TIP #1

Make Things Catch On


The same six principles drive popularity for all sorts of things. The key is to use as many of them as possible.


MAKE THE CONNECTION: Follow as many of these STEPPS as you can if you want your message spread or product shared: Social currency (make people feel like insiders); Triggers (top of mind means tip of tongue); Emotion (focus on feelings rather than function because when we care, we share); Public (design products that advertise themselves); Practical value (highlight value and package expertise so people can pass it on); tell Stories (share a story people want to tell that, in the process, carries your product along).

TIP #2

Use Word of Mouth


Here’s just one example of how it works: A word-of-mouth conversation with a new customer leads to an almost $200 increase in restaurant sales. While traditional advertising is still useful, word of mouth from everyday Joes and Janes is at least 10 times more effective.


MAKE THE CONNECTION: Word of mouth is more effective than traditional advertising for two key reasons. First, it’s more persuasive. Advertisements usually tell us how great a product is. But because ads will always argue that their products are the best, they’re not really credible. Second, word of mouth is more targeted. Companies try to advertise in ways that allow them to reach the largest number of interested customers. And the company still ends up wasting money because a lot of those people don’t need the product.


Word of mouth, on the other hand, is naturally directed—toward people who are actually interested in the thing being discussed. No wonder customers referred by their friends spend more, shop faster, and produce more profits overall.

Photo: “Will it Blend?” from Blendtec

TIP #3

Tell a Story


Why did more than 200 million consumers share a video about one of the seemingly most boring products there is…a blender? Because the “Will It Blend?” series by Blendtec told a unique and entertaining story. To see for yourself: willitblend.com.



MAKE THE CONNECTION: Stories are like Trojan horses. Information travels under the guise of idle chatter. People are more likely to share a memorable story than a list of technical facts and features about a product. Weave your message into a story that—while contagious—also features the benefits of your product. Feel free to solicit stories from existing customers.

TIP #4

Know It’s ‘All About Me’


The concept of sharing is certainly different from what it was 30 years ago. There is less face-to-face interaction, and that contributes to making people “me” focused.


MAKE THE CONNECTION: People have always thought and cared about themselves, but social media makes this easier to see because it creates a written record. Research suggests that communication via social media contributes to making us even more focused on ourselves and less focused on the wants and needs of others.


Besides lessening the impact of messaging, there’s another issue: Research shows that communications via social media decrease some of the benefits of social interaction. One result? Warm, interpersonal contact reduces stress, but things like texting don’t have the same effect. And that, in turn, affects the consumer’s connection with your communications.