Guerilla Marketing–Reach Customers Where They Are
August 16th, 2007 by Maribeth Neelis
Tuesday I blogged about viral marketing. But sometimes the thought of marketing on the internet can be slightly overwhelming, especially if you aren’t comfortable with that medium. Enter guerrilla marketing.
Guerrilla (no, not gorilla) marketing coined by Jay Levinson in his book by the same name describes a type of marketing that small businesses have been employing for years. In the past, local businesses might have made their mark papering lots or canvassing neighborhoods, but today’s guerrilla marketers make those efforts look amateur. Relying heavily on creativity, innovation and some old fashioned elbow grease, a guerrilla marketing campaign is a low-cost, effective way to drive new business.
Develop the message.
Like viral marketing, developing a clear, creative message is the first step in a successful campaign. Door hangers and flyers are guerrilla marketing staples, but a more innovative approach speaks to the type of business you are. A seafood restaurant in India covered the beaches in front of area resorts with larger-than-life clams. Beach combers opened the football-sized shellfish to find ads for the restaurant.
Pick your passion.
Guerrilla marketing comprises a range of activities. Choose something that you are passionate about whether it’s thinking up advertising stunts or educating the community. You shouldn’t feel stifled; the possibilities are endless.
Seed for optimum growth.
Where is your demographic? When is the best time to reach them? If you write health insurance, come up with a message to reach people at the gym. Chances are they have health on their minds while exercising. Honing in on your target audience is key to your guerrilla marketing success.
A few ideas.
Go extreme. Before prom, schools pull out all the stops displaying wrecked cars in the quad to remind students about the dangers of drinking and driving. Why can’t it work for insurance. Position a wrecked car in a high-traffic area of town, accompanied, of course with your advertisement, and get people thinking about car insurance.
Lend a helping hand. Insurance is complicated and your knowledge alone makes you marketable. Host a lunch in learn in your town to bring people in–you can’t beat the combo of free food and knowledge. If you strike up a deal with a local eatery, you may even get a discount on the grub.
Offer something…other than peace of mind. Unfortunately for insurance agents, the peace of mind that insurance affords is hardly concrete. Offer something tangible to clients once you seal the deal. A take-away pack for auto insurance could include paperwork and relevant information about their policy along with several value items –a coupon for a free oil change, car air freshener, a travel mug.
Just a little ingenuity and you can hit the streets with your own guerrilla tactics.
Marketing tip: Use your community contacts to foster connections and relationships that will grow your business. Augment your marketing efforts by connecting and partnering with local business. The local mechanic might display your advertisement if you promote his service.
