I recently read a Fast Company article about how Houlihan’s is using social media to drive growth.
According to the article, Houlihan’s was tired of being outspent and outshouted by Applebee’s and Chili’s in mass media, so Houlihan’s decided to target millennials by creating a social-networking site, HQ, which is an invite-only brand community of 10,500 “Houlifans.” The site serves as a virtual comment card, and the feedback has allowed the company to rebrand itself and revamp its new tapas-style product line. In the Kansas City area, the first test site, profits grew at 12% compared to an industry decline of 1%.
That’s a pretty effective use of social media. And it’s appropriate for healthcare as well. Some of our clients are doing great work in various social media channels:
- Southern Regional Health System is taking to Twitter in a big way – having individual conversations with patients and visitors that mention SRHS and building support for a new Open Heart Surgery Certificate of Need project that’s underway
- Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula wires up its events via Facebook – reaching consumers and patients where they’re frequently at. Some of the classes are innovative ideas, such as a tour through a grocery store with a dietitian.
- Genesis Health System has done a great job keeping up with the latest news on its Facebook site: The day the new questions about prostate screenings came out, they had a post talking about the test. When Burt Reynolds underwent heart bypass surgery, Genesis talked about its heart specialists. They also have an ongoing series about Tanner, their therapy dog, on Twitter.
These are just a few examples of clients using social media to drive growth or build awareness. What great examples of social media have you seen?
