Be Virulently Successful
The talk of the Internet
sometime ago was about "Melissa" (see http://www.melissavirus.com/).
No, it's not an adult-oriented web site or some new software game but a virus
(see http://www.cert.org). And the devious way that it works is that after
opening the infected email attachment, it sends a virus-infected email to
the first 50 people in your address book automatically.
While we're bombarded
with anti-virus warnings telling us to never open an attachment from someone
we don't know, how can we resist doing so when the email comes from someone
we actually do know (since the virus uses personal address books to multiply
itself)? In fact, Melissa uses Microsoft Outlook's mail merge command to actually
incorporate the recipient's name within the body of the message, making the
seemingly personalized -- and unsuspectingly harmful -- email to be instantly
trusted. Because of this vulnerability, Melissa is reported to be the fastest-spreading
virus to ever appear on the cyberscene.
Nevertheless and interestingly
enough, we can certainly learn the way Melissa (and viruses in general) work
and act -- and, in the same way, apply that process and strategy to online
marketing. Also known as "viral" marketing, the concept is generally
to proliferate the knowledge of your existence on the web through other people's
efforts. Be it "word-of-eye," referrals, affiliates, joint ventures,
and so on, it all comes down to that fundamental business process we call
"networking." And according to Jill Griffin's wonderful book "Customer
Loyalty: How to Earn it, How to Keep it," we are more open, trusting,
and loyal when doing business with (or being marketed by) people we know.
Make Your Net Work
Online, networking is
probably more important since cyberspace is dimensionless and expansive. It
grants you the ability to reach corners untapped; areas that would have been
unreachable otherwise. However, there's a caveat: There's a lot of hype lately
about the benefits of networking, but I personally don't advocate traditional
networking (the "I'm open for business" kind) because, in my experience,
it hasn't brought me anything substantial in return.
While it can be a fantastic
marketing tool, the way in which networking is conducted is often the reason
why it does not produce any favorable results. When you're only networking,
more often than not people will want something in return or else they will
lose interest if you don't take the time to recognize their efforts. And if
you don't, you will paradoxically need to network even more, which defeats
the purpose.
A way to consistently reward your network is to turn your networking efforts
into networking systems (in other words, developing strategic marketing alliances).
If you and your alliance share a similar target market, you can effectively
cross-promote or share markets with each other. And while there are as many
different forms of systematized networking out there as there are businesses,
one of them that is quite effective is what I call "info-networking."
An info-network is one
in which information is exchanged in some form or another between parties.
That information includes qualified leads that you can both share or information
about each other that is promoted to each other's market or client base. As
long as your alliance logically shares a same target market with you but without
directly competing with your business, it can become a potentially rewarding
relationship. This includes, for example, swapping ad space in e-zines, posting
reciprocal links, co-advertising, submitting articles for publication, participating
in discussion lists, etc.
But info-networking goes
further. It also refers to mailing lists where you can swap each other's prospect
or client lists -- particularly offline or "opt-in" lists. For example,
many web sites and e-zine publishers have opt-in lists that range from 100
to 100,000 subscribers. Many cross-market their lists, such as offering "solo"
ads or offers from other subscribers -- but of course, at a cost. However,
if you publish your own e-zine or maintain your own opt-in lists, the obvious
advantage is that you can swap "solo" ad space with each other.
Joint Ventures, Co-Ops, And Exclusive Offers
However, there's another
form of networking that may be more effective, particularly for those of you
who do not share your lists. I call it "auto-networking." This system
goes beyond simply submitting your site to search engines, swapping your ad
with others, or placing your offer on "free-for-all" links directories
-- all with the hope that they will produce something in return. It means
a process through which you are constantly and systematically exchanging leads
with your strategic alliance. On the Internet, this technique is one in which
a systematized method of cross-promotion between you and your alliance through
a unique, joint marketing effort is created.
For example, this includes
an exchange and coupling of complementary coupons or special offers that are
exclusively marketed to the each other's clientele. Another is the process
of amalgamating products, services, offers, or information that complement
each other's portfolio. If your ally sells a product online, they can add
to that particular purchase additional bonuses from your web site or business,
which may include your special offer or one of your products that complements
theirs.
You can even create an
entirely new and distinct product, service, or information package from both
companies and sold simultaneously from both sites. Here's an example: You
sell cookware online. You can easily team up with a publisher specializing
in cookbooks and throw a book in the mix. While you raise the price and split
the profits with the publisher, you naturally and instantly raise the perceived
value of the cookware through a co-branded or combined package of non-competing
products or services. Best of all, you share in each other's traffic, market,
lead-base, and referral-sources (i.e., network).
Here's another example:
If you're a software programmer and you have created a program that, say,
targets businesspeople, don't just give it away as shareware. Offer it to
other sites that target businesspeople as well. While your program may not
relate to your alliance's product, they both appeal to a same market and together
make the offer more irresistible. In addition to the fact that your program
makes your alliance look good or their offer more palatable, if your shareware
is copyright-free you get your software to multiply itself -- especially within
a market of much higher quality by virtue of the nature of your alliance's
business.
Ultimately, you can create
affiliations, alliances, referral-sources, and centers-of-influence that will
help to propagate your online presence and, like a virus, multiply your online
marketing punch.
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Originally published in IMC's Internet Marketing Chronicles.
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