The Power of BuzzWritten by Susan Friedmann, CSP
How did Hotmail gain over 12 million subscribers in 18 months? How did very low budget movie “The Blair Witch Project” become such an incredibly successful phenomenon? The answer lies in power of “buzz.” Buzz or word-of-mouth marketing influences more people to buy, or not to buy products and services, than most other forms of marketing. Why is it so powerful? Basically, we have a need to share information as a means of communication and also as a way of understanding world around us. Often, we base many of our purchasing decisions on information gleaned from friends and well-respected associates. We tend to listen to them more readily then most mass-media messages. In his book “The Anatomy of Buzz,” Emanuel Rosen states, “most marketing today ignores power of buzz and tries to influence each customer individually.” He believes that “buzz travels through invisible networks that link people together. Noise, skepticism and connectivity all influence today’s buzz.” As exhibitors you need go no further than tradeshow floor to find a network that creates a real buzz. It starts prior to show, gathers momentum at show, and then slowly dissipates after show ends. Every exhibitor has power to influence buzz. It all depends on product/service quality, marketing savvy and decisions made. I recall visiting a telecommunications show a couple of years ago when buzz on show floor concerned a Fortune 100 company and major player in industry, (who shall remain nameless). The talk centered around image of their booth which wasn’t quite up to expectations. The buzz went like this: “The ABC Company has gone cheap. They must be having financial problems.” It’s gossip like this that starts wheels of “rumor mill” turning and can even create havoc on Stock Market. Remarks like this often have very little bearing on reality, but people make assumptions and decisions based on what they see and hear. Obviously, originating source of buzz plays a key role in its basis for truth. I’m sure that you would much prefer any tradeshow buzz to be positive. Since talking about products/services makes economic sense, how can you use buzz to add to your existing marketing efforts? I’ve put together ten guidelines for you to consider: 1. Brainstorm all possible groups of people who might be interested in your products/services. Consider including media, opinion leaders, influencers, lead users, politicians, analysts, etc. Don’t forget chat rooms and newsgroups although buzz still spreads primarily by personal interaction. 2. Research how information spreads among your customers. Ask them how they usually learn about new products/services. Who are their major information sources? Who’s information do they value? You’re primarily looking for groups of people rather than individuals. However, don’t discount individuals, as they may well be a powerful opinion leader. 3. Develop a clear and concise message highlighting product/service benefits you want to filter through these different groups. Zero in on your product’s uniqueness and what it can do, for example, to help save time and money – two basic elements most people seek.
| | 10 Benefits Of Submitting Articles To E-zines Written by Jeff Schuman
10 Benefits Of Submitting Articles To E-zines By Jeff D. Schuman http://www.Team-Schuman.comWhen I started Ezine-In-A-Box I wanted to help people publish their own email newsletter without writing a single word. However, there are many benefits to writing articles ansd submitting them to other ezines. Below is 10 good reasons you should be writing and submitting articles to ezines. 1. You'll brand your web site, business and yourself by submitting articles to e-zines. You could include your name, business name, your credentials, web site address and e-mail address in your resource box. 2. You will become known as an expert on topics you write about. This will give you and your business extra credibility which will help you compete against your competition. 3. Your article might also be placed on publisher's home page. If they publish each issue on their home page this will give you some extra exposure. 4. You might get extra exposure if e-zine publisher archives their e-zine on their site. People might want to read back issues before they make decision to subscribe. 5. You will get free advertising. This will allow you to spend your profits on other forms of advertising. You could buy advertisements in other e-zines that don't publish your articles.
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