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Santa Can Teach Us Advocates Plenty About Good Branding

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The holidays are here! And whether or not Santa plays a role in your own celebration, you have to give it to him – he may be THE most recognizable brand in the world. It struck me this week that what Santa stands for, and what advocates stand for, are very similar: selflessness and improving others’ lives. So what can independent health advocates learn from Santa Claus about branding ourselves, our work, and our practices? Plenty. Basic branding is based on three things: 1. Recognition We all recognize Santa. Even variations on Santa imposed by others – we still know […]

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It’s Not Marketing. It’s Teaching.

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We’re in the final stages of putting together the Advanced Marketing Handbook (scheduled for release in early October 2014) – and as I was reviewing parts of it this week, I had a thought to share with you that may make your marketing a bit easier to digest. Here’s what I know (based on the dozens, maybe hundreds of conversations I have had with advocates over the past few years)… Most of you appreciate marketing on about the same level as nails on the chalkboard. (Oh dear, I digress, but do they even put chalkboards in classrooms anymore? !!) Yes,

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Veterans, Soldiers, the VA – What They Represent to Private Patient Advocates

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A Memorial Day Tribute My husband is retired from the Air Force* after serving for 20 years during the Vietnam era. My father served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. These two veterans, the men I have loved the most, and who represent millions of other American soldiers, men and women, deserve all the respect Americans can possibly muster not only Memorial Day, but every other day of the year as well. I raise this point because like you, I’ve been hearing and reading about the problems veterans have had getting the care they need from the

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When Your Competition – Isn’t

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(Updated February 2017) Recently we relaunched one of our APHA networking benefits, Special Interest Groups (SIGs). They provide members with the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals to discuss any topic relevant to their work. For example, all members who live in Idaho might want to connect with each other. Or those who offer mental health advocacy services can share ideas. Others with interest in working strictly with seniors, or all our physician members, or even a group of Stanford grads (yes we have a handful!) SIGs help us connect with those who share our interests and experiences. One group,

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Oh, It Was Nothing, Really

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As advocates working for clients with grave medical problems, or clients who battle their insurance companies to get what they need for their care, or could lose their entire financial foundations due to overwhelming medical bills, our work results in lifesaving and quality-of-life saving outcomes every day. That’s what we do. And then, when someone thanks us, way too many of us deflect the compliment. “Oh, it was nothing, really.” Nothing? It’s as if we are embarrassed to have been thanked, even though we are – secretly – pleased. This disconnect in our response to being thanked and recognized came

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Eight Hour Day? Get Paid for Sixteen

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Patient advocate Joan H. Elper has been an independent advocate for more than a year now. She has worked with seven clients during that time, and is growing her practice slowly but surely. Her focus is medical-navigational in nature, helping mostly elderly parents of the adult children who hire her understand what their doctors tell them. She also has two cancer patients who want to self-direct their care more than the doctors would like, so some of Joan’s reward comes from seeing those clients make informed decisions based on their own wants and needs, and finding that their doctors have

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All Dressed Up With Big Places to Go

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(Update: December 2017. This post was written in 2014 (see the URL in your browser bar) when we launched the “new” directory – pictured below. Since then, our even newer directory was launched in Fall 2017. We continue to upgrade and update for directory listed advocates!) When I was a first grade teacher (which, I dare say, might have been before some of you were born), I got a huge kick out of one observation I made in early January every year. My observation was that my students returned after the holiday break – and once again – their pants were

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