Over the last few weeks I have started an internship at a small creative agency. One of the first tasks I was assigned to was to write the copy for an exclusive deal that was to be sent out via email. It would've been easy to just send a coupon to the list of people we had already acquired but how successful would that be? From looking into the works of Seth Godin it would appear that selling an average product to the average person is no longer a viable method of marketing as more and more people are ignoring targeted advertising. So what makes a successful email successful?
According to Jonah Berger's (2013) book "Contagious: Why Things Catch On" there are six criteria that should be addressed in order to create an email campaign to go viral.
Social Currency
Social currency is very important when making something go viral. It is the ability to make ME look good. When completing this step make sure that you focus on how you can make the consumer look good amongst their peers. After all, why would they share something that makes a business look good but gain nothing in return.
2. Triggers
Having triggers allows the consumer to be constantly reminded of the product you're selling. Attaching your product to something physical like Red Bull has done with Jägermeister or alternatively pair it with something figurative like Kit Kat did with the tagline "take a break, eat a Kit Kat". This creates ongoing word of mouth through association.
3. Emotion
Use emotions to convey the message. People react far stronger to emotive stories than straight heartless facts. By using emotion the chances of being shared and going viral rise exponentially.
4. Public
For this to work you must ensure that the campaign is sharable. Base the campaign off its ability to be shown to friends instead of making profits. People can smell advertising from a mile away, unless it's disguised as something the consumer will want to share.
5. Practical Value
It is essential that the campaign is relevant. Incorporate things that provide useful free information to the consumer. Perhaps show them a list of top 10 items in your store, tell them a few fun facts for the week or teach them a new skill to brag about amongst friends.
6. Stories
Finally, incorporate stories into the campaign. Be honest. These are not fairy tales, but instead, tell the consumers stories of past customer experiences. Tell them how the business has been sticking to their values and why. Make these personal and connect with the audience. You may be a business but you don't have to act like one.
In order to go viral during this pandemic try to address these categories for your next email campaign. But in the end people are unpredictable. Who knows what the next viral video will be. Tell me about the last viral campaign you in the comments saw below and if they meet these criteria.
Yorumlar