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This form of marketing is extremely powerful and is virtually overlooked in the network marketing world. Prior to becoming an online marketer I used to work in IT. I was a Storage Engineer working Primarily in Data Centres with fibre optic networks. Large volumes of data were stored and managed on the systems I worked on from Govt, Banking/Finance Sector and various Global Corporations.

Now here is the important part – a good percentage of the data stored was email. Email from all over the world comes through data centres everyday. Approximately 85% of all email is “junk” or “non-business” related. Now this “junk” email ends up in what is commonly refered to as a “quarantine” area on most large scale mail systems. I spent a great deal of time going through the “quarantine” because we would have to sift through and forward legitimate email that got caught in quarantine and had to be “released ” from quarantine – but more importantly I would sift through it because it was Interesting , Funny, Hilarious, Disturbing–ADDICTIVE !!

Everyday I would look through this stuff and watch funny videos, inspiring powerpoint slides, funny letters, innappropriate movies/photos etc you name it, it is in there. You see what I started realise whilst I was looking at 85% of the worlds email traffic is that it was just crap…or was it? No. I eventually realised that most of it was MARKETING “in disguise”. I’m sure you have all had someone forward a joke email to you, or a funny picture, or more importantly a funny ad! Ads from around the world. One thing that I started to notice was these emails are sent around ferociously. You would see the same ads over and over. Many would correspond with world events. Major news would sporn multiple viral ads that would be forwarded religiously.

What did learn from all this? I know what gets forwarded and by whom.
I know what types of junk mail get forwarded the most. I know what types of junk mail appeal to women, I know what types of junk appeal to men. I know how major companies test ads globally via email before you see them on TV (usually months after it has gone viral via email). I am also now able to identify hoax ads disguised as “funny emails” that are really advertising – hint ever seen viral emails of “funny billboard signs around the world”?

All one has to do is have imagination and apply your/link product and a url to a “funny video” that has been forwarded to you and – forward it on. Guaranteed if it’s been forwarded to you it’s already been forwarded a million times, which means it will get forwarded a million more times. Trust me on this, ads go round and round for years and years and people are always seeing them for the first time. Many ads you see in quarantine I have seen for 8yrs plus and people still forward them with “This is so funny” or “This is hilarious, you gott see this”. After collecting thousands and thousands of viral campaigns I have learnt one very important lesson……interesting and funny works! It gets attention. It gets forwarded. Why?? Because its interesting !!!!!!

One thing I have never seen in quarantine over a ten year period of monitoring global email is articles, forum posts, capture pages, lessons on how to attract sponsors, reps or any other regurgitated, sycophantic middle of the road crap so prevelant in the online network marketing world today. Why? Because this is not interesting !!! Next time you get a funny video, put a url on it and a slogan relating to your product and forward, track it with a marketing pixel and make sure your product is presented 3 levels deep. Don’t have your product up front. The url should go to something else funny that indirectly but obviously points to what you want your audience to see.

I know you are all probably wanting an example. Ok There is a video that has gone around for a few years showing a packet of 4 AA batteries. Then they show you a large 6 volt battery and open it to reveal 32 batteries for roughly the same price. Now this vid went round the internet and was in email long before I could fiind it on Youtube etc. People would comment on this all the time and many people went out and bought a large battery that they didn’t need just to try it out. Great viral ad to make sales. Deceitful?? Maybe? Upfront pushy sales? Hell no! It’s sellucation! It’s marketing! It’s been going on for years in millions of variations and I’m amazed that network marketers aren’t doing this type of ad.

Anyway here is a link to it. See the comments (no different to what is in email and this vid is still being forwarded today in email, I had it sent to me by a friend a couple of weeks ago hahaha I replied “yawn!” as he knows better than to forward “interesting” emails to me). If this is the first time you have seen this then don’t worry cos there will be millions of others who haven’t seen it also. Please note the “company logo” http://www.metacafe.com/watch/824477/6_volt_battery_hack_youll_be_amazed/

If you’re interested in putting together your own viral campaigns/pranks let’s get together and have some fun!

Regards

Shaun

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Filed under: Affiliate Marketing • Internet Marketing • List Building • Online Marketing • Traffic

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