| In my experience and research, I've found that | | | | advertising investments - they can't afford to just |
| viral marketing can be a positive or negative | | | | promote awareness of their products. You can't |
| advertising method. Some companies use it | | | | just produce a buzz-worthy campaign that people |
| correctly while others let campaigns turn negative | | | | will forget the second the advertisements come |
| and spiral out of control. And some people believe | | | | down. The goal is to get the product in peoples' |
| that viral marketing campaigns are so expensive | | | | hands for the viral effect to occur.Can Viral |
| that only big companies can implement them on | | | | Marketing Work Offline? And for a Small |
| larger scales. This, however, is entirely untrue as | | | | Business?Sure it can. I'm sure you've read viral |
| viral marketing can work for any size business. | | | | marketing success stories involving Hotmail, |
| This article will define viral marketing, describe | | | | NetZero, Skype, and even the comedian Dane |
| how it works, and discuss examples and | | | | Cook who used for his viral marketing campaign. |
| strategies for small businesses.The specific | | | | This might get a lot of people thinking that they |
| definition of viral marketing differs from person to | | | | need large scale campaigns that utilize websites, |
| person. However, everyone generally agrees that | | | | emails, and constant updates to online material. |
| viral marketing is an advertising method that gets | | | | But there's one great example I'd like to share |
| customers to market your products and services | | | | with you where a business employed a viral |
| for you. More specifically, I would say that it's an | | | | marketing campaign without much use of the |
| advertising method that capitalizes on humanity's | | | | internet and on a very small scale.A local gym |
| predisposition to share ideas, make new | | | | that I once went to had a great idea to hand out |
| connections, and, of course, get free stuff.When | | | | free t-shirts if members signed up for their |
| Does Viral Marketing Work Best?Viral marketing is | | | | "Guests First" program. They stopped everyone |
| a touchy advertising method. Use it at the right | | | | at the door, handed them a t-shirt, and told them |
| times with the right products and your name can | | | | that they could get a free guest pass every time |
| spread like wildfire. However, employ it incorrectly | | | | they wore the shirt to the gym (the shirt had the |
| and you could see some very negative results. | | | | gym's logo and location on it). To sign up, the |
| Viral marketing works best when a product or | | | | members only had to verify the information they |
| service is easy to use, easy to explain, has a low | | | | gave when they first became a gym member. It |
| level of commitment, and is generally seen as | | | | was a win-win for customers. Everyone started |
| "cool" in your customers' eyes. Let's look at these | | | | wearing the t-shirts and the guest passes started |
| characteristics in order:Easy to use - Because you | | | | flying. Whenever a guest came in, they had to |
| are having your own customers do the marketing | | | | give their name and email address to the front |
| for you, it is preferable that their experience with | | | | desk. Later, an email would be sent to the guest |
| the product is positive. If it's difficult to use and | | | | to gauge their satisfaction with the gym. It also |
| they dislike the product, why would they refer it | | | | acted as a follow-up contact to the guest. This |
| to a friend?Easy to explain - Your product needs | | | | was, by far, the most intelligent and well thought |
| to be simple - that is, people can quickly share it | | | | out marketing scheme I had ever seen. The gym |
| without being bogged down by details. Ever | | | | built a database of new potential customers, |
| wonder why those videos on file sharing websites | | | | generated hype about the guest passes in town, |
| get passed around the Internet so quickly? All you | | | | put walking advertisements out on the street, |
| have to do is tell a friend about a great video on | | | | and, in the end, got more people in the gym. And |
| the Internet and give them the link. It's simple | | | | it was all done on a small scale.Would Viral |
| with no explanation.Low Level of Commitment - | | | | Marketing Work for Your Business?As I said |
| Finally, your product must have a low level of | | | | before, there are times when viral marketing |
| commitment. A friend once wanted me to sign up | | | | works and times when it doesn't. You really need |
