I don’t think that I’m alone in saying that I love free things. We can all identify with the feeling that comes with getting something without tapping into our wallets. But what if you could get things for “free” that would only cost you a few minutes out of your day?
You might remember that our book mentioned a particular website called BzzAgent, which relies on the groundswell in order to create marketing momentum through social media and personal blogs. BzzAgent sends you a product kit, you answer some survey questions about the brand prior to and after you get the product, and with a few suggested hashtags, you post to your social media accounts promoting the item(s) that you have received. Easy enough right?
When a friend told me about this site a few years ago, I blew it off. Nothing in life is free. That holds true here, but in this case the only currency they expect of you time, a bit of effort and an honest opinion. As I previously stated…I’m a sucker for free things…so I signed up.
Fast forward to this past week when after a year-long hiatus, I got a little nudge from BzzAgent asking if I wanted to try a new toothpaste. Since the timing of the invitation was coincidental I decided to reserve my spot in the campaign.
So, how does BzzAgent model their consumer involvement? according to the other diagram below, the concentrate on four key areas: Targeting & Engaging, Stimulating, Generating, and Reaching & Influencing. Sound familiar? It’s basically the key groundswell strategies that we have all become familiar with.
So, what comes next? You’ve just gotten your brand new tube of toothpaste or bag of coffee. How do you call upon the powers bestowed upon you by the groundswell? Buzz about it. Tell the world.
