article thumbnail

Viral Marketing And Word-of-Mouth Require Investment

Startup Professionals Musings

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content. Seed viral activity.

Viral 268
article thumbnail

I Haven’t Seen A Startup Yet Thrive Without Marketing

Startup Professionals Musings

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content. Seed viral activity.

Viral 348
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

32 Questions Developers May Have Forgot to Ask a Startup Founder

SoCal CTO

Social Integration/Viral Outreach - are you integrating in some way with social networks? Any other kind of viral outreach? See Branchout an Example of Viral Spread Opportunity for Startups. Is there a step-by-step wizard? Refer a friend?

Developer 396
article thumbnail

32 Questions Developers May Have Forgot to Ask a Startup Founder

SoCal CTO

Social Integration/Viral Outreach - are you integrating in some way with social networks? Any other kind of viral outreach? See Branchout an Example of Viral Spread Opportunity for Startups. Is there a step-by-step wizard? Refer a friend?

Developer 384
article thumbnail

How Bill Gates Was A Role Model For New Entrepreneurs

Startup Professionals Musings

That’s real viral marketing. One startup, no matter how smart the people and how well it is funded, can only do so much. You need to convince a thousand partners that they can become winners, if they join you as believers. IBM wanted to do the whole job themselves, because it was the only way they know how to deliver quality.

article thumbnail

Understanding the Underbelly of Online Marketing & Why You’ll Lose if You Don’t

Both Sides of the Table

They had a viral promotional technique that encouraged your friends to download their app to watch a video they posted and a channel (Facebook) that was trying to grow its video audience. I was talking with a colleague once about how videos go viral. Look at Viddy & SocialCast. But it wasn’t to be. Underbelly.

SEM 379
article thumbnail

How To Reinvent Yourself As A Business Startup Today

Startup Professionals Musings

They know how to capitalize on social media, viral marketing, events, and the new tools of the trade. The best sales people in any company are highly focused, and self-motivated by the commissions they can earn by closing a few big deals. They are always ready to move on to the next big opportunity as markets change.

Startup 410