Viral Business Cards in Second Life

A recent article in Reuters Second Life news caught my attention the other day regarding business cards in Second Life. It appears that the Second Life company Moo is making business cards for Second Life users.

At first I thought what a great idea. Then I thought, how could it be made more viral.

In real life, business cards are handed out here and there during meetings and at conferences and seminars and such. But once they're handed out, they usually stay with the person who received it, and you have to hope that they find your business card when they need your services.

In Second Life, the digital aspect of business cards makes them easily reproducible to hand out to other denizens of the world, while maintaining their own copy. But why would others hand out your business cards to others.

This is where the viral part comes in. They may do so, if your island/land is just incredibly awesome, or if your services or items are incredibly awesome. I've been handed other peoples business cards in world before when asking people for certain things like where to buy cool clothes, or where to find cool places. In these cases, if your business is memorable then people might start handing out your business cards to others who ask for such locations.

The other idea I had, which I've seen successfully used in Second Life, is giving away free boxes/free items that contain your business card, and allow others to give away the free item as long as it comes with the business card.

This strategy is great, because then there is even more reason for people to ask about you and your business. For example: You see someone on a really cool motorcycle and ask them where they got that awesome motorbike. They say "For free, want one?", then when they give it to you, it comes with a business notecard that gives you all the details of the maker and where to find them. This strategy is incredibly effective, and very viral.

The one key thing to remember (As in every viral marketing campaign) is to make the free gift something that is linked with your business and your businesses offerings. That way people remember you when they use the gift they got from you, and they'll come to you when they want more.

Simple and effective. Just check out Second Life and do a bit of brainstorming on what and how you can create a gift that makes your business memorable. If your business is within Second Life then it should be easy, just give a sample product. If your business is not directly in Second Life, then you'll have to think a little more wisely, but you can still come up with something, perhaps a Second Life version of your real life products. ;)

Good luck, and I hope to see you on the grid sometime. (Just IM Jambhala Richez in world)

Peace and Prosperity,

Jambhala Rinpo
ViralMarketingBuzz.com
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