Getting Creative with Social Networking for the Health Industry

Social networking began with the intention of simply connecting friends with each other. Today, it’s grown into a cornerstone of our societal networks. People are everywhere on social media so modern, relevant businesses know that they must have a presence there. Furthermore, fewer people are seeking out real life interactions for their needs if they can get them electronically and this poses a challenge for marketers.

Despite its original intent of just helping people keep in touch, social networking is now being used in innovative ways by marketers and businesses. One industry to be making use of social networking in creative ways is the health industry. Health coaches today provide a popular service. The health and weight loss industry is still in the $20 Billion range so the demand is certainly substantial.

How are they making use of social media? Some health coaches will post to various social media outlets some “before and after” pictures of themselves or clients that they have worked with. These images depict health goal success. They are intriguing to those seeking health coach services and they are a great way to show a success rate to prospective clients.

Fitness and health professionals may also post healthy recipes or workout routines that they feel would appeal to their prospective clients. These images, recipes and overall health advice can give the professional a reputation and a brand simply via health related social networking posts.

They use their social media presence and branding to connect with prospective clients. Repeated exposure to proven results and helpful advice encourages prospective clients to act, and the health coaches earn business.

Another way health coaches are using social media creatively is through Facebook groups. For example, a health or fitness coach may offer to lead a free 7-10 day health challenge. During the challenge, the group will all be doing the same health related activity together with the health coach as the coordinator. They may be doing a fast, a cleanse, a week of “clean eating” or a daily exercise program. The Facebook group provides participants with a level of accountability and support for their related health goals.

This combines the “high tech” of social networking with the “high touch” of personal accountability since everyone is doing the same health related activity together. Participants build rapport with the health coaches, and this builds a trusting relationship.

At the completion of the group’s challenge, the health coach offers participants to act in some way that supports the coach’s business. They may encourage the group to begin buying a particular supplement, participate in another more intensive cleanse or detox that requires a fee, or decide to start personal health coaching services with the coordinator. The health or fitness coach has built a relationship with this person and they are now more prone to move forward with paid services.

Social networking can be used many ways to promote businesses, far beyond simple advertisements. It connects people together in ways we can’t always anticipate. Make use of it however you can because social networking is where your people are.