How To Social Media

Welcome to Halow Consulting's Social Media

Workshop  HOW TO guide for Twitter, Linked In,

Google + and Facebook

Pennsylvania attendees listing in on the Keynote address by Brenda Tassava

We look forward to you attending the Social Media Workshop at Oradell Animal Hospital on August 16th.  To review ticket information, click here

For those of you planning on coming to the Keystone Conference, workshop information can be found here.

How To Twitter

* Go to http://www.twitter.com

* In the box that says ‘New to Twitter? Sign up’, type in your full name (please use your real name!), your email address, and a password. As with all the other profiles you have created, you are creating your own personal

profile so you can learn the etiquette of Twitter before you start using it professionally for your practice. With that in mind, use an email address that you ‘own’, and not your work email for this particular account.

* The next screen will verify your information before proceeding. Twitter will let you know if your chosen user name is available and will offer alternative suggestions in green, midway down the screen. Read the Twitter

terms of service before clicking ‘Create my account’

* The next screen takes you to The Twitter Teacher. The Twitter Teacher will walk you through the next several steps, including suggesting people you might follow. To follow a suggested user, simply click the ³Follow² button

listed next to their user name. You can also search for people to follow, by typing names into the search box. Here are several veterinary professionals, practices and organizations that you can follow on Twitter: Halowconsult, Oradell, Broad Ripple Animal, Northstar Vets, etc.

* The next screen takes you to categories. This will help you follow people who are interested in the same things that interest you. Type in categories like: veterinary, animals, your location, social media, etc. Choose 5 more

people, based on categories to follow, then click ‘next’.

* The next screen prompts you to find contacts you already know on Twitter by way of allowing Twitter to access your email contact list. If you wish, you can skip this step by clicking ‘Skip this step’ on the bottom left-hand

side.

* In the next screen, you need to upload a photo as your profile photo. DO NOT skip this step----it is a faux pas to leave you profile photo as the default ‘egg’! After you upload a photo, fill in the ‘Bio’ box with a description of yourself in 160 characters of less. Example: ‘Veterinary

practice manager from Indianapolis who writes about social media and makes art in her free time’. Click ‘save’.

* You are done! Twitter will send you a verification email. When you receive it, click through the link they provide you and your account will be active!

* Here¹s your first tweet to send out: #Halowconsult I’m loving this workshop!

Brie Messier instructs a small work group on Facebook

How to LinkedIn

It’s time to create your Linked In profile. The biggest difference here is that where Facebook is very focused on your personal likes and interests, Linked In is focused on your professional likes, interests and experiences.

Why should you have a Linked In profile? Look at Linked In as a tool that works very well for search engine optimization, as well as for professional networking. You might not necessarily use Linked In for your practice, but at the very least every one of your practice’s veterinarians should have a completed and up-to-date Linked In profile. When clients search for them by name, it helps to have something you have complete control over, that is highly professional come up high in the search engines, and that’s what Linked In can do for you. If you are a practice manager, you can use Linked In to manage your professional networks---think of it as a virtual rolodex. You can also join professional groups on Linked In, keeping yourself up-to-date on the latest conversations and news within the veterinary industry.

Let’s get started:

·      Go to http://www.linkedin.com

·      Click the “Join LinkedIn” button

·      Fill in your first name, last name, email address, and create your password. Again, please use a personal email address, NOT your work email as this can change should you leave your practice.

·      Click the “Join LinkedIn” button

·      On the next screen, Linked In will ask some basic demographic information including where you live and what your current job title and company are---fill your profile in as completely as possible. Then click “Create my profile”

·      Linked In will direct you to start looking for your connections via your email address. You can allow the site to access your email address book or you can skip this step---go with whatever you are most comfortable in doing.

·      You will then receive a confirmation email. Once you open this email, click on the confirmation link.

·      Your next step will be to complete your profile. In the toolbar, across the top of the home page, hover over the “Profile” link and click on “edit profile”. Here, you will complete statements about your educational background, your business experiences, and any awards you might have won. Think of it as an online resume or CV as you complete each field. Linked In will walk you through each step. One of the most important things to do is upload a professional looking photo of yourself! People want to see who they are connecting with on Linked In and all other social media platforms.

·        Once you have your profile looking the way you want it to, start searching for people you know. Begin by looking for the “People” search box in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Enter the following names to get started: Bash Halow, Brenda Tassava, Phillip Barnes and Brie Messier. If you don’t already know us, you will very soon! When you find our profiles, click the “connect button”. You will need to select how you know each person you are hoping to connect with on Linked In. You can choose either: colleague, classmate, we’ve done business together, friend, other, or that you don’t personally know this person. Selecting “Friend” is the most straight-forward way to connect with people you haven’t gone to school with, or worked with directly.

·      Linked In will generate an automated message saying “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” You can edit this message, personalizing it as you wish.

·      Next, you could look for a few professional groups to join. If you are a member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), you could search for a join this group. Other groups you might consider joining are: Marketing in Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Hospital Marketers, and/or Veterinary Professionals.  Your instructors, Brenda Tassava, Brie Messier, Phillip Barnes and Bash Halow are all on Linked In.  Search for their names within the Linked In website and reach out to them.

Phillip Barnes teaches Twitter

How to Google +

Let’s get started:

Go to http://plus.google.com

In the dark grey box in the upper right of the screen, sign in with your Google account or go to step 3 to create an account. 

