Mark Shelley and I are currently working on an article introducing the concept of Hive Marketing and its relevance to social media. For the uninitiated, hive marketing is the notion of bringing together supporters of a brand or organization into a community of shared interest (the hive), so they can feed off of one another, share experiences, and extend the depth of their knowledge about the brand. This interaction serves to confirm their decision to embrace the brand, and makes them more effective brand evangelists given they are now armed with a greater depth of information. In essence, they become more effective storytellers and brand ambassadors because of their experience in the hive. The expectation is that they will leave the hive and share their passion for the brand with the rest of the world, and back it up with all that they have learned within the hive.
Along comes social media. From our perspective, social media is the supreme Hive Marketing instrument. Imagine a hive with bees buzzing all around it. Although it might not be apparent at first, the bees are all involved in a common effort: sustaining life by gathering pollen from flowers and making honey. In the hive, there is organization and purpose in what first appears to be chaos. For me, that has proven to be a useful metaphor for social networks. We often run into people who feel that social media is just a “big waste of time.” But these are people who don’t understand the social web and how it is connected to the power of community and the power of the hive. Within the social web, people with shared interests come together in groups, in what may appear to an outsider as an unorganized mess, to exchange information and ideas. They feed off one another’s passion for the brand or subject matter; their point of view is often confirmed or reconfirmed, and their passion is ignited. When they end up leaving the hive (or the social network), they are ready spread the word with an authentic and credible voice. These individuals have the potential to become your most effective marketers, generating buzz through word-of-mouth on the Internet and in your local community. That communication has a power that your institutionally generated marketing will never have.
I did a presentation last week on the topic of marketing in a recession. During that talk I briefly touched upon Hive Marketing. Below is a video clip from my presentation that introduces the subject.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending some time in a recording studio with Dr. Bill Chameides, Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. I’m fortunate to have some video clips from my conversation with Bill and will share them with you here. Bill has spent more than 30 years in academia as a professor, researcher, teacher, and mentor with a 3-year stint as the chief scientist of the Environmental Defense Fund. According to his bio on the Nicholas School Website, “Bill’s research focuses on the atmospheric sciences, elucidating the causes of and remedies for global, regional, and urban environmental change and identifying pathways towards a more sustainable future.” In short, he is a rock star in the world of sustainability. And there’s nothing “academic” about his quest for a sustainable future. He is after real solutions.
Not only is the Nicholas School leading the way in creating a sustainable future, but they have embraced social media and are using blogs, Facebook and YouTube to spread the word. Bill maintains his own blog called The Green Grok. You can visit it online at http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/. There you’ll find both video and text posts from the Green Grok himself. “In The Green Grok, Dr. Bill Chameides elucidates causes of and potential remedies for environmental change and identifies pathways towards a more sustainable future.” Bill recognizes that we are currently on an unsustainable path that threatens our way of life. He is on a quest for a more sustainable course – and for solutions that lead to a sustainable future. If this interests you, the Green Grok is also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/thegreengrokcom/18954548244?ref=ts. Meanwhile, the Nicholas School’s Facebook page can be found at http://tinyurl.com/ygohagw. Check it out.
Here’s Bill talking about why he’s excited to be at the Nicholas School and how it differs from other academic programs:
They are doing remarkable things at the Nicholas School of the Environment. I encourage you to follow them online and learn more about how you can become part of their drive toward a sustainable future.
In my local business journal (Triangle Business Journal) there was an article this week about a new study by Grant Thornton that indicated that healthcare executives predict an increase in hiring at a much hire rate than non-healthcare executives. They surveyed 846 CFOs and senior comptrollers from public and private companies, of which 72 were from health care organizations. You can access the Grant Thornton website and their press release about the study by going to http://tinyurl.com/ybpqzd6.
Although there are signs of optimism in the survey results, there are also indications that healthcare CFOs are having to deal with the realities of the recession by cutting bonuses and reducing health benefits for employees. Here is an excerpt from the Grant Thornton press release dated October 28, 2009:
“In a survey of health care CFOs and senior comptrollers conducted by Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, 38 percent say their organization will increase hiring in the next six months – 14 points higher than the national number – and one of the highest industries surveyed. More than half (52%) plan to reduce bonuses and half (51%) believe the U.S. economy will improve in the next six months.
In terms of pricing pressure, health care CFOs are overwhelmingly concerned about the cost of employee benefits (83%), such as health care and pension costs. Not surprisingly, 41 percent report that their company is reducing health care benefits and 21 percent are reducing 401(k) matches.”
If you don’t follow Social Media Today, I suggest you consider doing so. Go to http://www.socialmediatoday.com and take a look. I’ve found it to be a great resource.
On October 30, 2009, I found a post by Jill Kurtz titled “Data on Twitter and Social Media Use” that caught my attention. Jill reviews the findings of Pew Internet & American Life’s daily tracking survey on Americans’ use of the Internet just released in October 2009. Check out Jill’s post at http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/138349.
