This may be the ultimate trivia question never to appear in Trivial Pursuit…the winner is….. Maloney & Fox, a Fifth Ave marketing agency for their brilliant and perhaps society breaking expose on “How to Prevent Blackberry Thumb”. This may very well be the butt of jokes for several years and a symbol for the failure of PT marketing by the old regime at APTA.
All of this news and more has come thru the very healthy debate caused regarding the recent post regarding The Petition (signed by over 700 at this time).
I believe what has been lost thru the various traffic on EIM blog , MyPhysicalTherapy Space, and the HPA listserv is huge desire (passion) on the parts of PT’s to substantially enhance and improve the PR and marketing “branding” of what PT’s do on a day to day basis. All APTA members know that the “petition” has no process authority but it does go to show that in less than a week 700 plus PT’s and numerous others who have not signed but have commented really care on the direction of where we are going and believe that our national association has a role in promoting PT as a “brand” along with PR. This should supply ample ammunition for the new leader, John Barnes, who everybody is excited about, to put new systems and resources in place. What also has been lost is the value of the internet in transparency and communication in uniting many PT’s to come together thru email (HPA listserv), blog (this site), and social networking (MyPhysicalTherapySpace).
An email regarding the efforts in the 2007 House of Delegates was listed in an email which was meant to highlight subjects during the first 6 months of 2007. Listed also is a simple suggestion to the marketing department for the disposition of each:
The New York Times on ‘Physical Activity during Pregnancy Bed Rest” – RETURN THE PHONE CALL
The Associated Press on ‘Back to School on Sports Injuries and Kids’- RETURN THE PHONE CALL IF YOU HAVE TIME
Newsweek on ‘Healthy Holidays’ – IGNORE, ENJOY MORE OF YOUR HOLIDAYS YOURSELF
USA Weekend on video game injuries – IGNORE, PLAY SOME WII YOURSELF, YOU MIGHT ENJOY IT
Gannett News Service: Bike Fit – IGNORE, GET YOUR OWN EXERCISE
AARP Magazine: BlackBerry Thumb – DEFINITELY IGNORE UNLESS YOU CAN RAISE A SINGLE CASE OF A PATIENT EVER PRESENTING TO PT WITH THIS CONDITION
Los Angeles Times on ‘Rotator Cuff Injuries’ – RETURN THE PHONE CALL IMMEDIATELY
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance on “Arthritis Care” – RETURN THE PHONE PHONE CALL IMMEDIATELY
Shape Magazine on ‘Blackberry thumb, Office Injuries” – SAME AS BEFORE
Quick and Simple on “how to lift anything”, “how to stay healthy while traveling”, “how to safely flip a mattress” – C’MON, THIS REALLY NEEDS A PT?
Consumer Report on “Preventing Shoulder Injuries” – RETURN THE PHONE CALL
Prevention on “Avoiding sprains while Exercising” – – RETURN THE PHONE CALL IMMEDIATELY
Having said all of this, I have one much larger question. Why is APTA not getting bombarded with calls about back pain? Isn’t this 40% of what is seen in outpatient orthopaedic PT, which represents the largest sub-group of PTs? How about stroke? I could go on. The bottom line is that focusing on “minority” interests has gotten us into “major” problems when it comes to defining the PT brand.
We’re looking forward to a new leaf with new leadership in 2008 that understands that a marketing campaign should be focused around your greatest strengths. Forget trying to be everything to everyone when it comes to marketing and branding. Minority interests will ride some powerful coattails if we can get over trying to please everyone. Trying to please everyone (APTA strategy under old regime)=no one happy, which has only worsened our already severely diluted and worthless brand. We need to think “less is more” (new regime).
Lastly, let’s not forget the genesis of the most powerful marketing-the “stories’ that develop thru the interaction of a patient and their physical therapist.
Thoughts?
