Guerrilla Marketing- is a phrase coined by Jay Conrad Levinson as a take no prisoners way of marketing (not to be confused with prospecting tactics taught by most sales organizations) Guerrilla marketing can be an inexpensive way to market for the entrepreneurs who are on a "shoe string" budget. Guerrilla marketing can be used to generate new business right in your own back yard.
This strategy is highly recommend to first time entrepreneurs and independent professionals who are having a hard time prospecting for new clients.
Guerrilla Marketing can be defined as going after conventional goals using unconventional methods. Most business owners and sales professionals usually start out by throwing money at their marketing campaign before investing in their marketing education.
When using guerrilla marketing the focus is to find as many ways to market your service with little or no cost at all. It essentially about the creativity that you can bring to the marketplace.
"7 Steps of a Guerrilla Marketing Plan"
1. Call to Action-What do you want your customers to do (i.e buy your product or services)
2. Competitive Audience-who are your competitors and what are they doing
3. Target Audience-Who is your core audience and what is the best medium to reach them through)
4. List of Marketing Weapons (Tools)-What tools are you going to use (signs,special reports,newsletter)
5. Positioning -How to your want to be perceived in your niche market by your audience
6. Company Identity- Do you want to be known as the cheapest guy or the most expensive, the most classy, the quickest the easiest?
7. What's your marketing budget- How much do you have to put toward your guerrilla marketing campaign.
"Guerrilla Marketing Strategy"
An example of guerrilla marketing would be referral marketing. As you all know referred customers are the best customers. The great thing about referral marketing is that it can be absolutely free.
If you already have some existing customer base ask them for a referrals but offer them something in return. For example a free offer of your product or service next time they purchase. When the person or people they referred to you buy give them the same offer.
Another example will be advertising in high traffic areas. Lets say you have a restaurant you can make an offer and post it on a sign professionally from a FedEx Kinkos for less than $35.
Create a picture of a delicious plate your number and address. You can tie balloons around the sign or make it in the shape of a person on the side of the road. This will drive tons of traffic to your business since they are already in their car.
Public speaking is another guerrilla marketing tactic. There are many organizations both for profit and non that are always in need of a speaker to keep there events exciting and valuable. With the right educational approach this can prove to be a perfect way to generate leads and position yourself as an expert.
Be sure to present valuable educational content that is relevant to your product and service but leave the sales pitch out. Studies have proven that with a good follow up process more than 50% of the audience will turn in to paying customers.
Writing Articles in your local papers is a favorite for guerrillas. Public relations usually proves to be more profitable than advertising and the media is always looking for a good story or at least content for their columns. Try submitting press releases on interesting ways that your bringing value to the marketplace.
Database Marketing- If you have been in business for at least a while than you should at least have a list of you current customers. These are often the best prospects because its always easier and less expensive to sell to people that have already bought from you. Try offering special offers to previous customers and customer appreciation discounts.
"Guerrilla Marketing Tools"
Print materials- flyers, Signs, Special Reports, On or offline newsletters, postcards, banners, seminars are all good guerrilla marketing tools. Try anyone of these tactics with the right tools and your guerrilla marketing campaign is sure to get off to a good start.
No comments:
Post a Comment