Unleashing the IDEA Virus by Seth Godin

Unleashing the IDEA Virus by Seth Godin discusses how a good idea, like a virus, spreads rapidly. Your idea in the form of a unique business proposition, product, or service can create a contagious viral buzz.

Unleashing the Idea Virus is a necessary textbook for marketers. Ideas Virus was Seth Godin’s third book.  He created viral activity by giving away the PDF copy and selling the hard copy on Amazon. At the end of every chapter, Godin encouraged people to tell others and encourage them to download it for free too. Since then, Godin has been a best-selling author.  Godin discusses in the book various case studies. Interrupting people is not an efficient approach to marketing. The old interruption techniques in the current information economy are doomed to failure. Consumers are highly informed and sophisticated. Ideas go viral and products sell when marketers empower customers to infect each other.  The book refers to hives and sneezers. Hives are the groups of people to whom the idea has some specific relevance. Sneezers are the people likely to spread your idea.  And then you have promiscuous sneezers, people that gain monetarily to spread the idea. I wish I had a buck for everyone I’ve shared Seth’s books with.

Speaking of going viral; “Where the Hell is Matt?”  Google “Matt.”  He’s on page one, at the top.   A few months into a trip overseas, Matt’s friend suggested; Why don’t you stand over there and do that dance you do and  I’ll record it.  Matt’s silly dance went viral with millions of fans worldwide.  His 2008 video at the time of this writing has almost 47 million views.

Also, a couple of other viral marketing campaigns involve monkeys and cavemen. Both are great for comic relief and attracts attention. Google “Truck Monkey” and enjoy. Geico got people talking about cavemen with their tagline, “it’s so easy a caveman can do it.”   I switched to Geico.   It took “fifteen minutes and saved 15% on my insurance.