It’s all about what you include to promote your product and where you send people that enjoyed your ‘viral’ product.

Ideally, anything that you give away (or sell) with purpose of spreading like a virus should ultimately get reader, user or customer to take a desired action.

You might simply want to get people to visit your site or perhaps you want them to follow a link to your order page and immediately purchase your product or service. The key here is that your viral marketing tool must show users why they should take your desired action.

If you sell vitamins and you give away a report about benefits of vitamins then your report is going to have to show readers why they need to buy your vitamins and it’s going to need to send them out to buy your vitamins. In other words, once you’ve shown your patrons why they need to take this desired action then you’ve got to ask to them act.

INCORPORATING THE INFECTION

Another point I would like to bring up is this; your viral product can be your ‘main’ product as well. Don’t limit viral marketing to just ‘add-ons’ that market your main product. You can build these ideas right in to your next product by adding features that will make customers (want to) recommend it to others.

Remember this, Hotmail didn’t make users ‘want to’ recommend Hotmail, instead, Hotmail gave users no choice. Currently, I believe that you can probably upgrade and remove those messages (if they even still have tiny add at bottom), but for years Hotmail had enjoyed ‘free advertising’.

STEP BY STEP

Before I leave you thinking about these ideas, let me throw out a ‘step by step’ plan. This is by no means best or only way; this is only a starting point.

1. Create a ‘viral’ product by providing information (or entertainment) while bringing interest to your ‘main’ product.

Keep in mind, this can’t be ‘just an advertisement’; your viral product has got to be useful for users. If people don’t need it, they aren’t going to pass it on to others.

2. Include information that pulls user toward taking your desired action (such as following an order link). Once again, be sure that this does not come in form of advertisement; this has got to be subtle.

3. Show user how to give away ‘viral’ product, show them how they can benefit from giving away your ‘viral’ product and ask them to give it away.

Many ‘viral’ products are brandable; this means that a user can change out some links or add their link to a specific area of product. Letting people customize your product will make them want to give it away.

The preceding steps will serve as a guideline to creating a viral marketing tool; they are basic ‘must know’ steps to virally promoting your product.

CONCLUSION

With so many ‘marketing tactics’ available to us, it can be hard to pick or choose a good one. Don’t get overwhelmed, get educated. With a little bit of research and a clear idea of which promotions will work for you, you will be building a successful business that will push you towards and even beyond success.

Viral promotion is a powerful way to drive targeted customers to your product or to your web site. If you haven’t already tried it then I urge you to explore advantages of this explosive marketing strategy.

As you rummage through myriad ways to market your product, service or your self, always keep in mind that if your marketing is contagious, it will spread it’s self for free.

Stay positive and enjoy your success!

6. Turn your 7-10 lesson e-course into an audio e-course.

Once you have written your 7-10 lesson e-course, transfer this into an audio e-course for auditory learners in your network. The voice is a very intimate tool and can create an instant and lasting connection with your audience.

7. Develop a licensing program.

If you are like me, after a year or so of leading teleclasses on a particular topic, you may find that you want to move on to a different subject opic for your teleclasses. At this point, I recommend that you use your intellectual property as a way to offer licenses for others to teach your material. I do recommend that you work with an attorney to develop a licensing program which has teeth and can stand test of your buyers. You can license your material based on an annual fee, lifetime fee, or a percentage of what is sold.

8. Write a "how to" book or e-book.

How-to printed books are popular, and they usually sell quite well. How to books provide a step by step set of directions or guidance to reader in an area which is niche specific. By becoming an author, you will immediately establish credibility and develop a form of passive revenue. And...your book will become a catalyst for future products and contacts.

9. Transfer your teleclasses to CDs, and use these as a business card.

A business card that holds a complete multimedia presentation of a company, including video and sound is quite impressive and leaves a lasting impression in minds of its users. Your CD Business Card can be set up with an automatic link to your teleclass listing page, and can keep you in close touch with your prospects.

10. Develop a network of 1000 people.

I remember Thomas Leonard leading a class on how to develop a network of 1000 people by leading teleclasses. He suggested offering multiple free teleclasses, running pilot programs, interviewing experts, and telling everyone you know what you are up to as a teleclass leader. After one year of following these suggestions, I had led over 1500 people by teleclass format, and I had met amazing people from all walks of life. This network of 1000 people will continue to grow and evolve as you continue leading teleclasses and as you continue building your business.