The controversy about what works and what doesn't work in viral marketing continues. Mostly, it's a matter of individual opinion and preferences. What works for one marketer may not seem to work for another.
Some believe that suggesting that e-mail recipients forward your message to their friends and family will not work. Others believe this to be their most successful viral marketing program. One school of thought maintains that you will get a certain number of referrals without asking for them, but you will get many more if you ask . . .
A simple note in the email encouraging them to forward it to family and friends if they find the information beneficial may encourage someone to send it on to a friend. It will always help more than it will hurt your campaign.
- Offering something worthy of sharing like a valuable discount, vital information or offering an incentive for sharing like additional entries into a sweepstakes or an added discount or premium service will work.
- 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.
- 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.
One last thing and one really important thing . . . you can craft a brilliant e-mail following all the rules, but when a visitor reaches your site and has an experience less that what was promised, you are going to achieve viral marketing, alright…the wrong kind. So be certain that your product or service is ready and is as advertised.