Facebook and Orkut used for viral marketing

Ratan Tata has worked out a viral marketing strategy to promote the Nano at the lowest cost. Like Anand Mahindra, who used the online medium to grab consumer mind-share ahead of Xylo’s launch, Tata is using social networking sites Facebook and Orkut to help build up a network of prospective customers to virally market the small car.

While the official Tata Nano Facebook profile counts 3,840 fans as its members — including Vismaya Firodia Bakshi, younger daughter of Kinetic group chairman Arun Firodia, and Vishal Gondal, CEO of Indiagames, the Orkut site lists 4,822 members.

Tata Motors also has a micro-site for Nano on its website. It has been running a contest for customers to correctly guess the price of the three Nano variants. “We have received over 10,000 entries for the contest that has been running for the past 10 days. The contest closed at 5 pm on March 22,” said Debasis Ray, head, corporate communication, Tata Motors. Winners of the contest are being invited to the launch function in Mumbai on Monday.

On the Facebook and Orkut Nano sites, a frequently asked question is how to book the car. Tata Motors plans to post on Monday a list of dealers and other agents. On the Nano micro site, a response form allows potential customers to be alerted once bookings are open. “Most of the enquiries that we have received are mostly from India,” said Ray. But there are several Facebook groups from several countries in the Americas and elsewhere, who are Nano fans.
Since Tatas have decided to use banks such as State Bank of India as booking agents, Ratan Tata has worked out a plan to help keep the dealers pacified. The company is set to launch Nano collectibles that will be sold at dealer outlets. This will allow dealers to offer a unique selling proposition to their customers who walk in to get a first look and feel of the car. The Nano goodies, as they are being called, will be given first to the contest winners, and include Nano watches, caps and T-shirts, among others. Ray refused to comment on the collectibles range which is to be unveiled on Monday.

In addition to attractive packages for financing of the cars to be announced by public sector banks, Tata Capital, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, and Tata Motors Finance too are expected to announce financing schemes for the Nano, Tata group officials told FC.