Viral Marketing

Viral Marketing

Think a “Virus” as a marketing tool. There is nothing better than a “virus”, in order to create a maximum effect, in a limited time and with a minimum budget. Every marketer wants to create an impressive behaviour and thinking style in their target market, but this is not an easy task. In order to reach this point, only possible with the help of “virus”.

There are many lessons to be learned from viruses who is dealing with marketing, however we all do not like the viruses in our daily lives and computerized environment. Viruses, grows alone and proceeds by spreading.

Most of the people who is dealing with marketing activities, are desperately working on new concepts and new approaches in the large market economies. Virus should be accepted as a new marketing technique called Viral Marketing like its spreading methods, eventhough we do not like its name and its effects.

We are under the effect of this marketing technique in the social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, etc. The social networks on the internet are the main places of this viral marketing activities. Under this effect, we are reading, dealing, and helping to the virus to be spread. We are acting as an instrument to the companies, by getting the marketing task from them then doing and spreading. Even at the end, we are buying and helping to the brands to be stronger.

There are very basic principles of Viral Marketing. Inevitably with these principles it will be very successfull by spread the subject and succeed the campaign at the end.

* Stealth to your target market. With the help of different campaigns, collect the customer information and be always in mind of the customer with interactive applications.

* First free, then payment. Present your products as “free”, if they like the product with your criteria, then collect the payment.

* Be “Fashion”, and leave your message to the behaviour of your target society. Make your message as a “fashion” and stay in the minds. Your target society will spread your message by using, e-mail, internet, web, and satisfy the awareness. Just so, create a message that can be fashion.

* Be host, dont act like a virus. Viruses are rejected in the natural life and in the computerized environments. That’s why do not act as a virus, act very close and host.

* Move along with the loose connections. Sociologists found that the people who has casual connections have more effect on the communities than the people who has fewer but strong connections. That’s why, use the casual connections to proceed, and grow by dividing.

* Invest on your strategy until you reach to the top point. Viruses, do not become epidemic, until they reach to the top point. That’s why, continue your work until you spread widely. Start with small steps, then divide fastly and grow.

When we look to the examples of at the internet world and consumption world, you will see that we are in this viral effect. I kindly advise you to evaluate these leads, by revising your marketing strategies, in order to become a brand, to become a prevalent, to increase your value.

Mehmet Bilginsoy – June 2008