No. I Don't Want to Go to a Party in Your Pants.

Whats more important- the effort you put into the party or the invitation?

Nowadays, everyone wants viral marketing.

You want it. Your uncle wants it. You mom does.

We all want something that people will pass around to each other like an STD at spring break. OMG that’s a horrible analogy, but you get it. Once you search for “mentos and diet coke,” and see how a 3 minute video shot on a cheap camera can get in front of 2.5 million sets of eyes with almost no money invested you catch the bug.

But, let’s say you create the next viral sensation- what then?

When 2.5 million people spread your catchy video, and a percentage of them visit your website, what will they see?

Consider it like throwing a party for your customers. You just sent out 2.5 million catchy invites. When the party goers show up, will they find great food, cool music, and sweet atmosphere? Will they meet people? Why should they show up again?

If they come to your party and your place is a mess, no one can find the bathroom and the beer is all cheap domestic swill, you wasted your time. No matter how much people enjoy the invites, none of them want to go to a lame party.

In the same way, before you put money or effort convincing people to go TO your site, take some time to look around and ask yourself, “If I were invited to come here, would I enjoy it enough TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE TO GO?”

Marketing, and especially viral marketing isn’t about dressing your site up to look like something it isn’t- it’s about telling the story of how awesome your site already is and getting others to do it for you. If you plan on inviting customers to your party, make sure that they all have a remarkable experience- then they’ll gladly invite all their friends.