Saturday, June 13, 2009

Women are more social than men, especially in the fast growing world of online social media. From Twitter and Facebook to web forums and blogs, 65% of the virtual voices heard today belong to women. The same women who control 85% of all household purchase decisions, including health care and wellness for themselves and their family. With doctors and hospital staff increasingly pressed for time, women are turning to "women like them" for the right information to make smart healthcare and wellness decisions.

That's why three consumer marketing firms, KC Healthcare Communications, LLC, a Norwalk CT-based PR health and communications firm, BarnRaisers Group, a Wilton CT-based consumer relationship marketing agency, and Brainloaf, an internet marketing technology and development company are partnering to give a free women's wellness workshop at the Wilton Library at 6 pm.

The firms will outline social media strategies, approaches and tips for businesses, small and large, on how to communicate with this desirable target through real, credible content and the savvy use of technology to reach and engage women and build sustainable communities.

"Just as in my own life, working women in their 40's, 50's and 60's and beyond have incredibly busy lives, juggling "me time" with work, family and career reinvention. We intend to help clients create high engagement strategies through our own community, RealWomen on Health!, that speaks directly with women in meaningful and relevant ways", explains Kelley Connors, President, KC Healthcare Communications.

"We're building brand communities now for well-known health care brands now like the American Heart Association and seeing significant results so we thought, let's put our money where our mouth is and build an on-line community of our own so that health and wellness companies of all sizes and sectors can benefit," said Rob Petersen, President, of the BarnRaisers Group. The community they're creating is called RealWomen on Health!

Plenty of evidence-based research supports what these firms are doing:

• 10,000,000 more women are online than men right now

• They're more relationship driven and less transactional than men

• They blog, game, share photos and decorate their personal pages with an average 53 online friends

• 74% shop online before they buy offline

"Marketers who speak with a unisex voice about health and wellness ignore the power of female conversations", says Connors. "Our community is a salon where busy working woman share, connect, contribute and get their own customized personal advisors on health and wellness. It puts our skills and passions as marketers, brand builders, internet developers and communication experts to some really good use."

To learn more about this free workshop and sign up, go online at http://www.wiltonlibrary.org or call (203) 762-3950.

About KC Healthcare Communications, LLC

KC Healthcare Communications is a public relations and marketing consultancy serving the healthcare industry. With expertise in marketing with women as healthcare consumers, caregivers, working women and agents of change, we apply savvy marketing and technology skills to build health and wellness brand advocates.  See innovative service offering web site at www.womenswellth.com or view the blog at www.womenswellth.com/blog