One key idea behind guerrilla marketing is to build deep, long lasting relationships with your customer base. Instead of focusing on promoting to a vast market, you selectively target key groups whom you think your business can best benefit. By singling out your core group you will effectively be marketing to those who have the greatest potential to boost your bottom line.
Most of this information is nothing new, textbook marketing 101. Where guerrilla marketing has the advantage over the standard advertising promotion is that this task is approached in unique, memorable way. Here are some suggestions to get the idea’s flowing so that you can integrate guerilla marketing tactics into your promotional marketing plan:
1. Join a Networking Group
Join a local business networking group (i.e. BNI, Le Tip, Chamber of Commerce) and take the connections you make there to the next level. Send each person you meet in these groups a handwritten note and follow-up with a phone call personally inviting them for coffee. If you can, use the opportunity to pass them along a business referral. Taking this last step helps them remember you, want to help you, and ultimately generate the kind of word-of-mouth promotion that is invaluable to any entrepreneur.
2. Become an Active Blog Commenter
You may already subscribe to many-a-business blogs, but how involved are you? It can be easy to scan the contents of your RSS Reader while you sip your morning coffee, but you won’t begin to realize the true value until you begin to actively participate in the online community. Once you have successfully built a relationship with the blogger or fellow readers you can bet to count on them for links to your website, referrals, or perhaps even direct business.
3. Offer a Complimentary Class
Provide education to others about your area of expertise. If your business is primarily focuses in your local geographic area, hold a live class at the local community center, library, or church. If you are more geared to online business, provide an online tutorial that will be of real benefit to your viewers. The key to creating a successful education event is to NOT MAKE IT A SALES PITCH. If participants gain real value from your experience, then the sales will follow.
Remember that an essential component of guerrilla promotions is to approach an idea in an original way. Use the list above as a starting point to begin generating unique ideas, like handing out custom promotional calendars that would work in your industry.
