Building a Brand in Care Coordination EPS 187

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Here at RNFM Radio, we love receiving questions from our listeners and followers. On Episode 187, we spend the hour responding to some great questions from listener Amelia Roberts. If you want to follow this thoughtful and talented Nurse, you can find her on Twitter @RN_Solutions.

Amelia’s questions were focused on how to start and monetize a blog, and how to get around the potential cost of paying a web designer to build a high-quality WordPress website or blog. Amelia admits to feeling overwhelmed by how to make all of this happen, the cost of doing so, and how to figure out if the products and services she wants to offer will connect with her chosen audience of nurses and healthcare professionals. As a nurse Care Coordinator, Amelia has many ideas about how to support other nurses in various ways, but the “how” of starting a small business venture appears to be stultifying to her.

This episode is chock-full of golden nuggets for nurse entrepreneurs and wannabe nurse entrepreneurs. Even if you don’t want to start a business, there’s so much here, and you’ll really enjoy the energy, laughter, and fun of this episode with Elizabeth, Keith, and Kevin. Here are some of the nuggets mentioned on the show:

Care Coordination links:

• ANA on Care Coordination
• ANA White Paper on Care Coordination

Web stuff, tech, etc:

• Always choose your own unique domain name (not .weebly, .wix, .blogspot, .wordpress, etc)
• A .com domain isn’t necessary (consider .biz, .co, etc)
• If you can’t afford to build a professionally designed site at this time, try Weebly, Wix, or SquareSpace (just be sure you use your own domain name, not theirs!) You can build a slicker site with the same domain name some time down the line.
  
• Try using your name as the domain name (eg: HelenDarlingRN.com, NurseHelen.biz, etc)
• Consider UpWork as a platform for hiring skilled and reliable assistants, designers, etc
• Check out The Nerdy Nurse.
• Check out the “Aspiring Nurse Bloggers” Facebook group (it’s a closed, invitation-only group, so ask Keith to invite you!)

Branding, marketing, products, services, etc:

• Consider yourself as being the product.
• Check out Fizzle.co for entrepreneur training, as well as their hilarious and informative podcast.
• Use LinkedIn and Medium as places to create and post content for building your brand.
• Submit content to HuffPost.
• Query and survey friends and colleagues about the viability and attractiveness of your proposed services or products.
• “Beta test” your product for free or low cost; let people take it for a test drive!
• Conduct informational interviews with people who can help inform you about their needs.
• Multiple streams of income can help you get off the ground and reach profitability (eg: blogging, podcasting, services, products, consulting, coaching, speaking, books/ebooks, etc)
• Check out The National Nurses in Business Association (NNBA). The 2016 conference is Oct 14-16!
• Try LegalZoom.com for information on incorporating and setting up a business structure.
• The Focused Blogging Conference is a great event to consider.
• Focused Blogging Conference blogging tips.
• SCORE offers free or low-cost business mentoring at sites throughout the country.

Remember:

• Do what you love!
• Choose an entrepreneurial venture that interests you!
• Read! Read! And read some more!
• Talk to others you admire and who know what you need to know!

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