| Viral marketing is one of the most powerful and free | | | | Another way to build your list without requiring an |
| ways to promote your products and websites. Why | | | | opt-in is to put a free offer in the beginning of the |
| is it so effective? | | | | eBook, or a ReadMe.txt with the eBook in a zip file, |
| That's because once your viral mechanism starts to | | | | where they will be asked to subscribe to access |
| spread, it may continue to reach more and more | | | | more free gifts. |
| outlets indefinitely. Better yet, a one-time viral | | | | - Allow affiliates to rebrand the viral eBook with their |
| marketing effort may continue to proliferate without | | | | affiliate links (better if the affiliate can also include |
| any intervention on your part. | | | | their name and own site). This way, affiliates get an |
| The recipients benefit from the viral message, while | | | | incentive for spreading the eBook (through affiliate |
| you benefit from all the massive exposure. Viral | | | | commissions) while their referrals benefit from the |
| marketing is a win-win situation for everyone. | | | | information within it. |
| The key to its success lies in the viral mechanism's | | | | Viral Marketing Mechanism # 3: Viral Articles |
| quality and its impact to the recipient. If the user | | | | Your articles can become rapid viral channels as long |
| finds it interesting or beneficial to others, sharing it is | | | | as they give quality and valuable information. Once |
| the natural thing to do, as it helps build relationships | | | | you've submitted them to the top article directories, |
| and makes the sender look good by sharing relevant | | | | ezine publishers could pick them up and share them |
| messages. | | | | to their list. Offline publications may even include |
| Here's some of the most effective mechanisms to | | | | them on their magazines, sometimes reaching several |
| use viral marketing to expand your reach and make | | | | thousands (or even millions) of readers. |
| truckloads of money in the process: | | | | Here are other methods you could "viralize" your |
| Viral Marketing Mechanism # 1: Excellent Customer | | | | articles: |
| Service | | | | - Give permission to affiliates and JV partners to use |
| Bad news tends to spread like wildfire, as people | | | | the articles when promoting your products. |
| intend to warn others of their unfortunate | | | | - Write custom articles for blogs and ezine publishers. |
| experiences to avoid it happening again. According to | | | | This may sound like more work, but your articles |
| Joe Girard, each person knows around 250 persons in | | | | may reach a wider and targeted audience, so it's |
| his lifetime considered important enough to invite to | | | | worth the extra effort. |
| his wedding or funeral. That means even if just one | | | | - Share your articles to your subscribers and tell them |
| customer had a negative experience with your | | | | to forward the message to those who might need it. |
| product or company, it could reach hundreds of | | | | You can choose to compile a mass of related articles |
| people quickly, especially if they use blogs or social | | | | into an eBook or presentation before sending to your |
| networking sites like FaceBook and MySpace to | | | | list. |
| spread the word. | | | | Viral Marketing Mechanism # 4: Viral Videos |
| On the other hand, giving excellent customer service | | | | People can spread your videos around if they are |
| will reflect positively on your product or company. | | | | entertaining or helpful enough. Ask them to pass the |
| People will recommend you to their contacts if you | | | | link to your video page to those who might enjoy or |
| treat them well. This will build up your reputation and | | | | benefit from watching the videos. |
| establish your credibility effortlessly. Unlike any | | | | Submit your viral videos to video sharing sites for a |
| salesperson, we know and trust our friend; so | | | | wider reach. This way, viewers may also use an |
| getting a recommendation from a friend is much | | | | embed code to post your videos on their site. |
| more believable and gets more sales. | | | | Remember to include your website or contact details |
| Remember a time when you had an extremely good | | | | along with the video; but do it subtly so it won't |
| or bad experience? You can't wait to tell your friends | | | | have the perception of being too promotional. |
| or loved ones, right? | | | | Viral Marketing Mechanism # 5: Viral Emails |
| Viral Marketing Mechanism # 2: Viral eBooks | | | | Just think about what types of emails you forward |
| It's easy enough for people to share viral eBooks if | | | | to others. Jokes or funny messages are often being |
| they think others could have some use for them. To | | | | passed around. So why not include an element of |
| reinforce them to spread the eBook around, you can | | | | humor into your emails? |
| tell them they have giveaway rights to it. This would | | | | You may also include breakthrough news or |
| make it sound like a privilege, not an obligation. | | | | information to make your email valuable enough to |
| If your eBook contains outbound links to other sites, | | | | be passed on to others, as people want to keep up |
| find out if these sites have affiliate programs. You | | | | with the current times. |
| could monetize the eBook better by putting your | | | | Discounts or coupons on products could also be |
| affiliate links instead of the direct links to other | | | | forwarded because it allows people to save money. |
| webpages. | | | | Anything that is exciting, controversial, or radical could |
| Once you're done with the viral eBook, here are | | | | be passed along, so incorporate any of these |
| some of the ways you can make the most out of it: | | | | elements into your email message. |
| - Submit them to the eBook directories. Simply | | | | It's simple enough to put the power of viral |
| search for "eBook directories" in Google and you'll find | | | | marketing into your customer service, eBooks, |
| a number of them to submit to. | | | | articles, videos and emails. Do it consistently and you'll |
| - Use your viral eBooks to build a list. Set up an opt-in | | | | have more and more targeted visitors flooding your |
| form in your website and ask for your visitors' name | | | | site. |
| and email in exchange for the viral eBook. | | | | |