Recently I found out I was included on a list of 25 Healthcare Marketing Experts to Follow by eVisits. I was (and am) honored to be included on the list with many of the people I’ve followed, chatted with, learned from and even stalked at conferences during my professional career.
Had I not checked my Twitter notifications and saw my name listed on a tweet with a number of other names, I would have missed it completely. My name listed with several others is not a tweet I see very often – sure if someone I’ve started following does a mass thank you tweet for following them – but this one included a link. So, of course, I followed it. First I see the title 25 Healthcare Marketing Experts You Should Follow, so I start scrolling through the list. Then I find my name as #20 on the list – I’m shocked.
#20 Amy M. Austin
@AmyMAustinMktgwww.Amyaustinmarketing.com
Amy Austin is all about networking. If you struggle with the “social” component of social media, follow Amy and learn the best strategies for truly connecting with others in your field and building a marketing strategy that focuses on relationships as well as branding.
Terrified of Twitter
What makes this more exciting is not that long ago, I was terrified of Twitter. I joined Twitter with the hopes of connecting with and joining the healthcare marketing conversation but I had no idea how to do it. My first tweets were painful– and had likely been vetted by three or four trusted colleagues who were active on Twitter before I ever hit post. I didn’t know how to find good content to share. I fumbled my way through promoting my own text. I was lucky to post something once or twice a day and I certainly didn’t understand the use of hashtags!
I lurked in the background of some Twitter chats (#hcldr, #hcsm, #kareochat, #lcsm) until I felt confident enough with my ability to keep up with the rapid-fire tweeting that happens in those chats. There was really no reason to be apprehensive about joining these online conversations – everyone who participates are welcoming and told me not to worry about keeping up with the pace. And I found Buffer to help me schedule posts so I could post multiple times per day without feeling like I was tied to Twitter.
I still haven’t broken 1000 followers (but I’m getting closer). I’ve posted 1300 times. But I have “met” a number of healthcare professionals (marketing and otherwise), patients, advocates and just plain amazing people. (Updated numbers as of 7/24/2016: 1700+ tweets and 1100+ followers.)
Just Do It
So if you are thinking of joining the Twitter conversation, just do it. There really isn’t any right or wrong way – sure there are best practices, and I suggest you follow them. But without giving it a try, you never know how the risk will benefit you. I certainly never thought I’d be put on a list of 25 Healthcare Marketing Experts to Follow. But it happened, and I’m grateful it did.
