CB Medical Marketing

Medical content experts

Archives for April 2015

The Power of the Checklist: from Your Medical Clinic to Your Blog

I have always been a little gonzo for checklists.

But Atul Gawande’s book, The Checklist Manifesto, has pushed me over the edge.

The book was published in 2009 and shortly after that, a patient recommended it to me. I have had it on my shelf ever since.

Well, having vowed this year not to buy any more books until I made my way through my to-read stack, I finally read it. And what a revelation.

Gawande describes the use of checklists in ways I had never imagined.

The book got me thinking about the potential to improve systems in the two areas I am most familiar–physical therapy practice and medical blogging. [Read more…] about The Power of the Checklist: from Your Medical Clinic to Your Blog

Evidence Based Blogging

With all the hoopla surrounding a certain celebrity doctor lately, I wanted to address the importance of providing evidence when you blog. Offering medical advice without evidence to back it up has cost Dr. Oz credibility in the medical community. He’s got a big media machine behind him and will survive the medical world’s critical eye relatively unscathed. But your blog is not produced by Oprah, so if you were to attempt the same approach, it might not work out so well for you.

Big Hat, No Cattle

I live in Texas, and while we don’t all ride horses or live on a farm, we do appreciate the wisdom handed down from those who did.  One of my favorite Texas sayings is “Big Hat, No Cattle.” You might call it all flash, no substance. [Read more…] about Evidence Based Blogging

What is a Medical Practice Blog?

In the mire of bad medical information out there on the web, a medical blog can be a beacon of integrity–a shining antidote.

Blogs are accessible to people; they use everyday language in a casual style. A blog is a great place to provide useful evidence-based medical information that people will understand.

A medical blog is also where you can show people who you are. That you are one of the good ones: a practitioner who knows their stuff and puts patient health and wellbeing above all else. And doing that will naturally attract patients–who doesn’t want that?

We are passionate about medical blogging, so we give lots of advice on the subject:

Things to do before you write one.
Common mistakes to avoid while writing one.
How to write one fast.

But, I think we’ve been getting ahead of ourselves. So, in this post, I am going to back up and explain exactly what a “medical blog” is.

I mean, understanding that really is Step One to making it happen. [Read more…] about What is a Medical Practice Blog?

Content vs. Copy: Treat Your Medical Blog Like a Magazine

Imagine your favorite magazine. Really, think about the experience of sitting down with time to read and peruse its pages. You have your favorite caffeinated beverage with you, of course. Personally I like design magazines – Dwell, House Beautiful, that sort of thing. I love Texas Monthly because the journalism is excellent, the writers are witty and it’s about Texas. And when I am feeling thinky, I like to read The Atlantic. But your magazine of choice can be anything you like. Let your imagination run wild.

One of the things that distinguishes a really good magazine from a crummy magazine [Read more…] about Content vs. Copy: Treat Your Medical Blog Like a Magazine

Why Content Marketing for Medical Practices (Infographic)

In marketing today Content is King!

It has been for a while now and the proof is in the pudding. You don’t have to search long to find many examples of businesses growing by leaps and bounds using content marketing.

Slower to adopt this marketing trend, medical practices are now moving full force into this digital playing field with great results too.

Patients are online and if you want to attract them, you have to be there too. And you have to provide good content to stand out in this (ever-increasing) crowd.

I know this is true. But, maybe you or someone you work for needs a little convincing. If only there was a simple infographic with a ton of statistics that show what a great match content marketing is to healthcare…

Oh wait, there is! And I made it just for you.

[Read more…] about Why Content Marketing for Medical Practices (Infographic)

Two Important Reasons to Use Headings in Your Medical Practice Blog

Remember back in high school when your teacher required you to create an outline of your essay before you actually wrote it? Remember how you groaned and complained about that extra piece of busy work your teacher felt compelled to add to your assignment?

Remember how that outline made it a lot easier to write the essay when it came time to write? Not that you would actually let your teacher know that was the case.

Headings Allow Readers to Quickly Understand Structure of Your Piece

It turns out that outlines help the reader, too. If your reader can follow the flow of your thoughts, they are more likely to stick with you. And when you write on the internet there are things you can do to make that easier for them. [Read more…] about Two Important Reasons to Use Headings in Your Medical Practice Blog