So you want to be a viral marketer.

Sounds kin to "so you want to be a millionaire."

You've arrived at this page with at least a surface knowledge of viral marketing and a desire to learn how to make viral marketing work for you.

For the record let's have Wikipedia tell us exactly what viral marketing is.

(1) Viral marketing is a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily.

(2) Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, brandable software, images, or even text messages.

For the basis of this article we will be focused on the first definition.

This process can be done on or off line.

A: When you see two golden arches on the road ahead of you what restaurant is near?
(Burger King or McDonalds)?

B: For the best hiking boots available with 100% refunds available where do you shop?
(REI or Fred Meyer)?

C: If you want a good definition to a word what online source do you turn to.
(Wikipedia or Yahoo)?

In case you need the answers to those questions they are at the bottom of this article. I'm betting they won't be necessary for you though.

See, through the time of their existance each of these enities have become recognized for what they do well. Therefore the first and most crucial step to viral marketing is to create brand awareness by developing your targeted niche. Why creating brand awareness is not highly stressed in articles I have read about viral marketing is beyond me. It should after all be the first item of focus rather than the last.

So how do you do this?

Simply by offering the best of the best in your industry. For example…

If you are actively looking for an automated newsletter service for your company which company would you go with?

* Google or Aweber

While Google has it's own well known reputation on the Internet, offering an automated newsletter service is not part of their package.

Aweber on the other hand is the best of the best because of the high quality of their tools as well as their 2nd to none customer service.

Or…

If you want an excellent domain manager who would you contact?

* Wikipedia or GoDaddy

Again, both names are well known on the Internet. But GoDaddy is the obvious answer when the question is what domain manager will you go with.

Some will say that viral marketing MUST give something away. I will agree that viral marketing includes giving items away for free but to have it stop or even begin there is missing the viral boat. For viral success you need to first build an image that others will respect and come to recognize as the leading authority.

Online you do that by…

* Providing high quality information
* Top of the line support
* Easily navigation within your offerings
* Uniqueness
* And the list goes on

The point is, you may be good in viral marketing by creating freebies for people. But why be good when you can make viral marketing work great by starting with brand awareness long before you ever develop that first Ebook give-away.

Here are the answers to the above questions…
Answers: A = McDondalds -- B = REI -- C = Wikipedia