The benefits of viral marketing are that your food drive efforts can spread like wildfire, being passed on from person to person and group to group.

Follow these important tips to help spread the word about your food drive:

1.   Make Your Ask Bite-Sized

Donate 100 cans asks don’t go viral.  1 can asks do.  If you’re trying to start a viral food drive, make your asks bite-sized and concrete: 1 can to buy a meal for a child … 10 cans to feed one family for one day… 30 cans to feed a family for a week.

2.  Find “Sneezers”

There’s nothing a virus likes more than a good sneeze, spreading the germs far and wide.  The same is true for your viral food drive effort.  Find supporters who are good sneezers… that is, who have a broad network and aren’t shy about promoting your challenge.  Ask these supporters to spread the word about your efforts.  (Ask the principal to spread the word to your school, coaches to message the team or your parents to share with their associates).

3.  Boil Down Your Message

Viral marketing relies on good, succinct, easy to explain concepts.  Make sure that everyone who is working on your food drive can quickly, accurately, and passionately describe the need.  Instead of, “Our organization was founded in 1980 by educators for the purposes of collaborating with…” use, “We help kids have food.  12 cans will feed a child for a week.  We have a child who needs your 12 cans today!”

4.  Make it Easy to Give

Be sure that you make it as easy as possible to give.  Place a box outside your front door, in a grocery store or pick up donations so people can use social distancing. Make sure to post your efforts on your Region and CALDI Facebook pages.