Viral Marketing - A Promising Trend

Today's Competitive world has made the termwould be more on the creation of beneficial and
marketing to have more familiarity in all our lives. Oftransparent conversations as per the requirements of
course, the techniques of marketing will change but willSection 5 of the federal Trade commission act. It
not change the effect of it. Many companies haveprohibits all sorts of activities that are conducted with a
attempted many more techniques of marketing tonotion of deceiving the noble public. Being involved in
influence the market. All innovations are will becomeViral marketing, it is high time for the marketers to
obsolete in future. Even now many companies andunderstand the difference between unfair and
their authorized agents, those who have used directlegitimate practices. Many more organizations have
marketing, telemarketing, e-marketing etc., to intrude thegiven their recommendations regarding Ethical conduct.
market have started facing their problem. It's highly trueViral marketing and Guerilla marketing:
that even those above stated techniques, will have toAll these buzz marketing/Viral marketing/Word of
be changed as people have started expressing theirMouth Marketing comes under a broad term called
grief towards the salespersons, telecallers and e-mailGuerrilla Marketing. It is a method where customers will
blogs. Influencing the customers has becomeno where feel the sense of marketing. Without
complicated as many them feels marketing as one ofknowing that they are being marketed into, emotionally,
the biggest headache. So it is high time for thethey will follow what they see. Of course, effective
marketers to use techniques that are lively to create amarketing creates interest. For example, a company
sense of trust among the customers.might book an actor/actress/ a socially sound person.
About Viral marketing:The company will ask them to use its product in a
One such is Viral Marketing which has come in fullcrowded area visibly in all the places where the target
swing. This will spread as fast as a Virus could do.customers tend to assemble. That ambassador may
Viral Marketing refers to the method of using theeven offer trial samples that are economically feasible
existing social networks to increase the level of brandto the target audience. This will stimulate them without
awareness. It is being done in the forms of interactiveeven making them to realize that a marketing
and funny Flash games, interesting Video clips andcampaign is going on. This is done with a 'befriend'
even through text messages. This is also known asattitude and so it gives out a big impact. Both the Viral
Buzz marketing or Word of Mouth Marketing. BecauseMarketing and Guerrilla marketing are same in all
of the Human tendency to interact with all around, it isperspectives. But at times Guerrilla marketing may act
being strongly believed that any information deliveredas a start for Viral Marketing. A Word of Mouth
through this way will bare a layer of Credibility. So thisMarketing may start from a Guerrilla campaign.
technique is being highly valued by the Marketers.Why these techniques......?
It is true that a satisfied customer spreads his/her levelA Consumer can stay away and free from all sorts of
of satisfaction about a product/ service to threemedia but he can never put him out of people around
people. A dissatisfied customer will spread his/herhim. A company can even send a salesperson door
dissatisfaction about a product/service to elevenby door to create brand awareness and can make
people. This general tendency is a base for viralfew sales. But, the ultimate motive of creating a sense
marketing. Nowadays, marketers are more interestedof trust and Credibility will be in vein. But a Consumer
in finding out people who have strong Socialsubjected to Guerilla marketing will not only try that
networking Potential. After that, they are creatingproduct, but also spreads it (buzz) to his/her circle. The
programs that convey their viral message throughfinancial risk associated with this is also very low, and
those people with an appealing effect. They never failso, it is a cost effective method. These undercover
to make sure about the probability of the messagemarketing methods are used when the traditional
being passed over.marketing methods becomes outdated. They will act
Many companies who followed this technique haveas a new solution for the need of marketing.
succeeded to a greater extent. After the interventionThere are few aspects behind screen which should
of Web 2.0, many web start-ups like Youtube,not be revealed to the customers in these campaigns.
Myspace etc, have used this buzz marketing with theA consumer's sense of trust is the main reason behind
help of the social networks developed by themselves.his/her purchase and recommendations. The
Using Internet as a communication platform, this BUZZconsumer will really feel that as an unforced
has become even more powerful and useful for therecommendation. The Influencer gets commission for
Consumers. This has given rise to the services andevery sale that he brings in. He is ultimately benefited
tools called buzz monitoring, which is used for onlineby the company. But, these things are something called
Public Relations.as off-the screen activities.
Marketers tend to focus over the development ofConclusion:
Products and services, that creates positive buzzInnovation is the only way to stay alive in this world.
naturally. The biggest challenge for them would be inDifference alone can make a difference. Differentiation
finding out an influencer, who has high level of authorityis the best strategic way to create brand power. Such
and personal connection. The whole campaign staysdifference could be in the products, as well as in the
on the shoulder of that influencer. The Influencerway they are marketed. But, staying in tune with the
attempts to inject a positive buzz into a conversation,creative ideas will keep the brand alive. Any new idea
that happens naturally with in his surroundings. Thiswill become obsolete one day. But, it is wiser to
creates a sense of Anxiety among target people, aschange the trend of marketing once after a trend gets
the buzz is being created by an influencer who is highlyruled out. Even this viral marketing will have to face a
relied upon. People obviously believe that the influencer,change over a due course of time. That's how the
who speaks honestly and are unlikely to havetraditional marketing was ruled out. But, it is always
secondary or ulterior motive.better to get adhered with the marketing ethics before
It is highly unknown to the Target that the influencerdesigning a marketing campaign to stay on the safer
receives incentives for his/her referrals. The emphasisside.