Viral Marketing: Word of Mouth, Internet Style

If you were to go up to someone and ask them what viral marketing was, you would most likely get a blank expression and no answer. But, ask that same person what "word of mouth" advertising is and you would no doubt find that they would have absolutely no trouble giving you an answer.

The fact remains that viral marketing is purely a creation of the Internet but it is nothing more than "word of mouth" advertising in a different medium. There are an increasing number of people operating websites from their homes and viral marketing is a very effective means of increasing traffic flow and generating new business. Simply stated: viral marketing can make you money.

Viral marketing consists of five basic components. It is not imperative to engage in all of these components for an effective viral marketing plan. However, the more marketing strategies you employ, the greater chances for success. What are the details of each viral marketing component?

Perhaps the most effective element to the viral marketing campaign is to give something away. The word "free" seems to attract people more than anything else. You need not give away the store, just something to entice people to learn more about your business.

The second component deals with getting a message out that can be easily sent all over the digital world. The purpose of viral marketing is to have your friends tell their friends who tell their friends and so on. A great way to spread this information is through the use of email. Email is quick, cheap, and you can send the message to several people at once.

Element number three deals with the purpose of marketing. The purpose of a marketing plan to is to seek out and understand why people purchase the things they do. Viral marketing has the same plan. Therefore, your message should offer people something they want or are compelled to buy. A great way to hook people is to feed off their propensity for greed. Greed is a huge motivator.

The fourth component is to maximize the use of social, business, and personal networks. Word of mouth works the best when people hear the message from people they trust such as friends and coworkers. Become part of these close networks that usually consist of at least 10 contacts per person. These contacts will have the best potential of forwarding your email marketing message.

The fourth element of viral marketing is to infiltrate and exploit people's networks. Virtually everyone has at least 10 people within their inner network of close friends and confidantes and a much greater network of business associates and acquaintances. Remember, this is word of mouth advertising so you want to infiltrate that inner circle of friends and get at least half of those people to forward your message on to at least half of their inner networks.

Set up a website that can handle heavy website traffic so you can provide exceptional customer service. Prepare ahead and have viral marketing messages on hand for any situation.

Find the right emotional hook to capture your prospects and prepare for business success with viral marketing.

Article Source: http://www.sportsarticlelibrary.com

About the author: Harry Razzano is the chief editor for FRS Money, a fantastic website to visit if you're looking for accurate up to date advice and discussion about Money.
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