Last week I discussed the merits of word-of-mouth marketing and why it’s important to “understand why people talk and why some things get talked about and shared more than others.”
To continue that theme, I’d like to talk about social currency, which author Jonah Berger discusses in his book “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.”
According to Berger, “Just as people use money to buy products or services, they use social currency to achieve desired positive impressions among their families, friends and colleagues. So to get people talking, companies and organizations need to mint social currency.”
Berger explains you can do this by giving people a way to make themselves look good by promoting your product or idea, and you can take one of three routes (or a combination of all) to do so.
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Find inner remarkability
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Leverage game mechanics
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Make people feel like insiders
Remarkability is the unusual, extraordinary or noteworthy item that makes your product or service worthy of attention. “Remarkable things provide social currency because they make the people who talk about them seem, well, more remarkable,” said Berger.
Game mechanics “are the elements of a game, application or program — including rules and feedback loops — that make them more fun and compelling,” said Berger. He explained that game mechanics help generate social currency because doing well (in a game) makes us look good.
Finally, to make people feel like insiders, Berger discusses the use of scarcity and exclusivity. He explained, “If people get something not everyone else has, it makes them feel special, unique, high status. And because of that, they’ll not only like a product or service more, but tell others about it. Why? Having insider knowledge is social currency.”
Ultimately, all three concepts allow the consumer to make a good impression by talking about your product or service.
As a result, think about how you could spin each concept to help your business. For example, what’s remarkable about your personal training program? If it’s different from another club’s program — and that difference is remarkable — market it. Educate the public about how you’re different, in a way that’s easy for consumers to share.
In the following weeks I’ll continue to discuss these concepts so that your health club’s social currency and word-of-mouth are maximized.
Rachel Zabonick is the Editor of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@clubsolutionsmagazine.com. Reach out to her about exciting events or programs your club has implemented, or to share the amazing accomplishments of a member.
