I had some interesting conversations this week (with people who don’t have a clue what viral marketing is), as well as some thought provoking ideas go through my mind this week that I wanted share for todays viral marketing idea.

After having a post about my son telling me to Google It go popular on Digg several months back, it got me thinking about what a preschool could do to go viral, or even if they would need to because the competition is so little - But thats just it, easy for someone like me, but not for someone whose main focus and goal is to run a preschool business, and who has no skill (or know-how) when it comes to Internet marketing. Thats when this does make sense, and I am going to share why it can help grow their business more then they could ever have imagined possible.

I was at the Zoo a few days back with my son and his entire preschool class and teacher, as well as all the other kids parents. During lunch I overheard a conversation (I was sitting right next to them so, no I wasn’t spying - ok, well I was but it was because they were talking about marketing) about ways the preschool teacher could advertise and market her business. I remember when I first got my son in this preschool she was going to have another teacher join her, and they were going to have two sets of classes etc., but then could not because they did not have enough people sign up for the school. This is basically what the conversation was about, and what the teacher could do to generate more to her business.

First, the teacher (at this point) does not even have a website, but thats not a deal breaker because with the lovely local search results that Google and other various engines are providing us, and different social media (viral) websites that are local based (Yelp) and focused - she still has a chance. I wanted to yell to her to go list with Google Local, and that alone would probably help her fill up her classrooms more then she can, but this post is about viral marketing so I will resist from talking anymore about local search.

Back to the point - the example above I gave about my post going popular on Digg talking about something funny my son said. I never intended on that post to go popular, I did not write it (no matter what all my Internet marketing peers think) to go popular, I just wanted to share something I thought was cute to my readers, and the people in (or out) of my industry. Well, my son said something pretty dang funny again the other day, and it got me thinking about how a preschool business could turn the funny things kids say to a viral campaign that could really set them apart from anyone they are going up against! One campaign gone viral in this industry and they are on top for ages, not to mention the credibility when people to “Google” your business and see multiple results and people talking about you.

I was outside with a neighbor and others (which makes this more embarrassing) and the kids were playing with this balloon toy that would launch these hot dog looking balloons (for what seemed like a mile) into the air. They were having so much fun, then my son comes and has this long balloon, and holds it in front of everybody and puts it down by his mid section and proudly proclaims “Look, I have a big dong”! After, all the laughing from the neighbors (or trying not to because I was trying to teach him this was not a nice thing to say) and the neighbors trying to hold it in, I just could not stop thinking how this could be used for viral marketing.

Rather then getting another front page of Digg for talking about something that my son said again, i wanted to share this as an example of what a preschool business could do to go viral. I am not saying they use this exact example. I probably would not suggest it, but kids say so many cute things (even take the things your own ones say) you could probably come up with a pretty good list that would make people laugh. If you are thinking this has been done to much, or there have been shows about it, or there is just nothing funny anymore about it, then I need to remind you again about the post I wrote going popular for something my kid said. It can still happen if its good enough.

Here are the “link bait” examples of titles that could work really well - “10 Things Your Preschool Teacher Hears About You When Are Away From Your Kid” or “10 Things You Wish Your Kid Never Told Their Preschool Teacher” or (even better) if you have video “10 Of The Funniest Videos Capturing What Kids Say About Mom And Dad”. I think these are enough title ideas to get you thinking of where I could go, and am going with this viral idea for a preschool business.

I think that some preschools could really benefit from this information because, as there are some really small ones out there that are run out of homes, there are some huge national chains that (from what I have seen) really need to do a better job with their Internet marketing, and search engine optimization. They are missing out on the better portion of the local traffic by not taking advantage of the simple things that are right in front of them for the taking. I can talk personally about this too, because about 5 years ago I did some marketing for a local (at the time - a very small run out of basement one) preschool in Utah, who now has a huge building with several different classrooms, a gym type dance studio, fully functional office (and staff), and is full to the breaking point every semester! It has been 5 years, and I have not touched the marketing, and they still dominate for everything they wanted to!

If you have viral marketing idea questions, and would like us to tell you how to make your business go viral in one of our VMIF posts please leave a comment here (or on any of our posts tagged viral marketing), or as always send Chris or myself an email.

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