It was a simple business plan: buy shaving razors on a subscription basis for a few dollars a month. How many times have you forgotten to go to the store and buy new blades? It’s an experience that most of us can commiserate with. So how did Dollar Shave Club, a small, unknown start-up, get their message (and their business) out there for the world to see?

Three words: viral marketing video.

Yeah, okay, we’ve all heard the buzz words, so what makes a video go viral? No one can guarantee that your video will reach one millions views, but we do know what all successful viral videos have in common. And with knowledge comes opportunity! So whether your video reaches thousands or millions, we can make sure it connects with your audience and shares your message in a unique and positive way.

So what are some of the common characteristics of a viral video? First, let’s watch Dollar Shave Club’s viral video, and then we’ll talk about why it worked.

 

Watch DollarShaveClub’s Viral Video!Visit DollarShaveClub at www.dollarshaveclub.com!

Creative Delivery

The first and most important component of a successful viral video is the creative delivery.  Not only is CEO and Founder of Dollar Shave Club Mark Dubin great on camera, they came up with a very creative video, a script that got their message out, and as much edgy, fun humor as possible.  And it does not matter what your product is – serious, expensive, cheap, low- or high-tech, not fun (at all!) – you have a unique story to tell that can connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression. This is where your video production company can help; this is what we do. We are story tellers!



Short and Simple

Dollar Shave Club’s video was a minute and thirty four seconds, if you weren’t keeping track. In today’s fast-paced marketplace, attention spans are short and the sheer volume of competing content is astounding. So you need to grab your viewer’s attention and get your message out before they lose interest and move on. To do that, you need to have a specific business goal in mind for your video. From there, you need to work closely with your video production company to refine your message and develop a creative, compelling story to hold your viewer’s attention, deliver your message, and meet that goal.



Universal Appeal

One  marker of a viral video is viewership. The video we just watched by DollarShaveClub has over ten million views to date on Youtube. Why was that possible? Because the message that Dollar Shave Club sent resonated with a very large target demographic – men who shave. Every man who shaves regularly can relate to their message. But not every product has such a huge target demographic. Your product might have a very specific market niche, and that’s a good thing! You know your audience, and we can help you develop a creative story that will resonate with more of the people you are trying to reach.



Emotion

shaving baby

There is no stronger connection that you, as a business, can make with a customer than an emotional one. In DollarShaveClub’s video, we get it. We understand. They made a positive emotional connection with their customers through a shared negative experience: the frustration we’ve all felt with monthly trips to the supermarket to buy overpriced shaver blades.

And what”s more? It’s funny. A baby shaving a man’s head. A stab at industry giants and their new-tech razors – “Your handsome @*$ granddad had one blade…and polio!” (Not to mention their tagline). When you make that kind of connection with your customer, they aren’t likely to soon forget. Again, your product may not be sleek, sexy razor blades, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t make a strong connection with your target audience. Are you speaking to engineers and scientists who need technical specs? Or is your message for purchasing managers, marketing coordinators, or decision-makers? No matter your audience, a viral marketing video can help you connect with your customers in a meaningful, positive way.



Social Buzz
 

social media buzz

Let’s be frank – online media, and especially social media, is how marketing is done today. And what better way to market your business than consumer endorsement? And that’s what social media is, essentially. You make your content as visible as possible, you connect with your audience, and you let your consumers do your marketing for you. After three months, the upstart shaving company’s video had nearly 5 million views, due in large part to shares on various social media sites. Consumers today are wary of celebrity spokespersons to whom they can’t relate. They do, however, respect the opinions of their friends and colleagues – the people they are connected to on every social media platform you’ve heard of (and probably some you haven’t).



Front and Center

When all is said and done, what is the purpose of a marketing video? To get your target customer into your storefront. Increasingly in the 21st century, that means your webpage.  And what is the first thing you see when you go to DollarShaveClub’s webpage? Their video, of course! Visibility is key, and that is why every website needs a good video front and center.


So there you have it. If you are looking to gain exposure for your business and your products, online viral marketing is the way to go! Interested? Contact us for more information about what we can do for you!

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