Viral Marketing Fundraising

As YouTube becomes a household name and Burger King hides discreetly behind the success of its Subservient Chicken, the keys to viral marketing’s kingdom continue to be in high demand. Viral marketing is a tactic that hasn’t been lost on individuals who seek to fulfill their own charitable goals, no matter how lofty they may be.

Take Kyle MacDonald, for instance. A Canadian blogger, Kyle started with a singular red paperclip (yes, of the Office Depot variety) and a goal: to trade the paperclip for a house. As preposterous as it sounds, he achieved his goal in a year through a series of successive trades. His first swap? The red paperclip for a fish-shaped pen, which he in turn traded for an E.T. doorknob—each object more valuable than the next, until he eventually obtained a house, located on 503 Main Street, Kipling, Saskatchewan. His success was driven by the blog (aptly named One Red Paperclip) he continually updated during his experience, broadcasting his efforts and encouraging readers to make offers on the item he currently had up for trading consideration.

And then there’s Julie Hampton. The New York Times recently told of Julie’s quest to buy a villa in Tuscany—with $80,000 she didn’t have. Her solution? Offer three-week stays in the villa for $1,000 a visit, paid in advance of course. With a little help from email, the New York Times Travel classifieds and a colorful brochure, Julie’s idea worked, and the 2,500 square foot house will be completely hers in 2007 (she purchased it from its current owners in 2002).

What I really want to know though, is what’s the secret to helping me raise $350 for the 100-mile charity bike ride I’ll be participating in on October 14th? It’s for a worthy cause, one that certainly rivals owning a house in Saskatechewan or Tuscany, no doubt.