When confronted with the word “guerrilla,” it might conjure images of rebellion and conflict. But add the word “marketing,” and you give it a whole new meaning. So, what is guerrilla marketing and how can it help your bottom line?
It’s actually a very unconventional form of inbound marketing, that raises brand awareness among large audiences, without interrupting them.
What is Guerrilla Marketing?
Guerrilla marketing is about getting exposure for your brand or products by hopping into the trenches and finding creative ways to capture attention in specific locations offline.
Sometimes you need the unusual, often loud marketing tactics to get noticed in a crowded space and that’s where guerrilla marketing may deliver the results. When choosing between traditional, reliable marketing tactics and riskier styles, here’s when and why guerrilla may deliver the results.
Why use it?
Classic tactics like social media, blogging, and content marketing are much more popular strategies, but the tried-and-true methods can be a bit slow in generating ROI. Guerrilla marketing can uniquely drive spikes in visibility and therefore, a rush of positive results. And what’s more, they’re often inexpensive. Is a creative, intellectual approach, its implementation, however, doesn’t have to be expensive.
Another advantage is that it puts you ahead of competitors. Its uncommon approach can set you apart, while saving time researching, collecting data, and testing. Often times, you just need to apply your creativity and push your idea out into the world.
But how does that translate into the work we do every day? In marketing, guerrilla techniques mostly play on the element of surprise. It sets out to create highly unconventional campaigns that catch people unexpectedly in the course of their day-to-day routines.
Sounds interesting, but how can I use it?
Lower cost and increased exposure, that’s the dream, right? When it comes to guerrilla marketing, you can do lots of crazy stunts that sometimes work beautifully and sometimes flop completely. How do you ensure you make the biggest impact on the smallest budget?
Launching a guerrilla marketing campaign is part art, part science, and part timing. Before starting one ask yourself:
- Does it grab attention?
Typically, three pillars support attention-grabbing:
– a strong hook: connects people with your product or service in unexpected ways;
– a clear focus on an idea, not a product: people don’t care about a product until they understand how it will make them feel;
– a tangible offer: creating an object or event around your idea makes the potential feel more real.
- How can you utilize paid search?
Paid search might seem like a boring tactic, but it can be a major springboard to getting your guerrilla marketing campaign noticed. First, do your research: Find a low cost-per-click keyword or phrase with minimal competition among advertisers, and then get the word out to boost the search volume. How you do this will vary based on your company.
- How can you measure the success?
Handing out free stuff without a call to action is a waste. With a clear Call to Action, you can measure the effects of your guerrilla marketing campaign. A CTA should support your current efforts, but you won’t use it to measure clicks or impressions. Results like traffic and revenue are more important metrics to track the ROI of this type of campaign.
Basically, the belief at the heart of guerrilla marketing is a scrappy, unorthodox, and aggressive approach to getting your brand in front of could-be customers by establishing your presence in the physical world around you.
Remember: Catch people where they are, and insert your brand there. Don’t interrupt, but invite them to participate.