How to Amplify Digital Word of Mouth…What if More People See Your Online Patient Reviews?

How Can Dentists Get Reviews Seen By More People?

In this age of digital interconnectivity we often make purchasing decisions based on what other people say.

From searching for a new dentist to buying a used car, the ubiquitous online review guides us toward a final decision more so now than any other time in recent history.

What is that old adage about word of mouth?

…customers happy with our products or services will share their experience with 3 other people; and customers not so happy with our products or services will share their experience with 12 others…or is it 3000?

In the days of digital word of mouth, those numbers can now be exponentially multiplied.

Where offline word of mouth holds at least some kind of expiration date relative to memory, digital word of mouth endures.

Here are some more scintillatingly social communication stats, thanks to SmallBizBee.com:

• 2/3 of the United States Economy is driven by word of mouth
• 10% of consumers influence the purchasing decisions of the other 90%
• 91% of consumers are “likely” to buy off of a recommendation
• 92% of consumers “prefer” a word of mouth recommendation

The overwhelming point being hammered home here is; your patients hold the financial success of your practice in their hands.

With a forecasted push toward greater online accessibility via mobile device; courting, syndicating and broadcasting this digital word of mouth will become increasingly important to remain competitive within your local dental practice marketplace.

*That link is from April 2011…have you noticed further forays into social, local, & mobile, by Google since then?

A recent industry forecast report from Veronis Suhler Stevenson, predicted that the entire communications industry – fueled in large part by spending on alternative media – will grow faster than the US GDP and will reach $1 trillion by 2013.

Why Do We Trust So Blindly?

Maybe it’s psychological, maybe we’re lazy, and maybe we’re just so inundated with advertising from a brand’s point of view, that we’re desperate for some real life customer POV.

And maybe it’s not blind trust in what others have to say, but we certainly process the info communicated in the online review without adequate vetting, to say the least.

People we don’t even know, communicate with, or trust have that power over us; we trust what they say – or write.

We may not think so, but we do, and the online reviewer wields a great deal of power over your dental practice.

From a business perspective, how do you differentiate the online reviewer from the socially averse?

If you’d like to remain competitive in your local community, you don’t.

You need to treat each and every single patient like they’re wearing a wire.

Whatever you say or do could be immediately launched into the social stratosphere before the patient even leaves the office…and before you even know what a hit your online dental practice reputation just took.

Elicit word of mouth from every patient, broadcast this information within your online (+ offline) social circles, and then reward loyalty.

Will negative word of mouth also be communicated, sure – it is now too in the offline world, you just don’t know it unless you hear some second-hand scuttlebutt around town or overhear staff going on and on about this cantankerous-soon-to-be-referred-off patient.

Alternatively, if someone spouts off online about your dental practice, you can hear it, see it, and even combat it…IF that’s the best course of action considering a multitude of user habits, social media manners, and interpersonal communication variables.

At the very least a negative online review about your dental practice is a great way to generate positive introspective action.

If something is wrong with your scheduling procedures, patient communications, pain management techniques, chairside manner, or any other aspect of your dental practice…you will hear about it.

Or maybe you’ll read about it online.

Take a cue from Dominos…and think, what if more people saw YOUR dental practice reviews?

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