Why A Positive Online Review Speaks Volumes

I am phobic of the dentist due to bad experiences that involved accidentally biting a dentist's finger. I have a small mouth -- what can I say? For the record, I didn't bite his finger on purpose. He yelled at me and scolded me like a child (he was a JERK and rated a big zero when it came to his bedside manner). As a result, I experience major anxiety when it comes to dental work. Last month, I had a dental exam  with a new female dentist and experienced, by far, THE BEST dental care I've experienced in my 39 years.

Before my exam, she and her dental assistant were "briefed" on my anxiety (and throw in my bad gag reflex). During the exam, she was gentle and explained everything she was doing. It had been awhile since I had a dental exam (and cleaning), so they spent extra time with me and would check in periodically and ask how I was feeling. They were terrific and congratulated me on getting through the exam, and told me I did a great job. I was beaming after my exam and breathed a HUGE sigh of relief. 

It was the most "anxiety-free" experience I had with a dentist, so I took a few minutes to sit down and write the dentist and her staff a positive review on Yelp. Dental patients have many options out there, and I wanted to share exactly how this dentist put me at ease and wanted to send my thanks to her and the dental assistant who helped me. It's really easy to slam businesses and healthcare professionals, but often times people forget to write a "postive" online review and show their appreciation. 

Yesterday I returned to my dentist for a filling, and she thanked me personally for the nice review on Yelp. She sounded surprised I would take the to write a review for their office. The dental assistant told me that my review was the talk of their staff meeting, and the office manager showed the staff my Yelp review. I also personally named the dental assistant who was very patient with me while shoving xray film inside my mouth (as I drooled all over her). That task alone earned her "five stars". 

As a solopreneur, I'm responsible for my own healthcare so they earned even extra bonus points with me.They have a special program for patients who don't have dental insurance and I signed up for a very reasonable plan that covers my cleanings and gives me a discounted rate on their other dental services. I couldn't turn down that rate...and now I don't have to worry about my regular cleanings and can stay on top of my dental health. 

I was happy that my review made a hard-working dental assistant's day ( a very underappreciated job), and that the dentist knew I appreciated the extra-special care she took with me. In our rushed, hurried world where healthcare professionals push people around like numbers, it was refreshing to experience a POSITIVE dental experience. It only took five minutes out of my day to show my appreciation for a job well done.

Positive online reviews speak volumes, and could really help out a business. Don't be afraid to write a positive review for your favorite doctor or local business - you could really make someone's day (or year, for that matter). 

Word of Mouth Marketing Pays Big For Small Businesses

Word of mouth marketing...what would we do without it? Especially in these tough times as small businesses close their doors, word of mouth marketing pays big for business owners who compete daily for new customers just to stay ahead.

I live in a small town in the foothills of northern California. We have a few "box" stores here, but I try to support my local businesses as much as I can. Word of mouth marketing goes a long way in a small town and it pays (especially if I am your customer!)

My laptop took a nose dive last weekend, and I ended up buying a new laptop with upgraded 2011 technology. I could have easily bought the laptop online or at a box store, but based on 'word of mouth' from my mom (she bought the same laptop from a local computer store) I took my laptop into their store for a repair. First, they didn't charge me an arm and a leg just to look at my computer, and they figured out it was a failing hard drive. There was no hard pressure sales to upgrade my laptop (another plus in their favor), but they were running a sale this month on the exact laptop I wanted to purchase - great timing!

This local store gets an A plus - they understand the importance of word of mouth marketing and they practice what they preach. And my mom's "word" goes a long way since she used to teach college computer classes and has been around computers for a long time. As a result of my mom telling me about her great customer experience with this local computer store, I turned into a new customer who bought a laptop from them. That sale was based strictly on word of mouth marketing. Sure, I know about the store since I've had other family members take their computers there, but my purchasing decision was based on the positive experience my mom had with the store.

I'm not putting down box stores, but I've had less than favorable experiences with the larger corporate chains. If anything, these bigger chains could take a page or two from smaller businesses who know how to effectively market via word of mouth.

As a business owner myself, I am really busy so It's nice to know I can go to a local store if I run into any problems with my laptop. Not to mention, they threw in a discount card for their store.

As a result of my positive experience, I plan to write favorable online reviews about this local computer store to help spread the word. As important as social media marketing is for your small business, don't forget about your customers and word of mouth marketing. Look at your reviews online and remember to thank your customers for favorable reviews (and thank them in person too!) Word of mouth marketing could pay big for you in the near future.

I've been fortunate to receive referrals from past clients and landed new clients in the process. 

What has been your experiences with word of mouth marketing? Did word of mouth help land you new customers? Sales?