In the first part of this series, I talked about some no-cost and low-cost tactics medical communicators-or anyone, for that matter-can use to establish and grow their businesses. I'd like to continue that discussion and offer a few more simple strategies to consider that could bring you more work
- Email Signature: If you're like me, you
probably send a dozen or more emails daily. Why not make your email signature
work for you? Automate your email software to include not just your name and
credentials, but URLs to your website, LinkedIn profile, Twitter profile, and
other sites where you can funnel prospective clients to show them your skills
and experience. To personalize your email signature in Microsoft©
Outlook©, click on Tools, Options, Mail Format, Signatures, Email
Signature. Now you have an opportunity to design an automated signature that
will appear in your outgoing email.
- Article Syndication: This strategy is
another way to engage prospective clients by highlighting your areas of
expertise through 500-word to 2000-word articles that are distributed to ezine
or newsletter publishers, bloggers, and anyone looking for free online or
offline content. Write about something new and exciting you think prospective
clients will find interesting, or recycle content from your blog or website.
Here's an example: Did you just work on a scientific project that included a
discussion of the rising incidence of multidrug-resistant bacteria? Take what
you learned and turn it into a piece for consumers. This could be particularly
helpful if you want to demonstrate your skills at writing for a patient and
consumer audience. Several sites, such as ezinearticles.com, allow writers to
submit articles for free, or for a minimal charge. By setting up an account at
these sites, you allow them to distribute your articles freely to other sites.
You receive no remuneration, but your byline and website URL could appear on
hundreds of sites where future clients can learn more about you.
- Facebook: If you think the social
network Facebook is just for college students and their connections, you may
want to reconsider. According to Nielsen Online data, during 2008 the biggest
growth in visitors to "Member Community" web sites around the world was among
those in the 35- to 49-year-old age group, with Facebook being the most
popular. Facebook allows users to create "Pages" or "Profiles." Pages are
designed to promote businesses, whereas Profiles are where you put more
personal information, if you're so inclined. You can also link your Facebook
page or profile with Twitter so that selective Tweets appear on your Facebook
page. Visit this site for more information about the growing popularity of
Facebook among more mature users:
website
url.
- Biznik.com: Another social networking site for entrepreneurs and small business owners, Biznik's tagline is "Business networking that doesn't suck." Biznik seems to be wildly popular on the West Coast, and its popularity continues to grow. Between January and March 2009, Biznik added new members at more than twice the rate of 2008. Similar to LinkedIn in that you create a profile, then connect and have online discussions with other members, Biznik offers the added capability of publishing articles and adding a video component within your profile. You can also increase your visibility by hosting a virtual or face-to-face networking or educational event. Basic membership is free; active membership costs $10 monthly; supporting membership runs $24 a month.
These are just a few nontraditional options you can use to market yourself and your business. In Part 3 I'll discuss some traditional marketing strategies that are still relevant today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cyndy Kryder is a freelance medical writer with more than 16 years of experience. She is the coauthor of The Accidental Medical Writer and the author of NUDE MICE and Other Medical Writing Terms You Need to Know. You can follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/cyndyandbrian You can reach her at http://www.theaccidentalmedicalwriter.com
