C2A
The following information will empower the pain community to build a solid foundation to collaborate and advocate effectively utilizing collaborative tools to change the social environment and the changes in healthcare that are negatively impacting pain patients.
We will empower the pain community with tools to advocate, thus leveling the playing field that many of us have not had access to in the past. We will encourage everyone to take their advocacy efforts to the next level by bringing creativity, technology and progressive ideas to fruition. By empowering everyone to eAdvocate, our chances of success as a community, will multiply exponentially.
The following information is for everyone in our community. No one can do this alone. It takes a community. If everyone takes on one task, the job will get done!
That’s collaboration 101!
By offering your gifts, there’s always something for everyone to contribute.
Every article you read, every podcast you listen to, every post, every conversation with a friend, family member, healthcare provider, media outlet, politician, or third-party administrator matters.
Below we cover a few basic tips about collaborative tools and social media platforms that will amplify the pain communities message. No one is expected to to work alone, but instead, crowdsource the shared problem and collaborate, because it takes a village to advocate effectively.
If you are concerned about cost, many applications and social media platforms are free with options to upgrade. You can always add bells or whistles later, as you scale up. However, if you are creating a grass-roots movement, like many of us are, free is good.
Free is very, very good!
Many collaborative tools and social media platforms are now more accessible and user-friendly with available online tutorials to utilize as resources. There are many communities and help forums to assist you. If you are diligent you can master the tools, and now you can also ask questions and share tips here.
Let’s briefly highlight and introduce some basic tips about building a foundation for
- social media philosophy
- collaborative tools
- social media platforms
- social media strategy
to assist you take e Advocacy action effectively, safely and help you to amplify your message to your intended audience.
Due Diligence
The first rule of social media is to “do your due diligence” on the “front end” to build a solid foundation, so you don’t have complications on the “back-end.”
If you are an advocate for the pain community, we are all relying upon you to represent us. Prior to taking action, lay a solid foundation, by instituting the following suggestions.
Check out the video below “10 Laws of Social Media”
Original video by entrepreneur explains to build a solid foundation.
Building a Foundation
To build a solid foundation for the success of your eAdvocacy group begin by:
- researching and becoming informed
- listening to the conversation
- refraining from contributing until you have built a foundation
- absorbing what the trends are in “real-time” or as they happen
- determining who your audience is
- identifying who the “influencers” are in the pain community
- following the “influencers” impacting your issue
- building a tribe of “like-minded” individuals who share your common values/ goals
- defining your mission collectively as a group
- defining “deal breakers” that might jeopardize the group
- gaining consensus from your group on a plan of action, based on your mission, after you have established your foundation
- formulating a plan based on “research, current trends, issues and conversations”
- delegating tasks based on your mutually agreed social media strategy
- identifying each members strengths and skill set
- cross training and coaching group members to carry out tasks
- volunteering for tasks to stretch your skill set
- offering support to members tackling new tasks
- assigning members to build new social media platforms to expand your reach
- implementing your action plan to amplify your message
- collectively considering your success/ failures as a group
- re-assessing your strategy based upon successes and failures
- assessing and providing resources based on trust
- engaging individuals or institutions, who might not share your point of view, to dialogue about your cause
- thanking your contributors, supporters and detractors
- assess, plan, implement, and re-evaluate
With that framework in place, check out these tools that will help you to realize your goals.
If you can master Facebook, search the help pages, conduct Google searches, go to YouTube to find a tutorial, use FaceTime or Zoom you are well on your way to mastering collaborative tools.
Foundation Tools
To begin researching and listening to the conversation, implement these crucial tools. Check out the video below by Richmond YOT outlining what eAvocacy looks like utilizing collaborative tools and hashtags.
Using Hashtags
Here are some additional up to date dashboard tools to monitor trending hashtags.
Below, check out some more tools to track the conversation and gather information for your audience.
Google Alerts
As we mentioned earlier, listening to the conversation is collaborative tools 101. Google Alerts is a great tool to monitor content on the web. Enter key search words or terms and an internet bot will go out and retrieve the content you are following. Set up your alerts according to your specific needs whether that is following federal/ state legislation or following individuals/ agencies. Google Alerts will email the content you need to your email address according to the schedule you set up.
It is imperative that you use articles and research to help define the issue and drive the narrative or dialogue. Commentary is warranted, and questions should be posed, but they should always directly align with the facts that you have discovered in previously published material.
That’s not to say witty banter is not a valuable tool!
More on that later!
Basing your campaign on facts can’t be emphasized enough.
Twitter etiquette requires in most cases, that you should include a link with your statement. Everyone on Twitter wants the facts, please! Making statements or accusations without basis, is a great way to find yourself accused of slander.
We recommend sticking to the facts when and wherever possible.
Proton mail is a secure encrypted email service. Group members should consider using a secure email service. Proton mail is free, but they also offer options to upgrade. Some options are limited, but overall it’s a great tool to collaborate. Encryption is only guaranteed if both parties are using encrypted mail services. A great tool to maintain privacy.
Check out our next post discussing philosophy, tools, platforms, and strategy.