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Several months ago, I was the guest speaker at the New Mexico Association of Management Consultants luncheon where I spoke about some of the new approaches to viral marketing.

Since then, I've seen several examples of this inexpensive marketing methodology being used by local consultants that I thought was worthy of sharing.

Basically, viral marketing is exactly what it sounds like: an activity, usually e-mail, that is so informative, compelling or funny, that the recipient can't help but send it onto others.

In doing so, you've begun a chain effect of forwarded messages, where the possibility for connection, although not infinite, can increase exponentially. If you forward an e-mail to 10 people, and they forward it to 10 more, you can quickly reach hundreds - if not thousands - of prospects.

In less than just five generations you've reached everyone in the greater Albuquerque area. In six, all of New Mexico. In eight, the United States. And in 11 - the world.

Okay, that's unrealistic. But the effect of just one round of e-mails being forwarded can be dramatic and, best of all, doesn't cost much - especially in comparison to direct mail or telemarketing.

One of the classic examples of a successful viral marketing campaign was Microsoft's launch of its free Hotmail Web-based e-mail service. Hotmail added an offer for their services at the bottom of every e-mail that subscribers sent out. As more people chose to sign on, Hotmail's advertising message was sent to ever-increasing circles of friends and associates. Their marketing message was contagious.

Another approach companies use is to send cartoons, jokes, funny videos, informative articles and the like via e-mail. Probably the best type of viral marketing I've seen is the use of monthly e-bulletins or electronic newsletters. I receive 20-25 a month from various local businesses and organizations.

Here's a description of some of my favorites:

MATTRIXX Competitive Technologies (www.mattrixx.com) sends out a one-page e-mail every month with tips on how to be more competitive. The content is informative, and I like that it's not too wordy. I forward it to my friends in marketing.

Jane Blume, president and CEO of Desert Sky Communications (www.desertskycommunications.com), sends out a monthly e-bulletin with news of her company and the current projects on which she's working. Best of all, she provides links to industry articles and her newsletter with readers' marketing questions accompanied by her expert answers. I can't help forwarding her e-bulletin to my friends in management since I know they'll find something useful there every time.

Another local management consultant, Suzanne Kryder, publishes a monthly e-bulletin called "Fearless Comm" which links you back to her Web site, www.dreadedconversations.com. A unique feature of her publication is that she tells you up front what the word count is and how long it will take to read (i.e., 836 words and 4 minutes for the last one I received).

Patricia Boverie and Michael Kroth local authors of "Transforming Work" (www.leadingwithpassion.com) offer free subscriptions to their monthly e-newsletter "Ideas for Leading With Passion," which is chock-full of ideas to help build more passionate work teams. This one I send to my friends in human resources.

Christine Kominiak, a local professional organizer (www.productivesense.com), publishes one-page e-zines with links to tips and ideas for being more productive - which is basically a must-read for anyone that needs to be better organized. (Okay, that's all of us.)

And one of my favorites is DJ Heckes, president and CEO of Exhib-it (www.exhib-it.com), whose monthly e-bulletin links you to a plethora of local trade shows, organizational meetings, etc. - basically a dream-come-true for a networking guy like me.

The common denominator in all of these successful publications is to make the content so interesting that recipients will readily forward them. You'll also want to include a subtle marketing message regarding your product features and benefits. Better yet, provide a link back to your Web site so recipients can review your products or services firsthand.

As Jane Blume says, "I do it to keep my name in front of my clients, prospects, colleagues and people in the broader community and create top-of-mind awareness. The key is to provide solid information my readers can use."

Sacco is vice president of marketing at Kirtland Federal Credit Union, and an adjunct professor at University of New Mexico Anderson Schools of Management and at Webster University.