If you walk into the wrong nightclub bathroom these days, you might get a scare. It seems that the producers behind the new show “Supernatural” on the WB have sent special mirrors to nightclubs across the country showing a frightening image of a ghost from the TV show. What do pictures of ghosts in a nightclub mirror have to do with TV shows? It seems that in the copycat world of television, the networks are even copying marketing ideas. ABC last year garnered publicity for such marketing stunts as messages in bottles left on a beach to promote “Lost” and for laundry bags used to promote “Desperate Housewives”.
In a recent article in the Los Angeles times, Michael Benson, ABC’s senior vice president for marketing, recently was quoted as saying, “If you do things right, you get higher ‘talk value,’…It’s about creating something that you want to tell your friends about, and show your family members.”
Apparently TV execs are finally paying attention to Rule number 3 of the rules of attraction- “Create an exclusive community of super-users”. By gaining hardcore audiences from the start, these viewers will actually go out and evangelize the show for them- which is far more powerful than typical advertising ever could ever be. How to Create a Buzz Marketing Program
If you want to create buzz, you have to know your customer and how you are reaching them. It is easier to create buzz than you may think. Good buzz begins with a positive customer experience. There is no substitute for exceptional performance.
First – Ask yourself the following:
1. From whom do your customers learn about your products?
2. What do people say when they recommend your products?
3. In what invisible networks are your products discussed?
4. What kind of information spreads through the networks fastest?
5. “How can you get people to experience your product or service without them making a big commitment?
6. How can you giveaway a small piece of your product or service so that people will start talking about it?”
Second – Try to change your thinking from:
1. “I need to get this sale,” to “How can I get this prospect to talk about my product or service?”
2. Don’t focus on under-promising but rather over-delivering.
3. Don’t be afraid to give a little away. By employing these evangelical marketing techniques, you can transform ordinary customers into devotees that spread your message for you. Have a great week, and let me know what buzz marketing efforts you have employed in your business! -Mark Deo