Tag Archives: Marketing

It’s Time For A Change, So I’m (Re) Opening For Business

For those who have been under the COVID-19 cloud, I was let go from Third Door Media in April due to, well, a COVID-induced restructuring. It’s always tough to unexpectedly lose a job; I have been through this once before during the recession in 2008. But this time the word “challenging” does not suffice.

A job search can feel like zero value for a ton of work.

Actually, let me step back. That’s not entirely true. I have connected and reconnected with dozens of colleagues over the last four months, and have gotten to know some fantastic new friends. I have become more involved and I have networked in the past few months like I never have before. Searching for a job is grueling, thankless work. For years I have been fortunate to have had my work come to me naturally, and frankly dismissed the tedium and hard work that is involved in a job search, especially in such a competitive market. It’s easy to be complacent and think you can find a position right away.

Back to marketing consulting.

During my job search, I have had so many wonderful colleagues offer support, and ask me, “Why not do your own thing?” Well, after four months of looking for an in-house gig, I decided to embrace consulting again. I have not stopped looking, but now I’m ready to work more than ever. After so many hours of outreach and preparing for interviews, I realized I can share a lot more if I opened up and offered my marketing experience and knowledge to help organizations, rather than hold out for that perfect opportunity.

I’d like to take a moment to thank these fantastic humans.

Akvile DeFazio
Alex Bennert
Amy Gesenhues
Andrew Shotland
Anita Brearton
Anne Jordan
Anne Wright
Barry Schwartz
Betsy Peters
Brenda Darroch
Brian Gagnon
Brooke Sellas
Casie Gillette
Chris Elwell
Dan Dinsmore
Dana Schwind
Danny Sullivan
David Frankel
Doc Sheldon
Elisabeth Osmeloski
Eric Lander
Ginny Marvin
Greg Sterling
Heather Jury
Jane Bogue
Jane Mount
Janice Rogers
Jeff Jordan
Jim Darroch
Jon Henshaw
Karen DeWeese
Karl Scholz
Kathleen Haley
Katie Jordan
Kellianne Frankel
Kristy Morrison
Lindsey Tishgart
Malinda Gagnon
Mark Traphagen
Marty Weintraub
Melissa Ledesma
Michael Robinson
Michele Martin
Michelle DeMent
Michelle Hayes
Michelle Robbins
Nori Gale
Phoebe Fasulo
Purna Virji
Sara Runnels
Stephanie Seymour
Stephanie St. Martin
Susanne Gurman
Tim Wright
Vicki Frost
Wendy Almeida

And yes, Guy Raz.

Guy Raz offers job search support

Monica Wright: Certified Viral Marketing Scientist

By Dan Zarrella

What is Viral Marketing Science?

It is most efficacious to look at social and viral marketing on a campaign level, evaluating viral marketing campaigns as a whole instead of each individual component. Viral marketing science is all about figuring out what and how things spread, as opposed to the more general “how communities interact online,” and so the science comes in when various elements are interacting with each other and with the audience.

It is important to note that this does not mean that viral marketing is purely tactical; on the contrary, there is a great deal of strategy present in how these campaigns fit into a brand’s overall marketing mix. The science is in hitting the sweet spot between viral tactical elements and overarching marketing strategy.

The fields viral marketing most commonly draws from include sociology, neurology, statistics, history, psychology (especially evolutionary), economics, biology and memetics. Metaphors and epidemiology models or terms also serve as useful tools when communicating about viral marketing, as these are much more commonly understood.

Much of the information currently available about social and viral marketing is comprised of two distinct types: conjecture-driven and data-driven. The former is the majority, a formulation of advice based on anecdotal evidence and “what seems right.” Work with multivariate testing, combined with research from The Tipping Point and Freakonomics, has shown that the actual data often disproves the conclusions drawn purely from gut-feelings. Recent efforts have focused on creating content that is backed by facts, not feelings, and falls into the data-driven bucket. This is called viral marketing science.

One of the first literary works to expose the potential power of scientific viral marketing was, surprisingly, a work of fiction: Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash. In it, the villain creates a biolingusitic virus based on a prototypical, brain-stem related Sumerian language. He uses the virus to practically enslave a large segment of people in a world domination plot.

There is also room for art in viral marketing; the creativity, intuition and improvisation involved in a successful campaign often come from a deep understanding of the data involved. But the brute creative genius most people assume is the core of contagious campaigns can make the entire exercise seem like entirely unpredictable black magic. However, using scientific methods, it is possible for mere mortals to create repeatably viral campaigns.