You can find a good definition of viral marketing here.
I would like to focus on an example of viral marketing, that I had the fortune to experience in my youth.
My father, professor Nicolas Hontzeas, after having performed as violinist for the Canada Symphony Orchestra and the North Carolina Symphony orchestra amongst other symphony orchestras (and having been a contributing member of Mikis Theodorakis’ and Manos Hajidakis’ Mikri Orchestra Athinon or in English, the Small Athenian Orchestra back in the sixties), and having taught for a while music in the University of Regina, opened the very first oversees branch of the National Hellenic Conservatory of Music in Montreal Quebec (it was located between 1975 and 1983 at the corner of Park Avenue and Fairmount Street in Montreal).
Having started with only a loan of 1000 dollars Canadian (which were lent to him by Mr. Spiros Papathanakos who was then the owner of Electra Furniture in Montreal Park Avenue; a great friend; I still keep in touch with his nephew Don who is like a brother to me and a succesfully wall street asset) professor Hontzeas offered the Montreal Greek community a serious option regarding hellenic folk music and classical music.
His first student, was a lad of Cretan descent named Kyriakos who wanted to study the accordion.
Kyriakos’ family were overjoyed at Kyriakos’ progress that they, by word of mouth, promoted their son’s progress to their closest kin, who came in as students (little Manos and the lovely miss Olga) and they being satisfied continued to promote their musical accomplishments to their friends.
Eventually, between 1975 and 1983 more than 20,000 students subscribed to musical studies at the National Hellenic Conservatory of Music (Montreal) including Leon and Tommy both now extremely succesful in their fields. In addition, the Conservatory’s folk orchestra contributed to a number of Canadian events including the 1976 Olympic games and received very favorable reviews as well as the documented thanks of the Quebec provincial and Canadian federal governments. The National Hellenic Conservatory of Music also kept a permanent staff of (in addition to professor Hontzeas) 7 qualified teachers and offered musical education of all instruments (except the Harp), Solfege, and Harmony. Professor Hontzeas had also advanced degrees (from the National Hellenic Conservatory of Music Athens) in Counterpoint and Fugue (which he had studied under Leonidas Zoras; a close family friend and a monument of Greek serious music).
When professor Hontzeas decided to close down the conservatory and move back to Greece, students kept on coming for enrollment and he had to turn them away (most of them were channelled to the McGill conservatory including the students that were still part of the National Hellenic Conservatory (Montreal) who wanted to continue their musical studies). Indeed before closing down the Quebec provincial government had offered professor Hontzeas the option of expanding into the French parts of Quebec, since Quebequers are known to excel in the violin (and also have a unique rich cultural heritage which includes music) and since the violin was one of the principal instruments taught at the conservatory (being professor Hontzeas’ principal instrument;he was a violinist and a first one at that having studied in Odio Athinon (Athens Conservatory) under the great Filoktitis oikonomidis), and in addition the government offered the option of subsidizing the conservatory so that extra french canadian teachers could be hired (professor Hontzeas was fluent in both English, and French). In addition a number of business people offered to buy the conservatory from professor Hontzeas since it was a succesful business with strong potential.
Professor Hontzeas due to the fact that he wanted to return to Greece, refused both offers sticking to the premise that he wanted to be remembered as the sole owner of the conservatory, and to keep his and the conservatory’s good name.
What made the National Hellenic Conservatory (Montreal) so succesful?
First of all there was a target market (the Greek community of Montreal who were eager to teach there children music, most of all greek music). Second a government that supported the arts, minorities and education (both the Liberal governments under Robert Bourassa/Prudhomme and the Parti Quebecois under the legendary Rene Levesque/Godin were strong supporters of both minority rights and the arts). Third, a quality offering that left the customer more than content and this quality offering was promoted by the students/parents themselves by word of mouth. Not one dime was spent on media promotion; there was no money to spend on such luxuries. Finally, a very pleasant environment that promoted teamwork and learning. Indeed when the conservatory closed down, tears were shed by staff, students and the local municipality.
So, if you’ve got a product and you feel there’s a market for your product, and you know its a good product, try it out first in your company with your employees and if goes well with them then you can be sure that sooner or later word of mouth will reach your customer base. They can after all trial your product at your premises…
ask Google !
