Viral Marketing: What Works and What Doesn't

     Do you like receiving unwanted e-mails?  E-mails that jam your inbox until you can no longer receive any legitimate correspondence that you are waiting to get?  Then DON’T do it to others! Stop with the enforced e-mail forwards already! Trying to force or bribe people to forward your info to a friend or family member in order to be rewarded just doesn’t work in today's ultra-permission-based world. Especially when you tell visitors nothing about their friend's or family’s privacy in the space directly next to the e-mail form. 

     A true viral campaign gets forwarded because consumers are compelled to do so by the glory of the content, not because you bribed them with points or something else. They have found something that they REALLY enjoyed themselves and are thereby compelled to allow their friends and family members to have the same enjoyment.

     What absolutely will not work?  Suggesting that e-mail recipients forward your message to their friends and family will not work. Adding a line at the bottom of your e-mail that reads “Please feel free to forward this message to a friend” is more likely to get it deleted than forwarded. And you don’t want to sound like you are wanting them to donate to some charity case: YOU!

     What absolutely will work?   Offering something worthy of sharing like a valuable discount, vital information, or offering an incentive for sharing additional entries into a sweepstakes or an added discount or premium service will work. Even using a great SHORT video may be just the thing that works for them.

     Relevant or timely information, research, or studies that are included in your e-mail might encourage the recipients to share with their family and friends. Interactive content like a quiz or test, especially if it’s fun, will inspire forwarding.

     Jokes and cartoons are almost always forwarded to everybody the recipient knows.  Why?  Because they are entertaining and entertainment is meant to be shared.  So work on your ability to tell a good joke!  “Have you heard the one about ---?”

     A really cool multimedia experience is always going to achieve a lot of pass-along. Rich media is new and the novelty and tech factors alone are often enough to make the e-mail recipient eager to share it.  You know those videos about the silly things that cats and dogs do are irresistible.

     Oops!  I almost forgot one really important thing….You can craft a brilliant e-mail following all the rules, but if a consumer visits your site and has an experience less than what was promised, you are going to achieve viral marketing, alright…the bad kind.  So be certain that your product or service is ready and is as advertised.  Promise your visitor a great experience and then OVER deliver!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"That which is valuable is worthy of keeping,

but everyone will want to share it with others!"