It’s the very definition of marketing on a shoestring budget – “Guerilla Marketing” is the tactic that employs alternative, low and zero cost methods to bring publicity to a small business. Energy and imagination are the drivers behind Guerilla marketing, as opposed to power budgets. Many SME’s either consciously or unwittingly already use Guerilla marketing to increase their leads and store footfall to help keep those ROI number nice and healthy.
If you find yourself in the unwitting position of having to whittle down your own marketing budgets, here are some effective and inexpensive Guerilla marketing tips and strategies that you can use for your SME:
- Good PR can bring real bursts of sales volumes. Get publicity to your business – Linking your business with a success story or charity will help interest journalists and could put your business name in local papers and websites.
- Make your window display eye catching – get your A++ stock and special offers in the most prominent window space, and arrange it all in as dazzling a way as possible. This is a tried and tested way of encouraging passers by to drop in and nose around your shop.
- Place flyers in strategic locations. Guerilla marketing is all about smart energy investment. It’s dirt cheap to pick up a basic printer and whack off as many flyers as you want. Then, ask yourself where you may be able to leave the flyers to attract maximum targeted interest and buzz. Universities, libraries, restaurants, coffee shops and stations are some ideas – just make sure to get the required permissions.
- Engage with other local businesses and arrange flyer swaps. Clearly, you don’t want your direct competitions leaflets adorning your counter, but there are many other businesses that you can do a flyer swap with. Create a real incentive with your flyer through special offers (10% off for example, or freebies when the leaflet is presented).
- Embrace the internet. The web is awash with free-to-post sites that are bursting with your potential clients. Get your ads into sites like Craigslist and Gumtree, and set-up auctions on eBay. Do this regularly and you’ll be attracting a lot of new customers to your shop and website.
- Create online groups. Whether it’s a Google group, LinkedIn group or your own forum – groups of targeted clients where you’re the authority figure can be a great marketing tactic.
- Stickers. If you live in a City, consider creating a nicely sized sticker with your business name, message, address and number. As you zip about the streets, you’re creating free branding for yourself. Really, there’s not that much difference between this strategy and hiring an expensive billboard on a street.
- Be imaginative and leave an IMPRESSION. Guerilla marketing is an unconventional animal. Your aim is to create and leave an impression in the minds of as many people as possible. Think of how your own shop and business can do this.
- Brand your business on every piece of paper and digital document that you can. Your email sig and invoices are two simple examples – your business name, key message and contact details should always be in front of existing and potential customers.