Tis’ the Season, and I’m not talking about the Holidays; I’m actually talking about politics. With elections coming up and campaigns underway, there is always talk of what political scandals and the ethical and non-ethical practices of campaigns. In fact, many candidates in 2010 will do whatever it takes to win. Unfortunately, this doesn’t just apply to politics—it’s also a dilemma in business and it’s year around.
In marketing, there’s a common practice called astroturfing. Simply put, astroturfing is creating a façade that resembles a grass roots behavior in the hopes of creating buzz around a political candidate, service or product.
For example, many nutritional supplement companies use the practice of astroturfing. They hire people to go into health and wellness messages boards and create a buzz around their product. Here’s the catch: The people who have done this have never even tested the product for themselves. These types of dishonest practices are not only unethical, but are not capable of sustaining in long term success.
One of the four Ps of marketing is product. While we realize that a product cannot sell itself (hence it’s three cohorts price, place and promotion), it must at least create some sort of perceived value to the customer. Untrue comments on a message board will not be enough to sustain a long term perception of value.
Assuming that all of you have created a totally legitimate product or service, why not create an honest viral campaign that’s true all the way down the roots. Actually allowing people to sample your product or test out your service may be pricier, but the roots of the campaign will be firm and will act as a foundation for sustainable success.
If you’d like help creating a viral campaign that’s true to your roots, call SRJ today. We know how to create the buzz your company needs to reach long-term success!