To download a PDF of the Pew Report, or to view it online, go to http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/17-Twitter-and-Status-Updating-Fall-2009.aspx. According tot he Pew Report, one in five Internet users are now on Twitter or another status update service, representing a significant increase over prior studies. As common sense would dictate, social network users are much more likely to be found using Twitter than non-social network users.
“Internet users who already use social network sites such as MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn are likely to also use Twitter: 35%, compared to 6% of internet users who do not use such social network sites.” (Source: Pew Internet Study, October 2009)
The report also shows that people using mobile devices to access the Internet, and people with multiple Internet-connected devices, are more likely to use Twitter. Again, nothing surprising there.
For the last month or so I’ve been getting email solicitations from the Journal of Communication in Healthcare. Every heard of it? Here’s what the email messages have to say about the publication:
Journal of Communication in Healthcare is the major new peer-reviewed journal publishing high quality articles, research and real case studies on how to improve communication with patients, the public and media. It does not publish advertising or sales pitches, but rather detailed guidance and invaluable ‘lessons learned’ from fellow professionals that you can apply in your organisation right now, including:
in-depth and unbiased examination of innovative strategies, techniques and campaigns
information perceived as ‘insider’ or not generally available, including insights from clinicians, healthcare providers, charities and businesses
controversial viewpoints on current issues and trends that challenge conventional mindsets
input from influential policy makers reflecting their opinions, current thinking and views on the future
in-depth, actionable guidance on best practice from PR, marketing, brand management, sales and other professionals
Evidently the Journal is produced by Henry Stewart Publications and Mario Nacinovich, President-Elect of the Healthcare Communication & Marketing Association is serving as Editor-in-Chief. I believe an annual subscription is $335 US. If you’re familiar with the publication I’d love to hear what you think of it. You can learn more about the Journal of Communication in Healthcare online at http://www.henrystewart.com/jch/index.html.
In the Sunday, October 18th issue of Suburban Journals there was an article about hospitals’ reluctance to engage the social web – specifically Twitter. Here’s a link to the story: http://tinyurl.com/yh4dxlx. If you’re not already burned out on articles and posts about why healthcare organizations have been slow to adopt social media, then this piece by Eric Becker might be of interest. It is titled: “Why some hospitals keep missing the web bandwagon: Concerns about new technology hobble industry.” Here’s an excerpt from the story:
“But of all the factions that have embraced Twitter and other social media tools, one is largely absent from the mix, even though it relies heavily on making sure resources are available for customers: the hospital.
The reason, hospital and regulatory officials said, is because of the health care industry’s complex nature, difficulties pegging emergency room wait times and even concerns about private information. For them, the social media tools that have been so widely lauded for improving lines of communication present largely uncharted waters, something few are ready to test.” (Source: Suburban Journals, October 18, 2009)
Consider this article just another data point in the ongoing discussion about healthcare and social media. Sooner or later the industry will be far enough along that articles like this will no longer capture anyone’s attention. I look forward to that day!
On October 29, 2009, Ragan.com posted an article by Jessica Levco titled: “Boy’s cancer battle inspires fundraising via social media.” It is the story about how one boy’s battle with cancer ended up inspiring the development of an entirely new development program to raise money for cancer treatments for children. They are finding that their Facebook page has been an essential element in the success of the program.
I’ve had a number of fundraising professionals from hospitals, medical schools and hospital foundations attend my webinars and contact me over the last few months with questions about social media. My answer is always that I believe social media is an ideal tool for fundraisers. The social web is all about creating communities (or the spaces where communities can flourish online) of shared interest. Individuals come together to exchange ideas, revel in their passion for a given subject or brand, and feed off of one another.
So think about donors to your institution and potential donors (grateful patients, for example). Doesn’t social media offer the opportunity for you to bring these individuals together in an environment where you can showcase your institution and all of the good things it does in the region and community? In the past I’ve often heard development people lament the fact that they don’t have a better way to engage grateful patients. Well let me tell you, that day has now arrived. The social web now gives you that opportunity. Colleges and Universities are jumping on the bandwagon, forming alumni groups on Facebook, just as one example.
In Sunday’s New York Times, passed on to me by my co-worker Bob Kochuk (he’s highly literate), there’s an interesting article titled: “A World Where Cancer Is the Norm.” This great article, written by Gina Kolata, is an extensive and intimate profile of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the largest of its kind in the world – seeing 90,000 patients each year. It is a massive article with tons of detail. I highly recommend that you check it out online by going to http://tinyurl.com/ykw9qrh.
Here’s an excerpt from a section of the article titled “Planet Cancer”:
“For the nearly 90,000 patients who will go to the center in Houston this year, that mission cannot be fulfilled soon enough. They and their families arrive at the world’s largest freestanding cancer hospital from around the world, often leaving behind jobs and stashing children with relatives for months. Some rent apartments or stay in mobile home parks near the hospital.
