…it’s advertising. Or maybe PR. And there’s a lot of luck involved.

“Viral marketing” has become such a buzzword, with so many vendors promising “viral results”–ugh. Would it be great to create the next Pink Gloves Dance and be featured on national news outlets? Sure. Would it raise a ton of awareness? Yes. And if that’s what you’re trying to do, than great.

But it’s not marketing. Not really. I talk a lot about word of mouth marketing and community-driven marketing (homage to Jeremy Epstein). Using WOM is a discipline. It takes a commitment to community building, 2-way communication, and clarity over control. There’s a lot more to it than creating an awesome video and spreading it around on YouTube, though that may be a piece of the bigger picture. There’s a lot more to it than throwing a button on your website that says “share this with your friends,” though that may be a piece as well. Great WOM cultivates relationships that lead to measurable results over time.

And maybe that’s the distinction I’m trying to make. What does “going viral” really do for you, other than put you in the spotlight for a very short period of time, until the next big thing comes around to take your place. Word of mouth marketing, on the other hand is a long-term movement that has the potential to flourish over time with the right nurturing. And by the way, word of mouth isn’t confined to the web.

Most associations will never create a viral phenomenon. And why bother? Focus on the fundamentals of word of mouth–give your members something worth talking about and an easy tool to do it. Measure, adjust, and repeat.

PS – Check out Maddie’s comment on this Associations Now article, “How to go viral.” Amen.

Originally posted @ Association Marketing Springboard (Now SocialFishing)