Just below the red ‘Sign in’ button, click on the blue words to ‘Create an account’ 

Complete the online form, choosing your username, and creating a password. Complete the demographic information and read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy before clicking through to the ‘next step’ 

Add a profile photo in the next screen so that your friends recognize you. 

Click the blue button that says ‘Continue to Google’ 

Google+ will prompt you to find people on Google+ you already know by allowing them access to your email address book. You can do this if you are comfortable with this, or you can skip this step. 

The next screen will help you find people you already know. Type in: Bash Halow, Brenda Tassava, Brie Messier and Phillip Barnes to add us to your circles. This screen also explains what ‘circles are on Google+’. Try to find at least 10 

people you know to add to your circles. 

If you are struggling to find people you know, you can click on the blue highlighted words that say ‘discover new people’ and Google+ will offer suggestions 

Click ‘Continue’ 

Adding additional profile information on this final screen will help others find you on Google+ 

Congratulations! You now have a Google+ profile. Get familiar with this platform by exploring the landing page, checking out ‘Hangouts’, ‘What’s Hot’, and reading through the feed on your home page.

This group takes time out for a delicious lunch from our sponsor Best Pet Rx!

How to Facebook

Play around with a personal facebook page for several weeks before attempting to create a business page, as you need to learn the ins and outs of etiquette, etc within each social media platform. By becoming "friends" with people you know, liking a few pages, and interacting with others, you will feel much more comfortable when it comes time to become the administrator of your practice's business page. You should attempt to log-in and do "something" at least one to two times each day for the next two weeks, before taking any steps towards creating a business page."


1. Go to www.facebook.com



2. Fill-in the blanks under "Sign Up, It's free and always will be."


3. Use your real first and last name


4. Use an email address that you "own", not one that has been assigned to you at work. If you leave that position or company, you will lose access to your personal page. Use a personal email address that you have control over, even if you move. A gmail address is ideal, but not necessary. Use an address that you routinely use for personal email correspondence.


5.Create a password. It's always "best practice" to use at least 8 characters, using both numbers and letters for your password. You can and should change your password on a regular basis to prevent hacking of your accounts. This is good advice for all you online activity, not just Facebook!


6. Provide the requested demographic information (sex and date of birth)


7. Read the Terms and Data Use Policy. You can click on these words/phrases just above the green "Sign Up" button to read them in their entirety.

8. Click the green "Sign Up" button.You now have a Facebook account! Your next steps should be to upload a digital photo of yourself, so others can find and recognize your smiling face. The remainder of the information you choose to enter and display on your page/wall/timeline is entirely up to you and your comfort level.

What should you do once your account is created?


1. You can search for people you know and send them "friend requests"

2. You can interact with people once they accept your friend requests


3. You can like pages specific to the veterinary industry and begin following them and the information they generate on their business/organization pages such as: AAHA, AVMA, VHMA, Halow Consulting and your local management group's page, if they have one.


4.  Log-in at least one to two times a day to read your "news feed". This is your home page on Facebook and will feature the latest updates from your friends and the pages you choose to "like" on Facebook.

5. Create new status updates to let your friends know what you are doing, or what you are thinking


6. Repeat steps 3-6 often, to increase your comfort level with Facebook.

Veterinary Technicians put dog in trash can!!!

Tammy Vreelan and Robyn Geis, veterinary technicians at Sayrebrook Veterinary put this loveable dog Hammi in a TRASH CAN!!!!  Why wasn't Animal Control called?  Why were they able to keep their jobs???

Hammi is in a trash can because the sides prevent Hammi from lying down.  Hammi suffers from megaesophagus and just finished dinner.  Remaining upright until all the food ‘goes down the pipe’ so to speak is the remedy for this condition.  Megaesophagus can be diagnosed by your veterinary (as it was by the great crew at Sayrebrook Veterinary), but it took the enterprising minds of these techs to think of using a trash can/ laundry hamper as a surefire method of keeping Hammi upright. ( Oh, and don’t worry…this can is NEVER used for trash.)

What you are reading above is a recent post placed on Facebook.  The post captivates your attention, teaches you a little bit about veterinary medicine, introduced you personally to the fine team at Sayrebrook Veterinary and educates you about their kindness and ingenuity…but it does it in a friendly, colloquial manner.  Of the many things you will hear or read about  today, you will remember the picture, Hammi, the techs, and Sayrebrook Veterinary.  As of July 21, 2012 this message has reached  500 individuals who are very likely to talk about Sayrebrook.  Best of all it cost nothing, publicly distinguishes Sayrebrook’s team members, and is fun to produce

Brenda Tassava, Brie Messier and Phillip Barnes are three veterinary professionals who have mastered how to produce Social Media pieces like this and beyond.  They do it on a daily basis for their practices and have tripled their reach or better.  Their hospitals are at the very top of information searches and their business’ growth is up…all the while reducing their advertising budget…in Brenda’s case by as much as 20 thousand dollars a year!

These three, along with Halow Consulting, have put together a workshop for our veterinary peers aimed at getting even the most reluctant veterinary practice managers and owners understanding Social Media and using it specifically to increase traffic to their website and through their door.  This lecture’s objectives can be prioritized accordingly:

1.  Make it user friendly

2.  Make sure the attendees walk out knowing what their next step is and how to do it.

3.  Make it interesting and make it fun.

For more information on the lecture, the speakers and the locations of the lecture click here.  I can’t urge you enough to attend.  Of the many continuing education events available to you this year, none is more sharply focused on how to specifically help you succeed.