Viral E-mail

For those new to the topic, viral e-mail is not necessarily bad for one's health.

In fact, viral e-mail can be a useful tool to complement other means of communication. We have all received many of those e-mails that just get passed along from friend to friend, distribution list to distribution list. They get passed along because there is something of perceived value inside them; quite often it's humour.

The viral e-mail is social networking in its most basic form, replacing word-of-mouth as a means of spreading the word: "Pssst, pass it along".

Viral marketing is the attempt to commercialize the concept. The basic idea is the same in that the e-mail must contain something of value. For example, a small group of people in a target market are provided with special VIP coupons to an exciting new store opening in a few days. They perceive these as having some value and decide to pass them along to their friends, and so on, and so on.

The cost of viral e-mail is the time invested in its production. The benefits can be substantial as you penetrate your target market in a very significant way. Social networking is ignored at one's peril.

Next time you set out on a public relations or marketing campaign, ask your adviser where social networking fits into the program. Stay tuned to the blog...more to follow on the social networking phenomenon in future posts.