I went out this weekend with my girlfriend, and we decided to grab some food before visiting with her sister. The place we decided on was Eddie’s Deli, a local place that specializes in Chicago style hot dogs. I heard about this place from my girlfriend’s brother-in-law, who is originally from Chicago. I’m from Dallas, TX, born and raised, so before he took me to this place, I knew nothing about Chicago dogs or why they were so special. After one bite, I found out. After washing down the explosion of flavor with a gulp of cold beer, I knew I’d be paying Eddie a visit in the future… and there I was.

Why am I talking about this? Because, in the short time between my visits, I noticed that the place had suddenly gotten popular. Eddie had hired some new employees, the place was booming, and I had to wait in a decent sized line to place an order. I’m happy for the guy; he runs a good business, selling a fantastic product, and knows a little something about marketing. He doesn’t spend a fortune promoting his business. He lets his customers do that for him. Word of mouth is a powerful thing indeed.

Now, with all of the online communities and review sites out there, word of mouth is even more important than ever before. Check out these google results for Eddie’s deli and you’ll see a bunch of review sites. This can of course swing both ways, as it’s just as easy for people to spread negative views about your business. The advantage of having an online presence though is that you can actually address these issues personally. Encourage your customers to share their experiences with others, and see what happens.