Viral marketing (also called buzz marketing) encourages word of mouth, or “buzz,” by giving your prospect something exciting or valuable to share with others. That “something” can be vital information, a special offer, or a preview of your useful products or services.



True story. In shooting down their nemesis, Scope’s marketers didn’t use logic or claims of quality. They appealed to consumers’ emotions, to their fear that if they used Listerine, their breath would smell like a doctor’s examination room. By all accounts, the tactic succeeded spectacularly.

What does this little story have to do with Personal Branding? Everything.

The common model for building a practice is hardly individualized. Typical is the consultant using template brochures and business cards provided by his an online service or company. Marketing efforts are often minimal, since there’s little incentive to build relationships with clients who see the advisor as identical to the rest of the pack. This route provides an income but little more.

The Nuts & Bolts of Online Personal Branding