Buzzology: New Scientific Terms for a Powerful Tool
 “Words are Tools; Words are Weapons.” – Douglas Castle This Article written and © by Douglas Castle and originally published in THE NATIONAL NETWORKER™ Newsletter. All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced only in its complete form, inclusive of all hyperlinks, with full attribution to both the author and to the publication. For information about the author, go to Linked In/ Douglas Castle or to Douglas Castle’s Blog ; for information about the publication, go to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER™ Newsletter. ___________________________________________________ |
Buzzology: New Scientific Terms for a Powerful Tool
Dear Readers:
Everyone uses the term “buzz.” At one time, years ago, it simply meant “gossip.” Today the term “buzz” covers gossip, visibility in the news, a grassroots groundswell of curiosity… and an ever- increasingly vast bunch of things. Some people think that buzz equates to advertising. Well…buzz is not advertising, but buzz is a critical ingredient in making your advertising work.
Buzz actually refers to a very specific three-part process:
- The first part is cutting through all of the media noise and getting the attention of your prospective market, and of other allies who may help promote or distribute your product or service (even if the product is You, personally);
- The second part is to get a message or an image across to that prospective market, and to use that special message or image (your “brand”) to symbolize and represent your company, product or service. It is your signature, your fingerprint, your essence – it is your identity at the conscious and subconscious levels;
- The third part is to build sufficient curiosity, eagerness and credibility in that message or image that your market is attracted to your company, product or service.
The ultimate buzz campaign is one where:
1) We tell the horse that he’s very, very thirsty…that his throat is parched and as dry as a sandy desert…
2) We tell him where he can find cool, clear, fresh water to satisfy that desperate thirst, and…
3) He will either begin wandering in the right direction, or we will make him follow us (at a gallop), or, if need be, we will tug him by the reins until he arrives at our watering hole.
At the end of the campaign, the horse will thank us (in a horse whisper), and happily offer us a ride onto town.
Now that you’ve become an expert Buzzologist, let’s get down to the buzz business.
All formally-organized and deliberate buzz campaigns have certain features and some simple (and silly-sounding) terminology in common. A quick crash course follows:
1. The objective is to get your name, brand, product, service, works, book or image (each of these is referred to as a “Brand Asset” in buzz-talk) buzzed (i.e., broadcasted, read and re-broadcasted and otherwise forwarded repeatedly, in waves) across the social internet media to give you recognition in your target market;
2. First Level broadcasts are of three distinct types, each one designed to fit a specific group format in accordance with that particular group’s general posting or publication guidelines. Expert Buzz Teams send out blasts of magnetic, interesting information; we do not promulgate spam or advertisements. We believe that every posted item must be interesting in order to jump out and seize the audience’s attention. The three types are:
- Brief essays (“Mini-Articles”) which contain fascinating facts or which pose provocative questions either centered upon or sponsored by your Brand Asset and which contain hyperlinks to your website, blog, news release or other information center. The challenges are to gain their attention, arouse their curiosity, to engage them and to have them thinking, consciously and subconsciously, of your Brand Asset ---
- Single provocative paragraphs (“Hooks”) which make bold, memorable statements, or pose memorable questions entered upon or sponsored by your Brand Asset and which contain hyperlinks to your website, blog, news release or other information center ---
- Quips, comments, enticements or tweets (collectively, “Comments”) which are very brief and which contain hyperlinks to your website, blog news release or other information center.
3. The social media utilized for broadcasting at the First Level are a combination of specially-selected common-interest groups and discussion forums featured on such platforms as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and many others. Each of these media (okay… substitute “mediums” if you prefer) will be blasted (i.e., peppered, pelted and prompted) with Mini-Articles, Hooks or Comments as appropriate and optimal;
4. Your First Level broadcasts are initially seen by a prospective audience of hundreds of thousands to millions of readers. We continually re-post First Level blasts in reverberating waves (“Waves”) in order to build curiosity, anticipation and impression. Additionally, repetition breeds credibility and clears the path for market acceptance. Using the Proper message, the proper repetition at the proper frequency, a relatively new Brand Asset can look like a contender for a well-established brand in very short order.
5. First Wave broadcasts are the first set of First Level broadcasts which go out to the social media. Second Wave broadcasts are re-broadcasts of the First Level broadcasts. Theoretically, each Level may go out in a series of Waves, producing a repetition and reverberation effect. Depending upon the circumstances, there may be up to Five Waves of a First Level broadcast.
6. Second Level broadcasts are comprised of new material (Mini-Articles, Hooks and Comments) which supersedes, adds to and enhances (exponentially) the power of the multiple Waves of First Level material. Depending upon the circumstances, there may be multiple Waves of Second Level broadcasts.
7. Generally speaking, any Level of broadcast may go “out” in up to five Waves. More than one Wave per day of any single Level of broadcast is excessive, and will tend to devaluate the utility of any buzz approach.
Remember the Law of Diminishing Returns? Take caution not to litter the media with any particular blast – it erodes Brand Asset credibility and makes it appear as if we are merely promoting instead of teasing the audience with magnetic content. One of the keys to any intelligently-conceived buzz campaign is the utilization of “education” instead of “forced-feeding.” We might speak of a Blitz or a Blast, but we are in the business of building curiosity, anticipation and hunger. An audience inundated with self-serving information feels abused and becomes unresponsive.
8. The usual pattern of broadcasts is one Level, five Waves, with one Wave per day. This is a week’s worth of buzz. This process repeats with new material week after week.
9. In any well-conducted buzz campaign, an “echo” effect is produced when third parties start to quote or reframe your buzzed materials in the form of postings, questions, comments and re-publication. You’ll know that you have hit with a good buzz item when you see it quoted in a third-party newsletter, blog, article or comment in the social media universe. When strangers start to quote your slogan as wisdom, you are being very effective. You’ve truly arrived when an entire crowd of hypnotized heads nods in recognition.
10. There is no substitute for multi-minded image-building, branding buzz content. This creative part of the process cannot be automated. It must be inherently personalized and personable This is the most challenging, cerebrally-intensive part --- but the best Buzz Teams thrive on it. The content of your buzz is what will truly make you stand out.
A superior Buzz Team must utilize some unearthly writing talent, a practical knowledge of behavioral psychology, some computer wizardry, a tasteful dash of the dark art of subliminal/ hypnotic persuasion and, of course, the right crew with the right chemistry: this usually means a collective of brilliantly creative and fanatically dedicated nonconformists and egomaniacs. And that’s putting it mildly.
Buzz is the perfect foundation and enhancement to your advertising and public relations efforts and activities.
I would be remiss if I didn’t suggest that you visit The National Networker Companies’ Buzzworks ™ Programs Page.
Faithfully,
Douglas Castle
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