Pronet Advertising

Staying warm with your Buzz

Buzz is like a campfire. Weak products will cause your fire to flare up and die quickly, whereas good products will burn for awhile. Also, if you don't know how to build or take care of it you'll just end up with a pile of black sticks. Here are some tips for staying warm with your buzz.

1. Do something abnormal and try to revolutionize a market. Don't make a copycat product that just looks different or feels different. Make a product with something bigger in mind. This could be as simple as a new pricing model or as complicated as a large vision that makes products which break away from the norm. The key is to be original and address an unmarked need. This will help make sure that the buzz is about your product and not about what you've done to make the buzz happen. No good fire will burn long with only newspaper as fuel. Use really big solid oak logs.
2. When creating your buzz, make your product sound appealing and interesting. Your buzz should generate excitement and make people want more. Enthusiasm is contagious so make sure it shows in your buzz. Otherwise, the buzz you work hard to create will fall flat and people won't remember you at all. Don't start your fire with flint and steel, use lighter fluid if you have to.
3. Be responsive to your audience if they start talking back. Let them know you are listening by responding to comments or emails. These people might be potential customers and you should make them feel valued and respected. This is also important because they might be telling you something that could guide you in product development or how you operate. Responding to comments and emails will also keep people talking. If they think you are listening, they might be more likely to talk. You've got a spark and a good fire, so blow on it to help it out.

Buzz can be very valuable for launching a product because it generates excitement, draws customers towards your product, and can help you get some good feedback. However, you've got to remember that buzz isn't worth anything without a good product and proper execution. Buzz alone won't get you where you should be going, but it can certainly add to a perfectly executed business if used properly.

Cameron Olthuis, April 10, 2006

Don't forget to track your buzz either, right? (wink wink)

No seriously. It's important that you always track your buzz, you need to know what's being said about you at all times, good or bad.

Great post, you're on a roll lately.