Viral Marketing Flourishes in Recession

Image by luc legay via Flickr

Many small businesses have cut their advertising budgets and put their marketing efforts on hold.  Their satisfied customers, social networks, and happy business partners therefore become their main promoters.   As this is the year of reinventing, recycling and repositioning for many small businesses, let’s think about the best ways to help the above mentioned groups spread the good word for your business.

1. Give away information, products or services within target groups in your social network.
2. Make it effortless for your best customers to provide information about you and your product (hand out business cards, promotional materials, etc.)
3. Offer products and services that can easily fit the needs of different companies – from small to very large.
4. Understand common motivations and behaviors – find common needs – create mutually beneficial partnerships.
5. Utilize your existing social networks, become a “go to person” on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well as in your local Chamber of Commerce.
6. Take advantage of other people’s networks to gain exposure for your products and services.