The ways of viral marketing
By
VendorSeek
Do you remember chain letters? The notes jammed in the crevices of our school lockers would prompt us to copy its content and disperse them to seven other people or we would lead a long, horrific life.
Viral marketing is somewhat like the chain letters, except it is not as puerile, and no impending doom is involved. Viral marketing involves strategies prompting others to pass on marketing messages, creating the potential for exponential growth in the message’s exposure and saliency.
Much like offline word-of-mouth, viral marketing creates the potential for a person to tell a friend, and for them to tell two friends, and for each of those to tell two others…
A well-orchestrated viral marketing strategy can make huge waves throughout the Web. The following seeks to illustrate the parameters and the advantages of orchestrating such a marketing implement.
Products and services Deals on goods and services are great – free is better. Offer the public something free and piques their needs for immediate gratification, and they will come to your site. While they are there looking for the free stuff, they will also be exposed to your other goods and services. If you giveaway something… they will come.
Make it easy Your marketing strategies must be easily transferrable. Viral marketing has flourished on the Internet because of the convenience at which information can be transferred.
Hotmail.com had the right idea: Those that had free email had a small blurb at the bottom of their screens prompting others to establish a free email account. Every time someone with an account would send an email, the recipient would see the blurb and would want to get a free email account too. The medium carrying the viral message should be easy to transfer and replicate.
Plan The marketing strategy must be well thought before its inception. Viral marketing runs at a rapid pace; so, the strategy must be engineered for fast acceleration. You do not want the pace to slow down, but continue to grow exponentially.
Read human nature Practice some psychology in orchestrating your viral marketing campaign. What are people’s interests, desires, needs, etc? Think of those colorful wristbands everyone wore a couple of years ago. The initial campaign was for cancer research. People like to look aware, feel charitable, and have what the next person has. Just about everyone wore one.
Know networks Use your networks and those of others to facilitate your viral marketing campaign. Think about those who give their articles to other Web sites free – they do not want money, but exposure. The same is true about submitting your press release to a distributor; more people will be exposed to your release in comparison to doing the legwork alone.
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