Social Media: WOM for the 21st Century

As seen in TeamWork Vol.3 No.2 - March/April 2010

Many dentists have been convinced to have a website as part of a “marketing” plan. This was touted as the latest and greatest way to attract new patients. The reality is that a web site, in and of itself, does not attract patients – people have to know how to find you on the Internet, just as they have to know how to find your office. The fundamental question, “How do people choose a dentist?”, has broadened to our use of the power of the Internet. People are more influenced by opinions of their friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers – those that they trust and respect. We have discussed “Word Of Mouth” (WOM) and its value as a promotional tool in business. Used extensively by marketing-savvy major coporations including Coca-Cola and McDonalds, who pay individuals to talk about their products to their friends and even strangers. For professional services the power of WOM is invaluable to building and growing our business. The benefit of having WOM on the Internet is that we can see what people are saying about us. As we end this first decade of the 21st century, changes in how we communicate with others have made WOM a global opportunity and risk.

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