Viral Marketing Techniques - Challenges

Marketing buzzwords come and go. Terms such as "surefire", "greatest", "as seen on TV", and "innovative" each have been featured in millions of advertising headlines. These once powerful marketing words eventually became overused in the advertising world. As a result, they lost much of the impact they once had to persuade people to buy a product.

There is a marketing word being used today that companies are making millions of dollars a year from that consumers aren't even close to sick of hearing. That word is "Challenge".

People love to challenge themselves. They love to say they conquered a challenge. It makes them feel better about themselves, and gives them something to boast about to their friends. Whatever the reason, the word "Challenge" quickly hooks a person into reading more.

Some companies are building their entire marketing strategy around challenges. An example is Ed Dale's "30 Day Challenge" which challenges participants to create a profitable Internet business in 30 days.

So can it work for your business? Can you create a viral marketing campaign by challenging your customers to do something that is so difficult only the best can achieve it?

Here are a few ways regular businesses can use challenges to attract new customers.

1) Reward Anyone Who Accomplishes a Certain Result

Offer a discount or prize to those who complete a certain task.

For example, a gym could offer to refund membership fees paid during the first three months to any customers who lose over 25 pounds during that time period.

2) Run a Competition

Run a competition right in your store where people compete against each other. Give a unique prize to the winner.

Make it a recurring event for added impact. That way, people can refer their friends to future events, and the event can grow stronger and stronger every time you run it.

3) Make a Quiz

Create a quiz related to your product on your website which gives the user a score, and suggests that they challenge their friends to see if they can beat that score. People love to compare their performance with others. People love it when they score higher on something than a friend does.

4) Help People Achieve a Certain Result with Your Product

Some people need a helping hand. That's why Ed Dale's 30 Day Internet Marketing Challenge is so successful. He actually guides people through the process of creating a money-making website. Can you create a series of videos that guide people towards a certain result with your product or service? They may be more willing to purchase your product if you can guide them to achieve great results with it.

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