking into the research to see what I can find and so far I need to do a little more digging. One of the primary resources that I use is the American Marketing Association, (www.marketingpower.com). As with all things, I try to go to most reliable source I can possibly find.

In the meantime, I did locate an article entitled Why Buy? The Role of Neuromarketing in Understanding Consumer Behavior by Nancy Pekala as published in February of 2009. It looked pretty interesting.

http://www.marketingpower.com/ResourceLibrary/Pages/Marketing%20Matters/marketingmattersnewsletter.02.27.09/Role_of_Neuromarketing_in_Understanding_Consumer_Behavior.aspx#

I also found an article published in Business Week published in October of 2009 regarding the hard sell versus the soft sell.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_70/s0910048462472.htm

I will keep you posted as I find more.

The prezi program jumps around without giving students time to take notes. In the middle of writing something the screen will focus in on a particular part and we can't see what we were trying to copy down, (or it will jump somewhere else altogether). While power point is more boring it is better for a classroom/note taking environment. Prezi seems more suited for a presentation where participants are expected to just listen. This is testable material and the material is jumping all over the place. Please make sure to give summary sheets again for each presentation. I am better when I can read something on paper rather than off a computer. Having something pre-printed might make it easier for students to follow along with the prezi presentation. It goes so fast that I don't know how much students are retaining.

My comment: Boy, this prezi thing is really creating a crimp in your style. I will consider how I might utilize handouts along with class that you can take notes on. I'm trying to cut down on the paper that I use and with the fluidity of the on-going development of these presentations, I'm afraid that I'm not too much ahead of the curve where each class period is concerned.

One thing I can promise you though is that before the midterm I will have another review sheet of several prezi presentations at one time. You can always go out to www.prezi.com and view them over and over and over and over again...depending on how much you can stand. There is now a print function which will allow you to print each transition as one page. That might be a lot of pages to print out, but at least you'll have it. I will continue to work on this. Thank you for your patience.

Anyone else having issues?

What you pay per class.....

2010-04-07T15:27:00.002-05:00

Did you know that it costs you $29.33 per class?

I had no idea so I did a little digging and checked it out. You are paying $9,160 to cover a block of 26-32 credits. That translates in $352 per credit hour and 7th trimester students have what they call "32 contact hours" per week. Practice Marketing is a 2 credit course so that's $704 for the term. We officially meet 24 times, (I'm not counting the class period that you take your midterm or final). You can even break that down into $.59/minute. Yikes!

Think about that the next time you want to sleep in......

Let it begin...

2010-04-03T06:43:00.001-05:00

It was George Bernard Shaw that once said, "The problem with communication...is the illusion that it has been accomplished." A great quote that bears the question: What actually gets through? During class I present you with many ideas that may challenge you, resonate with you, inspire you or even anger you. I can live with each of those options happily because at least I know you're getting engaged. As we continue throughout the rest of this trimester, my hope is that this will become a place where we grow together and share what we think, believe and question in a way that gives to each other and never takes away. That's not us anyway - we're better than that.

These are the initial comments that I received after class on Wednesday, March 31st:

Great class - wonderful presentation and organization. I really like the pace of learning & limited class discussion.

My comment: Awesome! I've never been known as a "morning person" so the fact that I'm even conscious at this hour of day let alone functioning is a plus for me. This class inspires me and I'm glad that is coming through.

So, why if language is soooo important does Palmer's Marketing Department think "Because Palmer is Chiropractic" is a powerful marketing statement? That says nothing to consumers about who we are or what we do or how we benefit them! (Especially if they have no idea of what chiropractic is or if they have a negative perception of chiropractic!) Terrible marketing! Why not something like...their health, nervous system or spine as a REAL marketing focus? Palmer chiropractic is already in the name.

My comment: I believe that "Because Palmer is Chiropractic" was supposed to convey the power of the fact that we are the first...the best. I can say without taking a position on whether I like the tagline or not, (which is of no consequence here anyway), that choosing a tagline is really hard. You bring up an excellent point - what is it that consumers are learning about the "product" or "service" truly? It's a great question and something to really consider when choosing one for your practice one day. If you place yourself in the place of the consumer when constructing it how much better off will you be then if you only think of it from the perspective of what makes sense to you?

