I am getting quite an education in viral marketing. For those that are new to that expression, here is the Wikipedia definition: The buzzwords viral marketing and viral advertising refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales) through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet. Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, brandable software, images, or even text messages. (Viral Marketing from Wikipedia )
As you may know, Gold Systems has launched a new website that is promoting and building an educational community. I won’t go into all of the details here (although you can find them at http://www.learningzen.com/ ) but suffice it to say that we are currently promoting it through viral methods.
We have some very savvy people on our staff that are helping this member of the older generation to understand and play in the sandbox. I have learned all about facebook, digit, reddit, stumbledupon, and Linkedin. Those are some very powerful social networking sites. I have yet to be asked to get involved in twitter or to tweet someone, but I am sure it is on the list of things to do. And I have never blogged so much in my life. I find that to be the most pleasant part of my assignment as I truly like to share my thoughts and experiences.
Two other marketing methods that we employed are more in line with traditional promotions. The first was to actually put some signage on our Washington DC office. Our office is on Florida Avenue in the Northwest quadrant of DC. It is between the Dupont Circle and the Adams Morgan areas. There is a ton of foot traffic and I was very pleased that as people walked by, they stopped to take note of the new sign. One lady stopped to write down the information. I decided to introduce myself and went outside and learned that she is a teacher in Washington DC and wanted to know what the “Learning Revolution” was all about. I gave her my card and asked her to visit us online. Very cool!
The second more traditional method is that we have also created some rather plain t-shirts with the url http://www.learningzen.com/ printed on the front. The most appealing characteristic of the t-shirt is the bright yellow color. I have been told that yellow is one of my best colors. So I like the t-shirt. I decided that I would get lots of marketing in Washington DC by proudly wearing my bright yellow t-shirt. I have included a few pictures just so that you know that the LearningZen t-shirt has been in a few popular places in DC.
We have some very savvy people on our staff that are helping this member of the older generation to understand and play in the sandbox. I have learned all about facebook, digit, reddit, stumbledupon, and Linkedin. Those are some very powerful social networking sites. I have yet to be asked to get involved in twitter or to tweet someone, but I am sure it is on the list of things to do. And I have never blogged so much in my life. I find that to be the most pleasant part of my assignment as I truly like to share my thoughts and experiences.
Two other marketing methods that we employed are more in line with traditional promotions. The first was to actually put some signage on our Washington DC office. Our office is on Florida Avenue in the Northwest quadrant of DC. It is between the Dupont Circle and the Adams Morgan areas. There is a ton of foot traffic and I was very pleased that as people walked by, they stopped to take note of the new sign. One lady stopped to write down the information. I decided to introduce myself and went outside and learned that she is a teacher in Washington DC and wanted to know what the “Learning Revolution” was all about. I gave her my card and asked her to visit us online. Very cool!The second more traditional method is that we have also created some rather plain t-shirts with the url http://www.learningzen.com/ printed on the front. The most appealing characteristic of the t-shirt is the bright yellow color. I have been told that yellow is one of my best colors. So I like the t-shirt. I decided that I would get lots of marketing in Washington DC by proudly wearing my bright yellow t-shirt. I have included a few pictures just so that you know that the LearningZen t-shirt has been in a few popular places in DC.
I am looking forward to my continued education in viral marketing. If you get an email, tweet, or facebook note from me and it seems to be out of place, I beg your forgiveness. Better yet, instruct me on what I can do to better fit in this wonderful web 2.0 world that we now live in.
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