2627 North Third Street, Ste. 100, Phoenix, AZ 85004 | 14418 West Meeker Blvd., Bldg. B, Ste. 102, Sun City West, AZ 85375
January 2020
602-277-4327 | www.azhear.com
Who Hearing Loss Affects
Hint: It’s Not Just the Patient
who don’t treat their hearing loss tend to withdraw from the outside world, and it’s not hard to see why. Who would want to inhabit a world where you don’t understand people and they don’t understand you? We have to explain and demonstrate these interpersonal effects to patients so they don’t delay treating their hearing loss. We have to encourage spouses and other loved ones to speak up about bearing the burden by mediating on behalf of the patient. Hearing loss isn’t just the degeneration of a sense; it’s the failing of our most fundamental social and emotional functions. As such, it affects anyone who has a social or emotional relationship with a patient. When you suffer from hearing loss, it’s easy to view the problem as solely your own. But, as with so many other aspects of the condition, the impact is more substantial than a patient can perceive. Helping people see their health in greater detail is one of the joys of working in medicine, and with regard to
when they’ve already been referred to somebody like me, it’s harder to feign ignorance. By placing the burden of hearing loss squarely on themselves, the patient also assumes the onus to solve the problem. If hearing loss only hurts you, the reasoning goes, it’s up to you to decide if and when you want to treat it. The problem with this idea is pretty basic: It’s just not true. You may be the one whose hearing is failing, but your hearing loss affects everyone around you. If your spouse needs to order meals at a restaurant for you, that’s a qualitative change in their life. Very often, those with minor to moderate hearing loss will rely on their spouse to be their conduit to the greater world. While the spouse in this scenario doesn’t have hearing loss, they are absolutely affected by the hearing loss of somebody else. Getting treated for hearing loss, then, isn’t just about the patient; it’s about everyone who cares for and interacts with them as well. Physicians play an important role in dispelling this notion early and often, both on a broad and individual basis. The social nature of hearing and the social implications of hearing loss leave no room for debate. Untreated hearing loss leaves the patient with two options: dependency or isolation. Over time, even depending on a loved one to serve as a translator of sorts becomes impossible. Patients
Many myths and misconceptions are perpetuated about hearing loss, both by those suffering from it and those close to them. The nature of these misconceptions keeps us from addressing hearing loss from an up- to-date and productive context. If we don’t have the ability to accurately talk about the issue, how are we supposed to go about solving it? Some of our failings are historical and others are cultural. Some resulted from comparing hearing loss to other conditions while others have no logical origin whatsoever. All of these failings have one thing in common, however: Each one fails to grasp the fundamental essence of hearing loss. The most common myth I hear from my patients is the idea that their hearing loss only affects them. “I’m doing just fine,” they’ll tell me in an attempt to put an end to any conversation about treatment. From the accounts of physicians I’ve spoken to, it’s even more common for them to hear that excuse, but
hearing loss, most people could use a lot more clarity.
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Holistic wellness is sometimes seen as an inaccessible form of care. Holistic treatments and products can be hard to find, but access to them should never be restricted based on location, demographics, or affluence. Thankfully, this problem is becoming less relevant as more stores begin stocking holistic products. Holistic health products, which were often reserved for expensive online shopping or limited boutique releases in the past, are becoming more accessible as drugstores Holistic Health Products for All COMING TO A STORE NEAR YOU
3 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR USING FACEBOOK LIVE And Making Your Broadcast a Success
Facebook Live has been available to Facebook users for years now, but many business owners still haven’t taken advantage of this powerful customer engagement resource. Essentially, this technology gives users the ability to broadcast live from their Facebook account. For businesses, a gold mine of opportunity is opened to connect with customers and prospects in real time. Some companies utilize it for product launches, rebranding, general announcements, or directly engaging with potential customers. That said, a poorly executed broadcast can leave you with more issues than you started with. With that in mind, here are some essential tips to ensure your Facebook Live videos strengthen your marketing instead of weaken it. 1. Record for at least 10 minutes. If you set out to broadcast for 45 seconds, your content isn’t going to reach anyone in your target audience. A good rule of thumb is to create enough content so that your event reaches at least 10 minutes. With an average broadcast time of 10 minutes, your audience will have more opportunity to see your content, and you’ll reach the highest number of people possible. 2. Prioritize good production quality. You don’t need to be a professional videographer to develop quality video content, but a poor broadcast could damage your brand. For example, your viewers will be distracted if you use an unsteady camera, so invest in equipment to keep your broadcast steady, like a tripod. In addition, make sure your environment is completely quiet so your audience can focus on your content without hindrance. If you plan on having more than one person in the video, use microphones to ensure your audience can hear you. 3. Engage with the comment section. You could be alienating the audience you’re trying to engage by failing to respond to questions in the comment feed. Facebook Live isn’t just about broadcasting yourself; it’s also about communicating with your viewers directly to develop relationships with them. And as an added bonus, viewers’ comments can give you valuable feedback and consumer insights. It takes effort, but putting in the time to respond is well worth it to show you care about your audience’s opinions. These tips only scratch the surface of making your Facebook Live event a success, but they offer a good starting point. Before you dive in, know that Facebook’s platform changes periodically, so be sure to test Facebook Live on your personal page to familiarize yourself with the updated format. And to stay up to date on all of Facebook’s updates, check out their new newsroom at Newsroom.FB.com.
