Viral marketing, akin to a virus that spreads through human interaction, is a potent and prevalent form of online promotion. It's a strategy that encourages people to share your e-business message, primarily through word-of-mouth. This technique can either expand your existing prospect base or create a new one.
The fundamental tools of viral marketing are free marketing reports and ebooks that you distribute online to promote your business. The word 'FREE' is one of the most compelling in marketing. Therefore, one effective way to implement viral marketing is by utilizing tools that require minimal time to create and can be distributed for free.
Other viral marketing tools include email signatures, free bonuses with purchases, and free products disseminated with your information attached. These are just a few examples to give you an idea of how to initiate your viral marketing campaign.
Begin a successful viral marketing campaign by creating your own free giveaways. Write an ebook or a free report on a topic you're well-versed in. If writing isn't your forte, hire someone to do it for you. It's an investment that will yield returns in the long run. If you're proficient in programming, consider creating a simple yet useful program to distribute.
Your viral strategy lies in attaching your company logo, product description, online link, and contact information to your free ebooks or programs. Ideally, producing these tools should cost you little to nothing.
Encourage people to leave their email address and consent to a one-time mailing in exchange for your free program. Later, you can contact them with your actual product information. They'll already be familiar with you through your free product, making the selling process smoother. Encourage them to share your free giveaway with others if they find it useful.
If creating your own free ebooks or programs isn't feasible, consider using free products from third parties related to your business or product. Compile a list of these and offer it. Ensure that your list is comprehensive. A list of free advertising tools such as ad submitters, FFA sites, and classified ad sites might be effective.
Remember, whatever you offer for free must be valuable to your potential customers. It should serve a purpose and provide them with some benefit. Distributing a useless free product can damage your reputation, while a useful free product can significantly boost responses.
Another way to leverage viral marketing is by offering a special free bonus with the purchase of your product. This technique is commonly used by affiliates of other people's programs. By offering more than what the company you're promoting offers, you can attract more buyers. If you're reselling a program where people are required to place ads, offer them a free training report on how to place ads effectively and a list of advertising sites.
The possibilities are endless, but the bottom line is: if you're not using viral marketing to promote your business, you're losing money every day!
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