They enter through a soaring lobby, with cheery aquariums and exuberant volunteer greeters eager to help in any way. They come looking for hope.
But there is no mistaking what this place is: the front line of the frustrating war on a still largely incurable disease.” (Source: New York Times, Sunday, October 25, 2009)
The article goes on to tell a number of patient stories. That is where it is at its best. It is an amazing piece by Gina Kolata. A ton of work went into researching and writing this article. Find it online at http://tinyurl.com/ykw9qrh.
Houston Neal let me know that Software Advice is hosting a survey on their blog about the affect the Stimulus Bill has had on EMR adoption rates. They would love for you to participate by answering one question at:
In my Engage:Boomers eblast today from MediaPost the focus was on social media and Boomers – as expected. And the interesting thing is that the post by Matt Thornhill challenges conventional wisdom that social media is now the way to reach boomers. According to the author, “We don’t share in the excitement that Boomers and older adults are truly smitten with social networking sites for three reasons — one based on experience to date, one based on psychology and one based on the math.” (Source: MediaPost eNewsletter, Engage:Boomers, October 26, 2009) To view the article online go to http://tinyurl.com/yzxzwbk.
Specifically, Thornhill mentions how despite the number of Boomer focused social media sites that have sprung up over the last few years, Boomers just haven’t shown an interest in them. In short, it appears that Boomers don’t have an interest in sites about Boomers. As Thornhill points out, they aren’t an affinity group! They are a “generational cohort.” They seek out the information that interests them online, and that is topical rather than Boomer-focused.
This is a really interesting article. Thornhill goes on to talk about the psycho-social reasons many boomers don’t seek out social networks. He quickly touches on “socio-emotional selectivity theory” – which basically says that as the end of life nears, we become more selective in how we use our time socially. We only invest in relationships that are emotionally rewarding. He sees this as another reason some Boomers may avoid Facebook.
The eBlast from MediaPost also contained an advertisement for a new book by David Weigelt and Jonathan Boehman titled Dot Boom. Evidently the text is about how to reach the Boomer market online. You can check it out online at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/ccc3cb. Of course, there are a number of books out about marketing to Boomers. A few that I’ve seen include:
1. Boomer Consumer: Ten New Rules for Marketing to America’s Largest, Wealthiest and Most Influential Group by Matt Thornhill and John Martin
2. Turning Silver into Gold: How to Profit in the New Boomer Marketplace, by Mary Furlong
3. BOOM: Marketing to the Ultimate Power Consumer — The Baby-Boomer Woman by Mary Brown and Carol Orsborn Ph.D.
4. Ageless Marketing by David Wolfe – this is an old favorite of mine.
5. Marketing to Leading-Edge Baby Boomers: Perceptions, Principles, Practices & Predictions by Brent Green – This is another text that has been around for a few years
Mark Shelley and I are currently working on an article introducing the concept of Hive Marketing and its relevance to social media. For the uninitiated, hive marketing is the notion of bringing together supporters of a brand or organization into a community of shared interest (the hive), so they can feed off of one another, share experiences, and extend the depth of their knowledge about the brand. This interaction serves to confirm their decision to embrace the brand, and makes them more effective brand evangelists given they are now armed with a greater depth of information. In essence, they become more effective storytellers and brand ambassadors because of their experience in the hive. The expectation is that they will leave the hive and share their passion for the brand with the rest of the world, and back it up with all that they have learned within the hive.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending some time in a recording studio with Dr. Bill Chameides, Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. I’m fortunate to have some video clips from my conversation with Bill and will share them with you here. Bill has spent more than 30 years in academia as a professor, researcher, teacher, and mentor with a 3-year stint as the chief scientist of the Environmental Defense Fund. According to his bio on the Nicholas School Website, “Bill’s research focuses on the atmospheric sciences, elucidating the causes of and remedies for global, regional, and urban environmental change and identifying pathways towards a more sustainable future.” In short, he is a rock star in the world of sustainability. And there’s nothing “academic” about his quest for a sustainable future. He is after real solutions.
In my local business journal (
If you don’t follow Social Media Today, I suggest you consider doing so. Go to 
To download a PDF of the Pew Report, or to view it online, go to 
For the last month or so I’ve been getting email solicitations from the Journal of Communication in Healthcare. Every heard of it? Here’s what the email messages have to say about the publication:
In the Sunday, October 18th issue of Suburban Journals there was an article about hospitals’ reluctance to engage the social web – specifically Twitter. Here’s a link to the story: 
In my Engage:Boomers eblast today from MediaPost the focus was on social media and Boomers – as expected. And the interesting thing is that the post by Matt Thornhill challenges conventional wisdom that social media is now the way to reach boomers. According to the author, “We don’t share in the excitement that Boomers and older adults are truly smitten with social networking sites for three reasons — one based on experience to date, one based on psychology and one based on the math.” (Source: MediaPost eNewsletter, Engage:Boomers, October 26, 2009) To view the article online go to 
