Discover The Buzz About Buzz Marketing?

Written by:Maria Haynes

Right now a lot of excited energy is buzzing around concerning a marketing method that has been around for a long time in one form or another. The term is buzz marketing, but most people know it as good old-fashioned word of mouth. Buzz marketing is an intentional and documented form of word-of-mouth advertising, and is now being used as one aspect of promotional campaigns. Because mass marketing is less effective than it once was, more personal means of reaching out to potential customers are necessary. The basics of buzz can be mastered and applied to even a small online marketer.

The modus operandi of buzz marketing is to capitalize on the human tendency to gossip. Companies use a team of volunteers or buzz agents. They give each agent samples of a product or free program enrollment. They then ask the agents to talk to others about their experience. It is that simple.

To be eligible as buzz agents, volunteers have to stick to a basic set of rules. Companies expect their agents to share both the positive and the negative with people. Some companies go a step further by asking their agents to disclose their status when talking about a product, so all cards are on the table, so to speak.

After the agent has made the rounds, date is gathered and assessed. With this data they can determine how effective the buzz marketing is.

One main reason why word-of-mouth techniques work so well is that they tap into natural human curiosity. People are always interested in talking about the latest news and discussing hot tops. Celebrity news and gossip is very popular with the general public. Marketers use buzz marketing to take advantage of human nature, which has always been a factor in determining which stories are featured by the media. The media usually tries to hook viewers into watching their reports by hinting at an upcoming intriguing story or fascinating tidbit. People watch because they want to know more.

In the same manner, buzz marketing can take advantage of human nature to sell a product. Agents are fed intriguing stories and human interest bits that tie into the product. They are then sent out to spread the story among others. The conversations are likely to go viral as one person passes the story to another person who passes it to someone else.

When considering a buzz marketing campaign, marketers must find something unique about the company, its product or its service. This might be how the company pulled itself up from nothing, or it could be the launch of a new and advanced product. The organization could have received an award or is offering a deal that can't be refused.

Then it is time to rev up the chatter. Buzz can be set loose at social sites such as Twitter and Facebook, allowing for a far-reaching effect. Everyone loves free samples, making that an obvious way to raise a little buzz.

The most vital aspect of a buzz marketing campaign is the product itself. Does it stand up to the buzz? A company that drops the ball on product performance will find itself mired in negative buzz. A great product with an effectual buzz campaign will also need a solid customer service department and company team behind it to follow through on the buzz generated.

Advertisers in all fields are beginning to discover the power of buzz marketing. It has been used for years but not as an official form of advertising for most Internet marketers. Ever since it has been shown to be effective, buzz marketing has been intentionally included in many comprehensive marketing strategies. Buzz marketing is a completely free form of promotion that has been proven to deliver results for product sellers.