“Let’s Get on Digg” Is not a Word of Mouth Strategy

Nobody I meet at a party ever asks me how to develop a long-term plan to incrementally establish a strong presence and positive reputation for their company.

Instead, it’s “How can we get on Digg?” “How can I get on Oprah?” “How can I get my company featured in Fast Company?”

Those are the wrong questions, as JetNumbers’ Nathan Schorr is learning. Schorr approached numerous top Diggers, trying to use persuasion to get a link to his company posted on the site.

The tactic backfired, and for the next little while JetNumbers will be synonymous with underhanded word-of-mouth marketing techniques.

The question the Nathans of the world should be asking is, “What story about my company would my potential customers be interested in, and how can I get that story in front of them in a way that has impact?”

A simple blogger outreach program that operated in the open, with nothing to hide, would have fewer risks and more long-term benefits for a young company like JetNumbers. At the centre of the outreach would be the ways in which real people can put the service to good use staying in touch with distant family members, or others.

Take-away: Don’t waste your time tricking people to read your marketing materials. Look for ways to get your true brand ambassadors to spread word of mouth in a legitimate way.

Tags: backfire, buzz, digg, marketing, promotion, bloggers, reputation, word of mouth