If there is anyone thing marketers seek to do in their programs about their company, its product and/or services, is to create buzz. The social media can create buzz much faster than any other method.
But as social media expert Randall Craig elaborates, creating buzz is a game of "follow the leader."
"The primary technique is to find opinion leaders and get them to endorse the product or service, either implicitly or explicitly," he said. "It's a strategy where once the opinion leader is seen endorsing the product or service, their followers will soon—follow."
His techniques for creating buzz start with the message. Think about what you want people to say and define your message accordingly.
Next is your market. You must have an audience in mind for who will hear the message.
Then, you must know which people's opinions are being followed. Said Craig, "They might be people in positions of authority, people with platforms to reach others like bloggers, speakers, authors, celebrities, etc., or people who are just highly networked—maybe a colleague."
Fourth is where the influencers spend their time. You should identify both online and real-world places.
Think about what will catch the attention of the influencers, so that they will reach out to their network. It may be information, it may be physical or it may be emotional.
Using social media can help amplify the message, and engage with your target market directly. This can be done through directly replying/posting in Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, through social media contests, or social gaming. "Buzz is accomplished through mass engagement, not through an ad agency or central marketing department," explained Craig, "If you can empower your entire workforce, customers, and suppliers to socialize your message with their networks, the multiplier effect can be dramatic."
Finally, Craig said the marketer must deliver on its promises. Nothing kills buzz and sales more than a product or service that doesn't live up to expectations. The momentum of buzz will quickly turn negative if there is anything that is out-of-place, contrived, or sub-standard.
