Viral Social Network Marketing - Make Passionate Consumers Your Marketers

The simplicity with which consumers can share information through social networks is helping business referrals take on a new shape. Businesses creating a fan site on Facebook is an example that can support the development of a self-selecting community of followers (or 'fans') of your business with the promise of a viral response. Just consider how you chose the last new restaurant you tried. Chances are good that someone you know told you about it, or you read about it online, or both. Perhaps you're even a fan of that restaurant on a social network. Further, the integration of online social networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and even blogs ease the process for businesses to reach consumers where they already spend time, and puts the marketing engine in the hands of the most passionate of followers that want to spread their message like it's their own.

It's likely that your initial community or fan base will be friends of your business and the most passionate of your current consumers. The key to tapping their passion is creating viral campaigns that trigger their urge to share what you offer. Provide them tools like video, special offers and incentives, compelling news, funny content. Think of them like the newest group of media you'd like to pitch. They want to share something different, something that represents why they love your business.

It doesn't matter if your business is big or small, local or global, viral online marketing can build business if you have a great product, service, message, and the right media. A great case study of this is a small fitness business working to start up a program and facility for athletes to improve their performance. Hammer Down CrossFit is still establishing its facility, and in the meantime has built a small but growing community of passionate consumers that are virally spreading the word about their experience, about the business and its offerings. How are they engaging them? By providing them the tools to spread the word through social media, including:
Viral Media
- Hammer Down CrossFit Interactive Blog including daily postings of the company's programs, and a commitment from participants to post results.
- Hammer Down CrossFit Facebook Fan Site fully integrated with blog to build community, and to reach people with blog content on their personal home pages. Also provides the ability for users to promote blog posts, pictures, video, and other viral messaging to friends in that space.

Viral/Sharable Message
Regular posting of viral videos, photographs and messaging featuring the participants and passionate consumers who like to spread the word. Tagging of material on social network platform attaches the participants to the activity and encourages them to share the content with their existing communities, triggering questions and promoting recruiting.

Special Offers - Hooks
Hammer Down combines these viral social marketing techniques with traditional special offers including offering regular free "entry" classes that give its passionate viral recruiters an open door to bring their friends into the fold to experience the business' services at no cost.
It's a simple but powerful example that demonstrates how basic social network marketing can build a strong community around your business and create advocates that serve as your marketing arm. Interested in learning more about how social network marketing can help your business? Contact Vivazu Communications today.




Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of our clients and friends. Thanks for a great year of business in 2009! Welcome to 2010, a year to focus on your business goals, and communicating effectively to engage your clients and employees. We look forward to working with you all!