I was savoring a cranberry orange muffin and a giant mug of black coffee in my favorite coffee shop the other morning, when I heard a couple raving about their breakfast crepes.
A woman at the next table chimed in about how thrilled she was with HER breakfast selection. Then a gentleman looked up from his laptop and announced that if those customers thought breakfast was good, they ought to come back for the tapas offered on the evening menu!
There, before my eyes, was a mini example of viral marketing in action.
How wonderful it would be, I thought, if the owners of that shop were able to capture those smiles, those sincere words, those unsolicited recommendations on a video. A YouTube of satisfied customers!
I mused about how this might work. An owner could ask customers if they’d be willing to be a part of a montage of happy customers ad-libbing about their experience. If yes, they’d be provided with a pre-printed release form to give permission for the images and words to appear in a YouTube supporting the restaurant on their Web site.
I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t take long for the “How was breakfast?” video to be up and running. Followed, of course, by the “Enjoy those tapas?” video!
The spontaneous appreciation of a business deserves to be heard by the entire community of potential customers … not just the writer at the counter with her mouth full of muffin.
Donna Parrey
Editor-in-Chief
Write Brain Wordsmiths 