... And the Clients Went Wild!: How Savvy Professionals Win All the Business They Want

Chapter 4. Third Principle Go Viral!

Create Memorable Impactful Messaging Worthy of a Pass-Along

Most good word of mouth is not generated through the Internet—it is passed along by people.

Viral marketing" is the term for the phenomenon where individuals pass along a marketing message to others, thereby causing exponential growth in the message's exposure and impact. It is incredibly powerful, and has proven to far outperform the impact and results experienced from other marketing methods. At its core, viral marketing is about the rapid spread of a certain way of thinking about a product or service, and how it affects those interested.

Marketing Versus Viral Marketing

A typical marketing message or advertisement attempts to interrupt people to get their attention, but the act of interrupting is actually an inefficient approach to marketing. A better strategy is to have an attractive message that has been introduced by someone to whom the target is already paying attention, and whom that person trusts. With the increased availability of technology, a message can spread virally faster than ever. And the most powerful benefit of this kind of marketing is that others are doing some of your most important (and expensive) work for you!

It Spreads Like a Contagious Virus

A viral message is one that moves and builds and "infects" everyone it touches. The message itself provokes people to spread the word. Like a cold or other kinds of viruses that make us sick, viral marketing takes advantage ...