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NobleOak's team of business experts have put together articles on
business planning and business models, marketing plans, and tips and
strategies on web site design and functionality. We also introduce
the terms 'pixie dust' and 'guerrilla marketing' both vital elements
to your short and long term business success. Enjoy!
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"Marketing Plan: Find Clients and Customers through Guerrilla Marketing" (Part 1 of 3)
Volume upon volume has been written about marketing and marketing plans, but for the small business owner or for someone launching a home based business, all but a few important principles must be understood and applied immediately. ‘Guerrilla Marketing’ is an approach to marketing that is essential for every small business that has a limited marketing budget. It should deservingly be a part of every small business marketing plan.
Guerrilla Marketing
'Guerrilla Marketing' is where you substitute brains for simply spending more marketing dollars.
'Guerrilla Marketing' is so important for the small business owner because with any new business, you need to win clients and customers while controlling your expenses. Scarce marketing dollars need to be spent wisely for the maximum Return On Investment (ROI).
The principles behind Guerrilla Marketing are best illustrated by the following twenty examples. Note: The following examples are simply meant to get you thinking - realize that your efforts are still bound by local laws which should be adhered to at all times.
Example 1 – Flyers and Pocket Change
A local high tech company doesn't have the marketing budget to put inserts into the local newspaper for distribution to their target market. Early one morning, the founders go out with abundant pocket change and they open the paper boxes and insert a stack of their marketing brochures; then close up the boxes and wait for the phone to ring. Most people always want a ‘complete’ paper and grabbing the small business insert completes their copy of the paper.
Note: This is probably illegal. Don't do this but it is an example of clever thinking nonetheless.
Example 2 – Good Will Goes a Long Way
In the early days of a local business publication, they dress up an employee in an outrageous costume and he goes about town putting money into parking meters before the parking police can ticket the vehicle. They call up the local radio and TV stations and get blanket coverage. The Mayor denounces the practice but citizens feel good about the new good Samaritan in town and the paper presumably too. When you come up with a promotion, ensuring that it is news worthy will in turn get news coverage and increase your awareness among potential clients and customers. Generating goodwill at every opportunity is something that any small business or home based business can afford to do. It does not have to be costly.
Example 3 – Signs, Signs, Everywhere There Are Signs
A local tech company puts up hundreds of $2 placards along the main drag where techies tend to go advertising their web site and for recruitment purposes too. They put them up on a Friday night after the city workers go home and they remain up for five days before the City has the (illegal) signs removed. The campaign is cheap, cheerful and successful – perfect attributes for winning clients for your small business.
Example 4 – No Substitute for Legwork
A local Subway franchisee takes over a loser of a location. Every day at 10:30 am he sneaks over to the megamall parking lot and puts $1 off sub coupons under the windshield of 500 cars. He runs back to his shop and waits for the traffic to come in the door. He also visits every local office within three kilometres between 11:00 am and noon weekdays over an 18 month period. He brings in a huge platter of finely cut subs and a bunch of $1 off coupons. He talks his way past the receptionists and gets into even highly secure buildings and hands out free food and coupons by the bucket load. Within two years that location alone is making over 100 grand for him and his family.
Example 5 – How is my driving?
Have you ever noticed those large slow commercial vehicles with a bumper sticker that read: "How's my driving?" and gives a 1-888 phone number? The company is clearly creating goodwill through its concern for your safety and the safety of the surrounding traffic right? One could imagine that, if you were to actually call that number, they might express thanks for your opinion and then try to market something to you. Imagine your vehicle with the appropriate company logo and a bumper sticker. How is your driving?
Note: If you are a really really bad driver, this may work against you.
Example 6 – More Signs, More Media
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation put 82 lawn signs (pig figures, one for each member presumably) on the lawn outside the Alberta Legislature to protest against the 'obscene' increases in Alberta politicians' pay. The cost for this stunt was about five bucks a lawn sign. They got national exposure for their story (complete with a picture), as a result. The media is your friend.
Example 7 – Hit the Target
Taco Bell scored a worldwide coup by stationing a floating rubber target off the coast of Australia which, if any pieces of the decommissioned Mir Space Station were to hit it, would entitle everyone in continental USA to a free Taco. (Taco Bell took out insurance on this, by the way.) A photo of their floating target was carried by major news outlets across the planet.
They recently revived this promotional idea by floating a target in the San Francisco Bay just outside Pacific Bell Park during the 2002 World Series between the Giants and the Angels. Prior to every commercial, television coverage cut to the Bay and explained the Taco Bell promotion. Although still effective, using the same promotional stunt repeatedly will gain successively less attention. It will be interesting to see if they try this a third time.
An additional Taco Bell example relates to their New York Stock Exchange symbol. Taco Bell’s trading symbol on the big board is 'YUM'. This is more guerrilla marketing. Most companies would perhaps have used 'TBC' for Taco Bell Corporation. ‘Yum’ is so much better for a food company, don't you think? Calling Taco Bell 'YUM' on the NYSE doesn't cost anymore but it is smart marketing. Other corporations are taking similar listing strategies, look at WebMD and their ticker symbol - 'HLTH'.
An often-asked question is: "Can they do that?" This is probably the hardest thing for new entrepreneurs to learn- you can make up your own rules, subject, of course, to the rule of law.
Continued
1 | 2 | 3 | next...
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| 11/1/2002 |
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"Mapping Interface"
"Getting the Business Model Right and Pixie Dust"
"Tips On Web Site Design"
"Web Site Functionality" (Part 1 of 2)
"Web Site Functionality" (Part 2 of 2)
"Marketing Plan: Find Clients and Customers through Guerrilla Marketing" (Part 1 of 3)
"Marketing Plan: Find Clients and Customers through Guerrilla Marketing" (Part 2 of 3)
"Marketing Plan: Find Clients and Customers through Guerrilla Marketing" (Part 3 of 3)
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