| for one of those Internet pyramid schemes that | | | | to take a close look at your products and the |
| offer a free IPOD or flat panel TV if you get 10 | | | | behavior of your customers to see if it's right for |
| people to join a program. If you actually follow | | | | your business.Products - Take one of your cheap, |
| through with one of these things, it takes about | | | | low cost, low involvement products and start |
| 30 minutes to sign up because you have to give | | | | handing it out for free. If you are a service-based |
| endless amounts of information, uncheck every | | | | business, start offering free trials of your low |
| free email box, and finally sell your soul. No one in | | | | cost services. Start advertisements about the |
| their right mind would do this more than | | | | giveaways to get more people in your place of |
| once.General Coolness Factor - It's obvious that | | | | business. Be humorous and ironic - it tends to |
| people only want to talk about the most exciting | | | | work better with viral marketing campaigns. If the |
| products they use. No one walks up to a friend | | | | products and services get high visibility, you will |
| and describes the latest underwear they've | | | | see a more viral effect. Even if you only carry |
| bought. Instead, they describe their new cell | | | | expensive products that get low visibility, research |
| phone, poster, CD, or book. If your product is | | | | on the internet or spy on competitors to see |
| cool, people will talk about it. And in most cases, | | | | what types of giveaway items have worked for |
| the "coolness factor" can be changed based on | | | | other businesses. Remember, choose something |
| how you position the product in your customers' | | | | that people will always see or have a use for and |
| minds. In other words, it's all based on the | | | | associate it with your brand and |
| advertising that goes along with it.Viral Marketing - | | | | business.Customer Behavior - A successful viral |
| The Distant Cousin of Buzz MarketingSo we've | | | | marketing campaign also relies on the behavior of |
| established that a product itself can bring about a | | | | your customers. You need customers who are |
| viral result if it has the four characteristics. But | | | | outgoing, friendly, and lead an active lifestyle. The |
| viral marketing can still work for products that do | | | | more people that surround your customer, the |
| not meet these criteria if you can generate an | | | | more impressions your viral marketing tool will |
| adequate buzz for them. Buzz marketing is | | | | have. Remember, viral marketing, or any |
| generated from catchy advertising and works | | | | advertising, works best when you can achieve |
| when your customers talk about your product in | | | | multiple impressions with the least amount of |
| day-to-day conversation.In recent years, buzz | | | | effort. The last person you want to test viral |
| marketing has worked for companies like | | | | marketing on is some recluse that sits inside |
| Volkswagen and Burger King. However, I'm saying | | | | eighteen hours a day and emerges only to |
| that buzz marketing has worked for these | | | | restock the fridge and drive to work. It's about |
| companies - not viral marketing. Buzz marketing all | | | | getting your customers to do the work for you |
| too often generates hype about the ad | | | | and advertising is all about visibility. It only makes |
| campaigns that feature the product and not the | | | | sense that you need a highly visible customer |
| product itself. Sometimes this can be negative and | | | | base to do this type of advertising.Go Out and Do |
| divert attention away from your product. | | | | It!Viral marketing can work for almost any |
| Although some would argue that Crispin Porter's | | | | business. You know your business and customers |
| attempt at targeting VW enthusiasts' hearts was | | | | the best. Set aside some time in the next few |
| genuine when they came out with the "MyFast" | | | | weeks to try and think of some great viral |
| and the "Unpimp" commercials, they do not make | | | | marketing tactics that you can employ. If you |
| me want to buy a VW - an item that definitely | | | | think the risk is too great, start small to test the |
| falls outside of the four criteria.Sure you can have | | | | water.Every business has customers. Few |
| catchy advertising, but make sure it's advertising | | | | businesses have fans. The trick is turning your |
| that focuses on product. Buzz marketing is more | | | | customers into loyal fans. Then you will be |
| of an awareness campaign. And in my experience, | | | | surprised at just how easy viral marketing really |
| small businesses need to see a return on their | | | | is. |