Why don't they give a school wide competition for the new Palmer marketing tagline? Also, Dr. Johnson you're doing a great job...brush your shoulders off. :)

My comment: I think that's a great idea and might be something that they consider. I will certainly pass it on to Darren Garrett, the Executive Director for Marketing & Public Relations, for review. Thank you for the compliment, by the way. I might assume that "brush your shoulders off" could refer to the thought that I've developed a bit of a chip on my shoulder and that gave me a moment for pause. I certainly hope that's not the case, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. I'm a red-headed Irish girl after all. I'll work on that....the brushing has commenced.

We don't all agree with the "outspoken" haters in this class. Some of us are really excited to know more about marketing & know how important it is. Some of the outspoken people aren't just rude in this class, believe me! Also, I like prezi :).

My comment: During that Friday class when I threw it down and asked for people to just let me know what was up, I didn't really perceive any "haters" per say, but I can see how it might have been viewed that way. I tend to be a real glass half full kind of person, so I chose to take things in the best light. Change is always hard and I didn't come into this class with a long time to prep. We're going through this together. I'm glad you like the prezi - isn't it awesome?!!

Keep rockin' it out...this is a marketing class not philosophy. I'm here to hear about business and how I'm going to build my practice.

My comment: I am a child of the 80's after all. It's nice to know that I can still rock out at something. :) I'm all over it!

Make us a power point. We need handouts to follow along because you go too fast for us to write anything.

My comment: I'm afraid that after the prezi my days of power point have gone. However, I will consider how it might be possible to get ahead of the game a bit and get handouts to you along with the prezi for class that day. One of the things I really like about the prezi was that you could go out to it online and view it as many times as you wanted to. (www.prezi.com) However, there are things that come up that I discuss during class that aren't on the prezi because they're in my head and make their way to the surface. Please know as well that if I go too fast or you need me to repeat something you can always ask. In addition, if there's something that you need clarification on you can always email me with any questions.

I really appreciate the prezi presentation outline notes you provided us with! Sometimes I find the presentation hard to take notes from because of the layout. Thanks! :)

My comment: Yikes! I know that it's easier to take notes when there is a power point lecture set, but I'm not sure that it's necessary. Maybe as we get used to it and you take notes just in a notebook or something from lecture and then match them up later with the prezi online things will work out. Keep me posted and we will continue to problem solve this together. Remember, easier isn't always better. Maybe you will get more from lecture by having to process it a bit and record what stands out to you.

Please stop saying "interesting" like Princely. We got the point already!

My comment: I laughed out loud when I read this the first time. What can I say? Princely has forever changed the way I say that word! I can't help it but I will try to watch myself and throw in a few other words as well. It's my "go to" word when my thoughts are processing.

Much better today - thank you! Still room for improvement in cutting out some of the common sense stuff.

My comment: Thank you for that. The tough thing about "common sense" is that what may seem like common sense to one person isn't always to the next, not to mention the fact that there are some of us that common sense seemed to pass by. In a class with so many varying levels of interest, expertise, experiences and even cultural backgrounds it's difficult to always know where to draw that line. I will just say thank you then for being patient when the common sense "stuff" happens knowing that others may need to hear it or be reminded of it.

Your response to Friday's discussion is commendable! Your effort is noted Dr. J! :)

My comment: I'm lovin' all of the smiling faces I got on these comment sheets I must say. I'm sometimes called "Smiley" around campus because I do think that a smile can make all the difference and is a universal sign of so many positive things. In any case thank for the confirmation that efforts are being received and noted. :) back at you!

That concludes the first batch of comments. I will continue to post them after every class and welcome additional comments here as per the caveat noted in the introduction.

Over time I will continue to add links to various resources that I find and more. I hope that you are enjoying this wonderful holiday weekend......Dr. J