and big-box stores around the country jump on the holistic
health train. Chains like Walgreens, CVS, and Target have started stocking their shelves with notable holistic staples, especially those related to digestive and immune health. You can even find cleaner beauty and cosmetic products
Walmart,
from brands like Burt’s Bees and Tom’s of Maine in many of these stores. Safer baby products,
like cough syrup made with all-natural ingredients and diapers from brands like The Honest Company, are being placed in the eyesight of more people everywhere. With this shift in availability, customers have more options than ever before when shopping for holistic care. These stores have an incredible opportunity to bring alternative wellness to areas that haven’t experienced it. Citizens in small, rural, or distressed communities where specialty stores and holistic medical practices are scarce
can now explore more options. And if more options at reasonable prices result in healthier and happier people, then that’s great for us all.
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Medical Miracle or Health Hoax? 3 Red Flags to Watch Out For
used as shorthand to mean “bad body fat you need to remove.” But cellulite is not an indication of poor health. Furthermore, there’s no cure for cellulite because it’s not a disease. It would be like using a special lotion that claims it can remove the wrinkled skin on your knuckles! Most people, especially women, have cellulite. It’s perfectly natural! If you want to get in shape this year, avoid diets or products that claim to melt cellulite. This is a clear indication these treatments aren’t based on real medical science.
HAVE A Laugh Cellulite Isn’t Real In 1968, Vogue magazine introduced American women to the word “cellulite,” warning them of a terrible “diagnosed” condition women suffered from. They encouraged the use of a special rolling pin to banish the little lumps of fat on women’s thighs and buttocks. Since then, cellulite has been Beware the Dreaded ‘Detox’ Plenty of diets, supplements, and products claim to “purify” your body by removing unspecified “toxins.” These “detoxes” conveniently forget that your kidneys and liver are already removing substances your body doesn’t need! The human body has been capable of cleansing itself for thousands of years. It doesn’t need a special smoothie or footpads to get the job done. Most detox products are nothing but snake oil, and some of them can leave you feeling worse than you did before you started using them. Unless you have been diagnosed with a disease that would impair your liver or kidneys, you don’t need to spend extra money to keep your insides clean. A healthy diet is enough. The new year is a great time to make your health a priority again, and there are a bunch of workouts and diet plans to choose from. Too many, some might say. It can be difficult to determine exactly which health plan will help you reach your goals, but there are some pretty obvious red flags that you’ll want to avoid.
Cure-Alls Cure Nothing A “cure-all” is any product, treatment, or diet that claims to cure a bunch of unrelated medical problems. Cure-alls have been a problem for centuries, claiming to help with weight loss, migraines, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and even baldness! This isn’t how medicine or the human body works. One change cannot magically fix many different, sometimes unrelated, problems. A good way to determine if something is a cure-all is to check if it claims to help treat, prevent, or cure cancer. That’s a big red flag you want to avoid.
PUZZLE
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
602-277-4327 | www.azhear.com 2627 N. Third Street, Ste. 100 Phoenix, AZ 85004
2627 N. Third St., Ste 100 Phoenix, AZ 85004
14418 W. Meeker Blvd., Bldg B, Ste 102 Sun City West, AZ 85375
Inside This Edition
1.
The Shared Burden of Hearing Loss
2.
The Rise of Holistic Products in Big-Brand Stores Using Facebook Live to Strengthen Your Marketing These Health Hoaxes Will Sink Your Resolution
3.
Have a Laugh
4.
Start the 2020s Off Right With Good Sales Goals
Get Your Sales Goals Right the First Time And Make 2020 Your Best Year Yet No matter what industry you are in, you can’t build a
business. For car dealerships, for example, setting individual goals for your employees may be ideal. For physical therapy clinics and chiropractors, however, it may be best to develop company-wide goals. Regardless of your industry, you must make sure sales goals support the overall growth goal of your business and keep employees engaged and challenged. Shift, Shift, Shift Think about the beginning of 2010. Were you the same person then as you are today? There’s a good chance you are not, which means you’ve set different goals for yourself each year to reflect your growth. The same principle applies to business. It’s perfectly okay to shift your sales expectations and end results to better suit your current success and what you need — no matter what you did in previous years. Be flexible and make changes in your sales goals as you see fit. To start off the 2020s strong, you need to create attainable goals that improve your business. Don’t model your goals after another business that seems to be thriving; focus on what you need to achieve success! It all starts with setting the right goals to get there.
successful business without sales. Making a sale establishes a relationship, almost always yields a profit, and lays the foundation for future growth. When your sales fall flat and you fail to meet goals — or even set them — your business suffers negative consequences. As we head into a new decade, follow these suggestions for short- and long-term goals to guarantee your sales success. Think Like Goldilocks The problem with goal-setting is many people aim too low or shoot too high. Instead, you need your sales goals to be just right. The key is to find a goal that is challenging for your team to reach, but also attainable. Here’s one way to go about creating that Goldilocks goal: Look at the number of sales you made each month for the past two years. Identify the months with the highest
and lowest sales and find the average of those numbers. Use this figure as the starting point.
Keep It Personal There’s no hard-and-fast rule on setting sales goals other than this: The goals need to fit your
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