Monday, June 3, 2013

NO THANK YOU, I DON'T WANT TO WEIGH IN

Hey, got your attention didn't I? 

When I go to the doctor’s office, the nurse always says, “Step on the scales, I need to get your weight.”  Have you ever said, “No, thank you, you did that last week or last month?”  I have.  Try it sometimes and watch their face.   It totally freaks them out.  Makes me wonder if the doctor has torture instruments in the back they use on the nurse if she doesn't weigh you.  I understand the concept – plenty of nurses have explained it to me- but I don’t see the need.  Of course to the nurse, weighing you is necessary because it is on their check list and they need to say – “Weigh in patient, check.”  The nurse is so afraid to apply logic and be a human.  Don’t do that and after you see the Nurse Practitioner ask to speak to the doctor.  There will be a firing squad waiting on you.  I did this just because I wanted to say hello to the doctor (she is a former student of mine) and when I walked out of the room they were all lined up staring at me.  The doctor said, “She just wanted to say hello, she was my teacher.” 

After that experience, I started thinking about how many people react to social media.  There is the group of people that wouldn't dare do social media because somebody will crawl out of the computer and get them.  I freaked a cousin out because I told her they could get her information whether she was on social media or not.  I thought she would have a heart attack or send the firing squad after me (refer to prior paragraph.) 
Another group of people are like the nurse.  They have their standard way of doing things and heaven forbid if you try to convince them to apply logic and be human.  When I am coaching clients on how to use Pinterest, I tell them they have to show the human side.  Many of them look at me as though I grew a second head.  I will emphasize to put more on their boards than just products for sale.  For example, a real estate broker will just post pictures of houses they have for sale.  The client can find that on the Realtor website.  Why bother?  Why not show them what the community is like, fun community activities, neighborhood events and much more.  Show the client what is in it for them.  Realtors throw the pictures up there and they can check that off their list.  Social media for the week – check.  They completed that task and never look at it again that week. 

Another example is veterinarians.  I love dogs (Shadow is 17 years young) but they just throw up pictures of their clients (that’s dogs and cats) once a week and hope it sticks.  Social media for the week – check.  IF someone comments, the person doing the social media never sees it and never replies.  That is not using social media to help drive business to your door.  A plan needs to be developed and carried out.  What is in it for your client?  What can you do for my 17 year old dog?  


Who does your social media?  How often do you do it?  Are you willing to be different from the nurse or do you just say “check”?  Tell me some of your strategies.