Igniting Viral Campaigns How to Create Ideas That Spread

What is Viral Marketing?

The Problem with Advertising More and more and MORE money…

The Beauty of Viral Marketing Riding the wave on a few bucks…

The Customer Reaction Benefit Kim said it was the best movie she’s seen all year…

Before You Even Think About It…

Ask Yourself… Ideas spread because they matter to the spreader…

If You Only Learn One Thing… Keep your eyes peeled….

The Trouble with Communication

Embrace Simplicty… What’s the selling point?

Deliver the Unexpected… 17% sales increase… Safe happens.

Be Concrete… Colorful… Journey

Carry Credibility…

Tap into Emotions… $1.14 $2.38 or

Tell a Story… “… just because everyone knows life can change in an instant, it doesn't mean they want to talk about it.”

A Word of Warning on Scalability Be prepared for rapid growth…

Be prepared for rapid growth…

Campaign Types: Humor How it works: Create something funny

How it works: Create something funny

Humor Example

Campaign Types: Attack How it works: Throw a punch

How it works: Throw a punch

Attack Example I’m a Mac / I’m a PC Carefully walks the line Cool, hip Mac user Middle aged PC durfwad Why Mac is better… Fourth Quarter 2006 Shipped 1.6 million Macs $4.84 billion in revenue

I’m a Mac / I’m a PC

Carefully walks the line

Cool, hip Mac user

Middle aged PC durfwad

Why Mac is better…

Fourth Quarter 2006

Shipped 1.6 million Macs

$4.84 billion in revenue

Campaign Types: Fear How it Works: Fear is a motivator

How it Works: Fear is a motivator

Fear Example Blair Witch Project Marketing budget < $50K Web site $15K Took it to the web: Started buzz in college forums Interactive web site Sci-Fi documentary Results: 75 million visits Opened in 27 theatres $284 million

Blair Witch Project

Marketing budget < $50K

Web site $15K

Took it to the web:

Started buzz in college forums

Interactive web site

Sci-Fi documentary

Results:

75 million visits

Opened in 27 theatres

$284 million

Planting the Seeds

Identifying Influencers

Finding Influencers… 8-12 immediate influences Dozens, hundreds of secondary Topical Blogs Forums Email lists Social networks Who reaches people? Who do people trust?

Pitching Checklist

Brainstorming the Idea…

Brainstorming the Idea… Going with a video… More likely to be watched than a PR Easily spreadable via YouTube Video & music show personality But what type of video?

Brainstorming the Idea… Figuring out the details… Taken in a single streaming shot Gets across all selling points No need for editing or directing Buy audio ( http://www.audiosparx.com/)

Brainstorming the Idea…

Brainstorming the Idea… Figuring out the cost… Slides: $110 Music: $38 Total Cost: $148 Total Time: 18 hours

Building the Pitch List…

Brainstorming the Idea… The results… Coverage on tons of blogs: >400K RSS Great example of what we can teach 30% of attendees influenced by video Payoff? Most definitely!

Putting it into Action… Your Next Steps… Pass out your brainstorming sheets Gather thoughts independently Meet as a group, check off possibilities Create your idea Build your pitch list Start the ball rolling