by Rebecca Button on July 7th, 2008
This video has had 3.5 million+ hits in the past month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SqJz0NgnnE
The ad was designed to be a part of a viral marketing campaign for Gatorade. The ad was pulled however when Gatorade decided it wanted to pursue a different direction with it’s marketing campaign but somehow the video still leaked out and to Gatorade’s great fortune, they got to see just how successful the campaign might have been.
Granted, Gatorade has millions of dollars it can spend on stunt girls and fancy video editing but no amount of money can buy the phenomenal reach their video has had... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on June 16th, 2008
When was the last time you read a business book? Last month? Last week? Yesterday? Now? (Wow, if you’re reading a book now AND reading this blog I’m personally inviting you to my house for tea and crumpets so you can teach me how to simultaneously read two things at once!) Here’s a better question. When was the last time you read a business book that was as easy as reading the latest Harry Potter? Probably can’t even remember huh?
Well my friends, I present to you one of the easiest and rewarding books out there today. It is called... Read more »
by Leeia Ladipoh on May 9th, 2008
When you see how effective word of mouth advertising can be, you should begin to look for more people to tell about your business.
The more people you tell, the better your chance of having a successful business. But there are things to do, and there are things not to do.
Don’t Plug Where You Aren’t Supposed to
When you’re online in a chat room, notice that no one is saying anything about their business. You may think, “what can a small plug here hurt?”, so you say something about your company.
This can be harmful because it is called... Read more »
by Leeia Ladipoh on May 1st, 2008
Congratulations! You have started your own business.
Now you may be thinking about ways to get the word out about your products. If you’re like most small business owners, you’ve already checked into advertising and now you realize that it can cost a lot of money. As with most new businesses, you are likely on a tight budget and looking for affordable solutions.
You may have printed a few business cards and fliers, but they are not generating many customers.
What other options do you have? Well, think about generating word of mouth buzz, where you’re only limited by your... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on January 9th, 2008
I had heard about this a few months back on a local morning radio show and it has become relevant again as I saw an article in MSN.com’s Small Business site that savvy female entrepreneurs are now hosting Taser parties (instead of the classic Tupperware variety). The disc jockeys facilitated the conversation and of course took calls from listeners weighing in.
The topic: Pink stun guns.
The big deal: It’s a genius marketing ploy for a weapon company.
The consensus: Make it pink and it will sell–whatever "it" is.
The women who called in were more than enthused about this... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on December 31st, 2007
Getting people (whether they’re customers or not) to talk about your products or services and refer them to others is undoubtedly one of the most powerful marketing tools out there. It’s also the hardest to harness and use to your advantage. Most word-of-mouth referrals just happen naturally: A friend complains about brittle nails and another friend starts to gush about this incredible new nail polish she uses. But don’t think there’s nothing you can do to give the potential for a word-of-mouth referral a little nudge.
Here are some simple word-of-mouth ideas that really work:
Surprise and delight your customers... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on November 8th, 2007
Every business, new or old, large or small, loves good publicity for their company. It helps to spread the word about their products or services, bring in new customers and create sales. The problem is getting that free publicity. It can be hard getting the right types of media interested in your company. Here’s what you need to do first:
Figure out your target audience - These are the people who are most likely to buy your products or services. For example, if you are selling baby carriers, then perhaps your main audience is pregnant women aged 22-38.
Find your... Read more »