A pretty Schick way to promote

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend about possible marketing and promotion options for a new website-slash-product/service he is about to launch. I mentioned jump-starting his own viral marketing campaign by contacting people who have access to his market and asking them to work with him to promote his product. As an example, I mentioned that I had been contacted by YouCast Corporation to promote the new Schick Quattro for Women razor on my blog.

There's a few cool things I learned about marketing and promotion while working with a representative from the YouCast team. First, it is definitely okay to contact people out of the blue and ask them to try your product. The worst they can say is no! Second, once you do, you have absolutely no control over what they decide to say or do about said product promotion. For example, I am convinced YouCast didn't mean for me to make this post about their marketing and promotion service, instead of about the Schick Quattro. Third, it's a good idea to have more than just a sample of your product to share when you're looking to generate interest. Schick Quattro has a contest, but more, they've created a "Dream Date" widget that cracks me up. Check it out, then think about ways you could create a widget or tool that is fun and interactive. Something your friends, fans, and family (and virtual strangers) could post on their MySpace (or other social networking site -- I don't claim to know what the cool kids are doing these days).

YOUR TURN: What do you think? Would you or have you ever asked strangers to post about your product online? Do you think it helps? Have you ever tried a Schick Quattro (so silky smooth!)? What are some of the newer-fangled techniques for promotion you've used, seen, or heard about?