According to Malcolm Gladwell, there are three rules of epidemics. In my opinion, here is how we can use social media to implement these rules.
Rule #1 – The Stickiness Factor
Concept: “Messages must have a certain character which causes them to remain active in the recipients’ minds. Moreover, they must be deemed worthy of being passed on.”
Implementation:
1. Create a unique, sticky, and captivating Facebook fan page that works well with personal branding (e.g. check out Mari Smith’s fan page)
2. Content you provide on your blog also should be unique, informative, and valuable for your readers (e.g. Problogger.net)
3. You’re passionate about what you’re doing. Your passion permeates through your keynote presentations, videos you share, etc. (e.g. Gary Vaynerchuk)
4. Have a unique proposition in your niche market so you are the first person people think of when they need services you offer (e.g. Brian Clark from Copyblogger)
5. Get attention on social networking sites by getting more recommendations on LinkedIn, get listed thousands of times on Twitter, etc.
Note: These are simply factors that are hard to duplicate by your competitors, which make them sticky and make you unique. And trust me, uniqueness is good especially in a digital age.
Rule #2 – The Power of Context
Concept: “A rule about the environment in which a message spreads. Small changes in the context of a message can determine whether or not it tips.”
Implementation:
1. Create long-lasting communities via social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. (Facebook and LinkedIn both let you form your own groups)
2. Use sites such as Meetup to conduct meaningful offline meetings. Meetup allows you to form groups centering certain topics.
3. Fostering a positive learning environment where knowledge flows freely. We just had a social media seminar yesterday where we featured the Meetup founder Scott Heiferman. At the meeting, we especially focused on answering the question “how to create a community that lasts” (review).
4. Creating special reward programs for employees or affiliates to get compensated based on performance. For example, at NY Entrepreneurs Business Network, we are running monthly affiliate programs where special bonuses are given away to members who help spread the word about our community.
5. If you have a website or blog for your own business, make sure your site is created in a way people can share information easily. For example, you can see the Retweet, and Digg buttons are installed on this WebStudio13. Such tools should be integrated on your community sites so sharing information can be a breeze for your members.
Rule #3 – The Law of The Few
Concept: “This law describes how messages are passed through word of mouth. The book mentioned “connectors” and “mavens”. Basically, they are the types of people who help make a message go viral. They are the sources that cause ‘Epidemics.’”
Implementation:
1. In social media sphere, befriend people who are influential in their own niche markets. This single fact indicates they have the ability to lead and deliver your messages efficiently to their networks.
2. Pay attention to the feedback you received for the products or services that you offer. For example, I have a Meetup group. Once an event is finished, I would receive tons of reviews. I’d like to read each of these reviews carefully to see who are serious about networking. Because those people are a select few that I want to build relationship with.
3. Come up with creative compensation programs where people are encouraged to spread your messages or, in my case, become my blog subscribers. Here the real point is to seek out the opinion leaders who’d like to join your community. With web 2.0 tools, you can design a contest which help you select qualified individuals.
4. Be a connector yourself. Be confident that you are the one that connects people. You are indispensable! You should position yourself as the trust agent that conveys knowledge selfishlessly to others within your social networks.
5. If you are running similar groups as mine via social media sites such as Meetup, be mindful that only few people are qualified to assist you. In my case, they are my assistant organizers. It could take a long time to identify the right people. But it’s worth the time. Be cautious and observant in selecting the right individuals via social media tools. (Note: take a look at the assistant organizers at NY Entrepreneurs Business Network, a group I am running by using the Meetup platform.
According to Malcolm Gladwell, these three rules are what will eventually start epidemics. They signifies the tipping point. They are the reason why a blog post, a Flickr picture, or a YouTube video can go viral. Implement them well and there is no doubt your business will soar like viruses do!
Related posts:
- How to Use Social Media to Promote Your Next Event No matter if you are a corporate employee or...
- HOW TO: Become A Better Networker (The Social Media Guide) As the organizer of NY Entrepreneurs Business Network (NYEBN),...
- How to – 5 Tips to Promote Your Business Brand Using Social Media As an entrepreneur, I’ve realized how cost-effective it can...
- 5 Ways You Can Motivate Others Via Social Media As the usage of social media becomes more widespread...
- 6 Tips On How Small Business Owners Can Use Social Media I was reading an article from Problogger today about...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
