MarketingProfs' Members Register for B2B Forum 2010 for just $695! (good until 11/30) »

Ask your question ... sign up today! It's FREE!
Advertising/PR     
 
This question has been closed, and points have been awarded.
Looking For Viral Mktg Ideas For Www.mousenvy.com
Posted By: mouse on 11/3/2009 10:14 AM (CST) 500 Points
I feel our product and website (www.mousenvy.com) is unique enough to get some good viral marketing mileage. The site is in a nice niche and has #1 Google ranking for "Novelty Computer Mouse" and "Unique Computer Mouse".

I'm looking for ideas to get the products/website to go viral. Can you help? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Posted by: rwhitney Accepted Answer
11/3/2009 10:45 AM (CST)
In just the 3 minutes I spent on the site, I'm imagining that word-of-mouth would spread quickly with any of the following:

Have a handful of users of twitter with decent (not the corporate tweeter) to tweet something about the most expensive mouse you have for sale. I would likely RT something if it were like "A $25,000 computer mouse? Seriously".

Also, just by virtue of having unique items, you could use a combo twitpic/tweet campaign to get the images of some of the more popular/edgy items going.

Unfortunately, one of the keys to going viral is to not seem like you're trying to. Don't ask to be retweeted, etc.

I wish I had more time, but that might give you some ideas.
 
Posted by: Gary Bloomer Accepted Answer
11/3/2009 10:57 AM (CST)
Dear mouse,

Having the #1 Google ranking for "Novelty Computer Mouse" and "Unique Computer Mouse" is great.

It might even be cool.

But the bigger question apart from one about viral advertising might be: Who's searching for those terms? A keyword search reveals that for BOTH terms you mention that there are 1,070 searches per month.

What's your click to purchase conversion rate per month from both search terms? Whatever that number is, is that enough in terms of monthly revenue? I t may not be, hence your desire to "go viral".

But for other terms there are far more searches. So why not go where the searches are BEFORE you think about viral anything?
The term "viral" is, let's be honest here, hype. At best, it's trendy. At worst, it's meaningless. You cannot bank trendy. You cannot bank meaningless.

I don't think you need anything viral. I think what you need is qualified traffic. And if you're going to be relying on the results from fewer than 1,200 searches per month, you're facing the real possibility of not getting a ton of qualified, cash in hand, eager to buy visitors.

To create interest in your products, use video on your site. Use social media to drive traffic to those videos. Consider bundling your mice into more compelling offers: "Buy two, get on free!" (which always sounds better than three for the price of two); "Collect the set"; and so on. Theme sets of mice and you create more demand.

Feature video of your mice in action on your site. The chopped of chile pepper is doing you few favours because it's not clear what it is. For less than $150 you can buy a FLIP Ultra HD video camera and INSTANTLY make videos for your site.

Video is cheap, it's easy, it's fun, and it engages people. Post to Youtube, use Twitter and Facebook to drive traffic, have a textual link on your video that directs traffic to your site and bingo.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA
 
Posted by: PhilGrisolia=Results Accepted Answer
11/3/2009 11:37 AM (CST)
Care to explain the introduction of something called "Pat Says Now" on your FAQ page. What's the relationship with Mousenvy. Whatever that is, it need explaining someplace on the site.
 
Posted by: mouse Author Response
11/3/2009 12:01 PM (CST)
Thank you all for your responses.

rwhitney:
I have thought about Twitter, but how do I get people with enough followers to tweet about our mice??

Gary Bloomer:
Competing with Microsoft on a more common "Computer Mouse" search word is obviously a dead end. Do you see how I can compete? There is already video on most of the product pages. Now what?

PhilGrisolia=Results:
Mousenvy sell's the Pat Says Now brand of computer mice. I'm not sure how explaining this would make any difference.

Thanks again for everyone's ideas!



 
Posted by: W.M.M.A. Accepted Answer
11/3/2009 12:03 PM (CST)
I visited your site. From the landing page, I didn't see anything that I haven't seen in dozens of other sites or swap meets or weekend outdoor malls, that sell "mice". It's the same stuff.

Risque' (NOT RISKEE).

OK, you have a $23,500 mouse. That's the thing that will bring people to you. But, in our opinion, you will need to "display" it as a $23,500 mouse should be displayed. It needs to be special. In a glass case with an armed guard.

Perhaps you could create a strategy to utilize Tiffany diamonds or other stones. Perhaps w/the right marketing strategy, you could partner with Tiffany or whomever.

Find a star to buy it.

Do you have a business plan? In it, do you have a marketing strategy? If not, do that first.
If so, revise it and get out there and create excitement over your very expensive stuff...

If we can help, just ask.

