February 3, 2008
Viral Marketing-What Are The Basic Elements
The term viral marketing is based on the way the idea or product spreads from one to many creating potential for exponential growth. This kind of marketing creates strategies that take leverage of rapid multiplication to explode the idea to masses.
Viral marketing is based on scientific fact that if somebody likes a thing – product or idea, he would recommend it to others. Average number of this recommendation is three.
Some viral strategies work better than others. But in short a viral strategy must include following things.More elements it includes, the better the results are likely to be.
Give Away Valuable Products,Ideas or services
Giving away a product or service for free is first step. Everyone of us wants something or other for free. And it highly pleases us when we get some valueable for free.
The keyword is valuable. Your product or idea should have value in the eyes of recipient. To make it more effective, it must be unique.
In short you must supply something that is of high use for people and is perceived as high value.
It may be information they need, it may be a software that makes their life easier or it may be something humorous or funny they can enjoy or share
Effortless Transfer
Just like a flu virus, your product virus should also have an inbuilt easy spread mechanism. One click download, forwarding an email or tell a friend are few mechanism that can spread your product virus.
Remember! It is the people who would be passing the virus from one to another. If your mechanism oof transfer is not easy or complicated or involves a lot of work, they are not going to do it.
Keep the transfer process short and simple for maximum effect.
Utilizes Preexisting Networks
Most people are social. Each person has a network of 8 to 12. This includes family, friends and associates.
But a person’s influence could go farther than this depending upon his role played in the society.
It is important to place your message into existing communications to multiply
Exploits Behaviors and Needs
Viral marketing is based on being liked by people because either they need it or feel pride in getting associated with it .
The desire to be cool greed, getting popular, love, and security are common behavioral patterns.
If you design a marketing strategy then you would have a winner in hand.
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Comments on Viral Marketing-What Are The Basic Elements »
TheDavinator-Viral Marketing Strategist @ 10:32 pm
Yeah, that’s a good post Arun. One thing I’ve been noticing though myself is that your better off in the long run if you can get a person on your list, that will actually pay even a small price for something.
A lot of people coming onto your list for free etc, much of the time, will just stay that way, expecting everything for free, unfortunately.
Cheers
Davin
Arun Pal Singh @ 1:04 am
Yeah Davin. Much of your subscribers would want to stay free. But that is something a marketer learns and accepts. Still a small percentage that spends money would offset them.
Thanks for your insight.