Once you have figured out viral marketing, I doubt if you will really put your entire faith in traditional methods again. This is not to say that you will stop using the standard methods of advertising, but that your perspective on how advertising is to be used to deliver results, will change.An Example Of Local Viral AdvertisingI will give you the example of a servicing station. Every time you got your car serviced in that particular station, you were made to feel as if you were the only customer. They would keep a track of your mileage, your oil change and give you reminders when various schedules were falling due.Your car was tracked and maintained as if it was the Atlantis out to go into orbit and every time you went there, you were surprised by that little extra. Just before the rains, they would make it a point to check your wipers and tires mind you they didn't stock tires but their concern for your safety showed.This service station did not advertise its great service. Its patrons did it. I never went anywhere else if I could help it, and guess what; I told everyone I had a car related conversation with, about the service. I am sure that the service station never had a bay empty.The entire operation was sold on word of mouth advertising, the best kind there is, and was backed up by a service that kept getting better.Global Viral AdvertisingIf this is a local example, one that applies to a small area, let me give you a global one. Google, the best search engine there is, never put out an ad either online or in any other media saying how good it is. It didn't have to. The small group that started out first and experienced its great search capabilities passed the word along. That is how I came to know of it.Viral marketing works best when actual users get involved and spread the good word. There are no shortcuts to this. An advertiser may try umpteen number of times and get links from sites or blogs or produce ghost written articles from users saying how good the product is. But it will all be to no avail if the product isn't really something to write home about.Even when you have a great product and very satisfied users, you may need to give them a forum which will allow viral marketing to occur. This is best done using a website where actual users can post their comments in a manner that comes out as forthright and honest. Ask them to refer a few friends and contact these people directly, stating clearly how you have obtained the reference and offer the testimonial for reading. This way you can start the viral marketing process even if your patrons are too busy with their own work.