Creating buzz and getting people talking about your product can help stretch your marketing budget.

            The average American is exposed to 3,000 advertising messages each day. Thousands of businesses hope that they somehow can break through all of the clutter and get the consumer to purchase their products. Most fail.

            Today there are ads on the floors of supermarkets, on cash register receipts, in bathroom stalls, even in the bottom of golf holes. You go to a movie to avoid commercials and see a series of commercials before the movie begins. Then you are bombarded with product placements during the movie.

             In many ways, it is almost scary being a small business owner today. You have limited resources, a small staff and limited marketing knowledge. Making a major TV buy is not an option.

            You are sitting there with your $10,000 advertising budget while a major company like Procter & Gamble will spend that on a single focus group. How can you compete with companies like Anheuser-Busch that are dropping a million dollars per Super Bowl spot?

            The reality is that small businesses cannot play in the same league with billion-dollar corporations. Yes, it is often a David and Goliath scenario in the marketplace, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a little marketing creativity and break through the media clutter. Sometimes whispering in a room of screamers can be far more effective.

She’ll Tell Two Friends…

            First, the most powerful form of marketing in the world is word-of-mouth. Truly great marketing is getting your friend, neighbor and customers talking about your company, product or service. Word-of-mouth marketing today often is referred to as “buzz marketing,” “viral marketing” or even “network marketing.”

            Think about it. You are considering purchasing a car and have researched the pros and cons of the various models. You mention at a party you are considering a certain vehicle and folks go out of their way to tell you how bad it is. Would you still buy it? Not likely.

            Most marketing, advertising and public relations efforts seek to influence the purchasing decision through ads, direct mail, coupons and a myriad of other media. This form of marketing has worked well for years, but the trick is to get your message to stand out among the barrage of marketing messages each of us is faced with every day. Try adding buzz marketing.

            The key question is: “How do you get people to talk about your product or service?” For starters, social scientists have said that each person has a network of 8-12 people in their close network of friends, family and associates. Each person’s broader network may consist of hundreds or thousands of people. The theory of buzz marketing is like a stone dropped in the water with the ripples getting larger and larger as they spread outward.

Free for All

            One of the best ways to generate buzz is by giving something away. We all love free stuff. Viral marketing frequently involves delayed gratification on the part of the business, but the payoff can be huge in the long run. Let’s say you have a product that relies heavily on repeat business. Why not get customers to come in for a free trial? For the free trial all you ask is their name, address (e-mail) and business.

            Sure, you didn’t make any money on this initial contact, but you have drawn them into your business, gotten them to try your product, and you now have contact information that you can use in the future. If you have a good product or service that satisfies a need, customers will come back for more. And, they will tell their families, friends, co-workers and others.

Internet Interest

            The quickest way to light a fire under your product or service is via the Internet. The overall market on the Internet virtually is unlimited. But, if you can’t handle a huge volume swing, then there could be a lot of dissatisfied, frustrated people who will be turned off quickly. Negative buzz can kill your product as quickly as positive buzz can sell it. So, when you seek to market through the Internet, make sure you’re prepared to meet the demand you might create.

            Once the buzz marketing fuse is lit, it is almost unstoppable. Give away something free and the buzz will begin. And what TV or newspaper outlet would not cover a line of folks stretching 200 feet around your business?

            When the media covers your product, the fun really begins. The ripples in your business pond turn into waves and your product or service really takes off. At that point, hang on for a very fun ride. You have captured lightning in a bottle.