Randall
White Mountain Marketing Associates
Houston (The REAL) Texas
 
Posted by: Jay Hamilton-Roth Accepted Answer
11/3/2009 12:23 PM (CST)
To go viral, you need something worth talking about. For example, how about allowing people to design their own mouse (they provide the artwork, you ship the custom mouse to them)? Have contests for best mouse design.

Instead of trying to have novelty mice, focus on some of the niches that you target: racing fans, risqué crowd, etc. and try to get the niche to be interested in your mice.
 
Posted by: Jay Hamilton-Roth Member Response
11/3/2009 12:23 PM (CST)
To go viral, you need something worth talking about. For example, how about allowing people to design their own mouse (they provide the artwork, you ship the custom mouse to them)? Have contests for best mouse design.

Instead of trying to have novelty mice, focus on some of the niches that you target: racing fans, risqué crowd, etc. and try to get the niche to be interested in your mice.
 
Posted by: Gary Bloomer Member Response
11/3/2009 6:26 PM (CST)
Q: If all you're going to do is reject or shoot down every suggestion, idea, and helpful thought, why are you asking for help?
 
Posted by: mgoodman Accepted Answer
11/3/2009 6:35 PM (CST)
Why do you want to "go viral?" Isn't it traffic and conversions you want? Isn't sales the ultimate goal?

If so, you need to figure out what it's worth to get traffic to your site. How much would you be willing to pay for each new prospect who lands on the site? What is the value of a customer? What conversion rate can you expect?

Go back to your business plan and figure out how much you should be willing to invest in bringing traffic to your site. Then start testing some ways of getting it. Maybe something you do will result in "going viral," but you probably won't be able to make that happen just by wishing for it. It will happen when you do everything else right -- if your product/story strikes a nerve with your primary target audience.
 
Posted by: mouse Author Response
11/3/2009 6:42 PM (CST)
Gary Bloomer:
I'm sorry you feel that I'm "rejecting every suggestion", I'm simply trying to understand the ideas and have a dialog here.

Thank you all for the thought provoking ideas.
 
Posted by: Gary Bloomer Member Response
11/4/2009 9:54 AM (CST)
Dear Mouse,

You don't create dialog with comments like this: "Competing with Microsoft on a more common "Computer Mouse" search word is obviously a dead end. Do you see how I can compete? There is already video on most of the product pages. Now what?"

You compete by using other terms. You sell by engaging people.

I said nothing about Microsoft or the term "computer mouse". If you go to Google's keyword search and type in the original terms you gave you'll find dozens of high ranking terms with little ad competition that have no connection to Microsoft.

The other sites using video? None of them feature your story, your customers, your brand.

There are all kinds of tales you can weave, tales you can tell and engaging customer stories that you can tell that no one else can tell.

The key is to think literally and laterally, and to meet people's needs. Give them what they're looking for.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA
 
Posted by: carrie77 Moderator Response
11/14/2009 7:21 AM (CST)
Hi Everyone,

I am closing this question since there has been no activity in 10 days.

Thanks for participating!
Carrie (Production Editor)
 


Get more answers ... ReTweet this!

Would you like to post a response?
Welcome to Know-How Exchange!
This is a collaborative community. We welcome everyone's participation.
All you need to do is login. Enter your account info in the box above (top right).
Not a member? Not a problem. Register here (it's FREE and EASY).




Know-How Exchange powered by MarketingProfs


Sponsored Links

Buy a Link Now

Just Released ... Download Today!
Just Released ... Download Today!
Look inside
Included with Premium Membership
User Name:
Password:
Remember Me
Forgot your password?

Top 25 KHE Experts
(Advertising/PR)
Jay Hamilton-Roth (43473)
W.M.M.A. (31505)
mgoodman (25971)
CarolBlaha (19996)
michael (17966)
thinkmor (11658)
PhilGrisolia=Results (11575)
darcy.moen (10787)
stevea (10362)
NuCoPro (9474)
Peter (henna gaijin) (9467)
telemoxie (8723)
mbarber (8199)
Mushfique Manzoor (7932)
Puru Gupta (6790)
SteveByrneBranding (6482)
Gary Bloomer (6295)
SRyan ;] (5966)
shghosh (5797)
Deremiah *CPE (5479)
Pepper Blue (5368)
ASVP/ChrisB (5176)
Tracey (5120)
Mikee (4878)
amandavega (4775)
Recently Posted Marketing Jobs
Director of Marketing and Communications
Demand Generation Manager
Marketing/Advertising Faculty
Director of Marketing
Market Analyst
Sr. Field Marketing Manager - Business Intell.
Associate Vice President of Marketing and Corporat
Marketing Manager
[more jobs]

Join over 355,000 members ... SIGN UP!

My email address is and I'd like my password to be .

Already a member? Sign In!

My email address is , and my password is .


HACKER SAFE certified sites prevent over 99.9% of hacker crime.