To get the buzz going, you should focus on the “opinion leaders” or “hubs” in the world of your market. There are four kinds of hubs and the common denominator among them is that people listen to them.
Regular Hubs
Regular hubs are easiest to reach and to develop relationships with. Here are a few traits to look for when trying to identify regular hubs in your area:
* People who are connected: Their job or position requires that they come into contact with a lot of people. They’re good networkers and they create links between their local network and the outside world.
* People who are ahead in adoption: Though not necessarily the first to adopt a new technology or idea, they’re open to them.
* People who are information-hungry: They read everything, especially material that will help them do their jobs better.
* People who are vocal: They write, they speak, they’re out there. They need content. They have a blog or a newsletter (or both) in which your product or service could be featured.
Expert hubs
Expert hubs are folks who go beyond making recommendations. They’re experts and specialists on a particular topic, and people listen to them because of their expertise and credentials. For example, Michael McLaughlin is an author and expert on the consulting industry. His regular e-mail newsletter, Management Consulting News, is read by thousands, which makes him an expert hub on management consulting. Identify the person in your industry who functions as a respected expert. (You don’t need to know these people personally.)
Social hubs
Social hubs are people who are charismatic, socially active, and trusted by their peers. In a small town or neighborhood, a social hub-type person is often symbolically referred to as “the mayor” of his or her social group, community, or area of interest.
Mega hubs
The media, celebrities, politicians, and other really big names make up the mega hubs. Of course, the attention of mega hubs is the hardest to get, but if you succeed, the buzz will keep on coming. But keep in mind that “mega” is relative. Think about people you know of who would be considered “mega” in the market of your customers. For example, Michael Masterson is the publisher of Early To Rise, a daily e-mail newsletter that goes to more than 400,000 people. His readers respond almost religiously to his recommendations. Identify whose blessing would translate into gold for you.
After you’ve identified the hubs or media outlets in the best position to reach your customers, you must make sure that they have what they need to spread the word. Educate using a press-release, but because buzz is less formal, don’t hesitate to provide samples, put on seminars, or even take reporters to lunch.
Some buzz-worthy examples that I like:
A family-owned florist based in Chicago put on a stunt that was picked up by local media. On a busy street, they gave out bouquets containing five roses to curious onlookers. Each bouquet came with a printed coupon that read: “Share the love!” and asked that each rose be shared with five other people to “make new friends and share goodwill to neighbors.
In the late 90’s, Ken Hakuta (of Wacky Wall Walker fame), started an Internet site called AllHerb.com, which was basically another me-too vitamin site. AllHerb.com sought to differentiate itself by positioning itself as “the most authentic resource for herbal medicine available today.” So they hired an unusual and captivating spokesman — a shaman, tribal healer and herbalist from the Amazon rain forest of Peru — to share his ancient wisdom and interact with visitors at the site. They gave him a computer and he answered email from people all over. As you can imagine, this created an enormous amount of buzz about the ecommerce site, not to mention the traffic it drove to the site.
LaserMonks (www.lasermonks.com) is an office-supply company run by monks. There’s nothing unique about the product – printer cartridges, for now – but they have capitalized on their unique and charming story to create strong word of mouth and get a lot of PR, too. (You can read their story on their Web site.) In addition, the experience they provide to the customer is worth talking about: The monks pray for all their customers, handwritten thank-you notes are sometimes slipped into shipments, and when callers are put on hold, they hear a Gregorian chant. So far the strategy has paid off – satisfied customers have been telling friends and colleagues, and the media has picked up the story and spread it even further.
You can also enlist the help of your most loyal customers in the following ways:
Provide recognition-awards, certificates, and gift cards to say thank you. Offer visibility or “15 minutes of fame” by featuring your advocates in your marketing.
Provide tools. Your business cards, brochures, and other information will make it easier for them to spread the word.
Recruit new advocates, teach them about the benefits of your products, and encourage them to spread the buzz.
