How to Develop a Product that Goes Viral

Every company in the world wants to develop a product that goes viral. A product consumers will share with their friends. A product that makes fanatics.

So, how do you develop a product that goes viral?

1. Make It Easy to Use

Over the past years we have been introduced into the new era of software design. With the introduction and adoption of smart phones, tablets, & apps, companies all over the world are delivering solutions to complex problems with interfaces that are easy to use. With just a click you can go to Apple's App Store or Android's Market Place to buy apps that solve complex problems, with one important caveat, you don't need any training to use them, the apps are intuitive. Make sure that your product whether an app or not, is easy to use. If it is not, it will be hard to have your product go viral without costing you millions of marketing and sales dollars to make up the difference.

2. Make It So No Training Is Required

Enterprise software is know to require expensive training, even consultants to help people learn, implement, and adopt their products. Without this expensive training companies who buy these products struggle to ever achieve the full benefits these complex products promise.

So, make your product easy and intuitive to learn. I know, this is easier said then done. You may have a monster. Companies all around the world are investing in strong UI/UX designers who are experts in developing products that are easy to use and require no training.

Product Goes Viral Grid

Here is a Grid that I have developed to illustrate my point. The x-axis is all about how easy the tool is to use and to learn. The y-axis is all about how much people like it (Net Promoter Score). You can learn more about NPS here. Of course, even if you have the x-axis totally nailed down, to make your way up the y-axis you need to develop a product that solves problems people care about, problems that are pervasive and urgent for your target audience. You need to develop a resonator, a product that solves the problem so well it sells itself.

One of my favorite books on developing a product resonator is the book called TUNED IN by Craig Stull, Phil Myers & David Meerman Scott.