Viral Marketing – 8 ways to generate buzz

We all know the strength of viral marketing and what it can do for business.  It’s a coveted explosion in traffic that is highly sought after.  For many businesses, it’s the white stag of marketing.  There’s no clear concept or formula that will guarantee a viral outbreak.  It’s a cryptic little thing that is elusive, fickle and the most rewarding thing that could possible happen to you and your business.   It’s likely that we will never quite figure out how to make a viral campaign take off due to the dynamic nature of culture, people and what they find interesting minute by minute.  All the same, we can identify key points that can help push something in the direction of a viral kaboom.

1. Go after what is trending at the moment:  James Dean turned the world into rebels and Madonna got the girl next door to wear a pointy-breasted bustier.  What backed this?  The commotion caused by icons and people with influence.  This type of commotion can send the entire modern world into a buying spree.  If you can get the right person to endorse a product or service, then you will inevitably create a buzz about you, what you’re doing and what you’re offering.

2. Make sure they have something to buzz about.  Give your initial customers a great product and you’ll suddenly find them bragging about you.  When you fill a vast need in the life of a consumer, they’re so happy they have to tell everyone.  It makes people feel important when they have inside information, like which carpet cleaning service is best, the best mechanic, the best software deals, etc.

3. Create a tight package: What you have to say to your customers to drag them in, the hook, should be short and sweet.  It needs to roll off the tongue and be easy to remember.  If it’s too long, then it gets lost on the customer and they won’t really remember it.  When something is short and to the point, it has a bigger impact on immediate memory and transitions quicker into long term memory.  Make sure it’s catchy, or buzz-worthy, and you can expect the message to get spread better.

4. Treat it like an infection:  It’s like a cold in an elementary school.  If you can get the sneezing started, then the spread is more likely to occur.  Aim the sneeze at your target customers, in the places where they are easily found, and cover them in production snot.  The more it drips off their brow, the better off you are.

I know that’s gross but effective.  Once you’re spreading in this manner, all you have to do is identify the Typhoid Mary’s of the group.  Who’s most likely to spread your message?  Target that group and let the boogers fly.

5. Shared products:  I know, you’re like “what?”  Share-me products give you the opportunity to use your product to spread your message.  “Register your own ‘whatever’ here”  “you just received one, now buy one yourself”.  Customers love your products because not only have you filled a need in their lives, but also they can tell and sell to others.

6. Try a “pay it forward” program:  This is a trick that has been around for ages in direct retail marketing.  Retail shops and especially restaurants have utilized “refer a friend” coupons.  “Share this coupon with a friend, and your friend will get 20% of PLUS you get a <free gift>”.  Not only are you ensuring that your customer will return, but you just created a new customer from someone you haven’t even met.

7. Make it easy to spread the word:  Provide something for them to forward, something that can be printed in multiples, something that can be attached.  You can forget the other fancy marketing theories, because when you provide an easy way to share your business and specials, you make it extremely easy for your happy customers to pass the info along to the ones they are closest to.  Buzz marketing works just because of this.  The info comes from trusted sources, not some schmuck on a paid radio broadcast.

8. Overcome the resistance:  Persistence is key.  It’s the most important part of championing your business concept.  It’s like that viral attack that some people don’t suffer in winter but somehow get sick in May – Some customers just need multiple exposures before they catch it.

Related posts:

1. Viral Marketing Strategies
2. Powerful Script Development for Video Marketing

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