Squidoo - the quiet launch makes the most noise

Seth Godin's web 2.0 venture has quietly gone into public beta. Well... considering that squidoo is number two with a bullet on the technorati top searches list, quiet isn't necessarily the word. Ever wonder how to encourage your customers to evangelize? Here's a snippet from the email I recieved this morning from Heath Row, Sr. Director at Squidoo

That means that anyone can visit Squidoo, find lenses, claim lenses, and build their own. We're thrilled to open our doors to the public, and to let everyone use the platform that you've been helping us test and improve these last few weeks.

But we're not going to tell anyone yet.

Except you.

So, now's the time for you to share what you've been working on during the secret beta test. Email your lenses to friends. Post a lens to your blog. Tell your mom. And, for a limited time, your friends will be the only people to know that Squidoo is finally live.

For two months the beta testers have been asked to build, test and play with squidoo with the one requirement - keep it secret. Now suddenly the lid is off. "Yes, it's OK to blog about this. Heath writes at the end of his email.

Now THAT is what marketing is. Build a dedicated group of users, give them a vested interest and desire to talk about it. Don't let them talk - don't let them talk - keep it quiet - keep it shushed - BAM - give them free reign to talk and make them feel special about it. Only you get to talk about it. This is for you to share.

Now from this point forward, squidoo's going to rise or fall on its own merits, but imagine how much cash a traditional interrupt marketer would have to spend to get the same discussion sparked as squidoo's quiet approach.

---

Oh - and for those wondering just what the heck squidoo's all about, Seth answers on his blog. Or you can jump right in and view the lens I created based on my recent series of posts on home page design.