Word of Mouth: The Art of Practicing Good Business

Word of Mouth is the oldest form of advertising, and throughout ever-changing media tactics, remains a very impactful one.

People trust other people’s experiences.

So, any time you have customers verbally endorsing your business, it’s a good sign, right?

The thing about Word of Mouth is, it’s not always a positive, verbal message. It can be a virtual one, and it can be a negative message. And when what people are saying goes viral, those experiences expand via the Internet and impact your business. People every day are using social media to rate their favorite (or least favorite) businesses.

Now more than ever, consumers have the technology to be storytellers. They can change the reputation of a company, positively or negatively. So it is important, as a business owner, to make sure that your customers are happy and have a positive experience with your company.

A few months back, I was chatting in a Facebook group, when one of the women expressed her frustration, disappointment, and all-around anger toward a certain dry cleaning business in the area. They had ruined a very expensive dress of hers and had not only refused responsibility but wouldn’t even speak to her regarding the mistake. They actively avoided this upset customer. Now, this post isn’t about chastising any businesses whatsoever, but I can tell you, that was not a very smart move on their part.

Because that angry customer voiced her thoughts in a forum of 1000+ other local online readers.

And, in turn, those 1000+ people formulated a negative opinion of a business without even trying their services.

And then, those 1000+ people warned their family and friends about the terrible service this woman received.

The negative reputation towards this certain dry cleaner spread like wildfire in a matter of a week.

And this was just because of one page on one social media channel.

Can you imagine the impact of additional social media platforms? Perhaps this angry customer also gave a low rating on this company’s Facebook page, wrote a post, or wrote a Yelp review, where thousands of other potential customers saw this experience. All because a company avoided the responsibility of their mistake.

My point is, a lot of companies are focused on utilizing social media to advertise their business, but they may be neglecting a very crucial element to social media: customer service. In order to maximize business growth, companies must go above and beyond to provide a positive experience for their customers, while continuing to utilize the advantages of advertising in social media.