I’m in a closed group on FB. We are parents whose kids are in college together studying in the same program/major. The group is now three years old and so far encompasses parents of incoming freshman through the junior class. The other day a thread came up about experiences with the college health service and the regional medical center and then proceeded into a rating of the various local practices that some students had gone to, including Physical Therapy and Ear, Nose & Throat specialists. The PT practices got pretty ruthless comments, ranging from reports of mis-diagnosis and screwing up their kids, to finally implementing good care after getting a proper diagnosis from an Orthopedic back home.

Wow, this is powerful stuff; physician ratings and word of mouth referrals that you as a health care marketer don’t have any control over. What makes it even more frightening is that it’s not just what the parents think. These college kids are now for the first time in charge of their healthcare. While their parents are influencers, these are their experiences and decisions.

How do we as marketers access and market inside these social networks? How do we do it in a way that is meaningful, that can change public perception? How can we encourage those with good experiences to speak up about their stories, inside these closed and very small groups where viral gossip and trusted friendship is the very fabric of their existence?

Some may ask why bother if it is so small a group? Because this is where media is going.

Every generation has its new social network, new platform. If we think of each social platform as a media channel, then our media selection and expectations for outcomes is from a much smaller audience, one that may be more difficult to track, but in the end may provide that personal value for your customer.

– See more at: https://smithandjones.com/journals/beat/social-networks-are-new-referral-system/#sthash.QVQYTlWf.dpuf