How does something go viral? Is it a process in which you throw your message into the massive boiling pot of Internet, cross your fingers, and hope for the best? Or is there a distinct set of steps that, when implemented effectively, can hack viral growth?

Malcolm Gladwell, of “Outliers” & “Freakonomics” fame, reveals that there is, in fact, a formula that can make the magic happen. In 2002 he came out with “The Tipping Point”, where he introduces three distinct laws that, when religiously adhered to, will light your marketing campaign on fire.

Law 1) It Takes Only an Exceptional Few to Create a Social Epidemic

When it comes to viral growth, there are three types of people working who are capable of creating a social epidemic. Gladwell identifies them as Connectors, Market Mavens, and Salesmen.

Connectors

• Connectors are individuals who have a significant social presence and impact. Think captain of the football team, the president of a fraternity, the CEO of a company. They are leaders, and their adoring followers mirror their habits and mannerisms.
• When a Connector takes up your cause, you benefit from access and exposure to their extensive following, and you have a role-model with inherent authority amongst their many friends to validate your message.
• Identify Connectors through Facebook Groups (see The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Social Network).

Market Mavens

• Market Mavens are finely attuned to certain markets. This could be the hard-core foodie who always knows where to get the best burger in town, or travel junkie who will tell you where you can grab the best beer in Berlin.
• Market Mavens are the first to pick up on new developments in the market that they are passionate about, and always have the most authority on the subject in their social circles. Their recommendation translates to the most authentic validation to your cause.
• Identify and reach out to Market Mavens through the Facebook Groups, blogs, and forums that pertain to the market you are targeting…they will most likely be significant contributors.

Salesmen 

• Salesmen are the variable in your viral marketing equation over which you have the most control. They are either an active part of your team, or under your employ.
• An effective Salesman will introduce Market Mavens to the benefit of your cause, and oversee the transitional movement of that message from Mavens to Connectors.
• It is the role of the Salesman to keep exposing the cause to these specific groups of people, until Connectors and Mavens are passionately fueling growth organically on their own.

Law 2) The Message that Stays is the Message that Sticks

Going viral can be a double-edged sword. Typically, the faster you obtain your following, the harder it will be to retain it. People need to be convinced that they can easily fit your message into their lives.

Do this by updating your product line, perpetuating your hype, or building a viable culture around your message (Red Bull stratosphere jumps anyone?). Inevitably, the level of quality and necessity that is inherent to your cause will determine how well it will stick. Deliberately test your intuitions, monitor feedback, and don’t market something that won’t stick. 

Law 3) Context is everything

Most people are under the impression that virality equates to mass exposure; that the higher the exposure rate, the higher the likelihood that it will influence the actions and behaviors of more people (see Ten Reasons You Need to be Using Social Media Right Now). This perception could not be farther from the truth. If your viral marketing strategy consists nothing more of flooding mailboxes, inboxes, and ad spaces, stop. Messaging every one of your Facebook Friends, sitting back, and hoping for the best will never work.

Instead, aim to contextualize your audience and target specialized groups that have a membership of about 150 people.

Marketing to the masses is not targeted and specialized enough to be of any significance to potential customers. At the same time, marketing to only one person is a waste of resources, and is an inefficient use of time. Targeting to groups of roughly 150 people strike the perfect balance between specialization and critical mass. A group of 150 is the maximum psychological threshold in which members can effectively communicate and influence one another. Creating small movements in such groups is essential towards creating your big overall big movement.

Happy viraling!