Do "Tell a Friend" forms work?

[volare]

Do "tell a friend" forms work? I have never used one myself, one reason being I don't memorize people's emails because they are all saved in an address book.

Does anyone have experience with using them for promotion?

[sysice]

I think they work for certain things like Real Estate for example. If you are shopping for a home, and find one you like, the Tell a Friend feature is an easy way to pass on the information.

I don't think it works as well for something like YouTube or Flash Games or things like that.

[guitarman]

I don't think it works as well for something like YouTube or Flash Games or things like that.

Come on people, I have a flash site and based on my statistic, people really use the tell your friend system to send nice flash song to anyone they like.

If they can't remember the email, they simply go to the email address and copy and paste. it's a very good tool for viral marketing. (so you wanna know my website too and how the send to friends work? it's in my signature

[yeahdude]

Tell a Friend is so "old school"

[ablaye]

Tell a friend feature is rarely used. Most people don't bother. Also, this tell-a-friend feature can be exploited by spammers to send spam messages in the additional comment field. I had to remove it in one of my sites because of this.

[Custard]

I have to say that I have never used an a 'tell a friend' in my life...

[learningAlways]

Ummm Tell a friend. Personally I don't like to use (I only used it a few times) these forms but I do think they work to some extent.

[mech7]

I never told a friend

[sbongo]

I think normally people would just tell their frends over IM.

[Johan Dahlström]

Never used the function, not even once. Main reason is that I've never really need it but also becasue I prefer to tell my friends things mouth to mouth or over IM/telephone.

[dhavalshreyas]

I dont know, I feel it can work, if it's made as simple and as effortless as ever......check out one of the articles on my website(sig). Have used the AJAX concept. Cant give any stats as of yet, cuz the site has not yet started rolling yet(my first site :|)

[etechsupport]

Tell a friend works if you offer them something or either you have really something unique that they feel proud to share.

[wipro1]

I never used, because i don't remember my friends complex email addresses
___________________

[Dache]

Never used it. No friends

[dhavalshreyas]

Well if u do find something interesting u wanna tell ppl about.......and the TELL A FRIEND form is extremely simple...........then I think it just might work out....
Just a guess from a n00b, please dont pay any attention

[Kailash Badu]

I won't notify my friend through ‘tell a friend’ until I know the product/information on the page is going to be exceptionally useful for my friend. After all, I will have to go through all the hassles of looking up the emailed in the address book.

[mech7]

After all, I will have to go through all the hassles of looking up the emailed in the address book.

And by that time you could have mailed them the link in outlook or thunderbird or...

[Shyflower]

Tell a friend is a form of viral marketing. Even if nobody ever uses your form, you are letting your visitors know that they are welcome and you hope that your site is special enough, and meets their interests well enough that they will pass the word on about it.
In other words, as much as a technique to promote your site to others, it's also a marketing technique to retain the traffic you do generate and encourage them to find a page that is interesting enough to pass on to their contacts, form or no form.
Could be that maybe they will not only find a page to pass on, but also find an ad to click through on that page?

[conradical]

I had a "Tell a friend" option early on in a communit type of website and it worked well. I've since removed it and I see my stats that about 60% comes from links in emails. I've known that a lot of people email the site to their friends/family so I guess in that case the "Tell a friend" option might be a convenience on the website.

[thetopguy]

I used one form on one of my sites and people do use it. The site is more informational than anything so it might depending on your market.

[rex_b]

I also have a "tell your friend" script on a site I own that is geared towards a free product and I have people that use it daily as I get updated every time it's used.

Wouldn't live without it.

[Ripe]

I always wonder if I did "tell a friend" where else their email would go. You can never be too sure, you could be submitting an email to something else.

[dhavalshreyas]

I always wonder if I did "tell a friend" where else their email would go. You can never be too sure, you could be submitting an email to something else.

Yeah ofcourse, your site shouldnt look like a sleazy site which does all those things.......
BTW guys check this out http://www.coleblitz.com/articles.ph....about/secular
Check out the Send to Friend box on the right.....
2 points....
1) No new page.
2) Only two boxes. (Havent even asked for the receiver's name, cuz then it might just be too much)

Was hoping it'll look inviting enough

[Gamermk]

Even if you never see the "Tell a Friend" form actually used I can guarantee it reminded numerous users to open their email accounts and pass it on themselves.

[brianbbb]

I avoid "tell a friend" links because I assume that email address is going onto a spam mailing list. I wouldn't want to do that to my friend, would I?