| You can create more traffic for you and your | | | | interest a customer. Examples include interesting tips, |
| business without spending any additional money on | | | | suggestions, or examples of how the customer can |
| marketing. With guerrilla marketing, it is more about | | | | enhance their experience. For example, having an |
| out-smarting the competition than it is about | | | | interior designer and a realtor provide design tips |
| out-spending the competition. Boundless opportunities | | | | could add value and augment the experience of |
| and countless positive effects on your business await | | | | buying a new home. |
| you when you take advantage of the guerrilla- | | | | 3. Lunch and Learns |
| marketing concept. guerrilla Marketing is defined as | | | | Whether you are a financial planner, a realtor, or a |
| unconventional marketing designed for low budgets | | | | fitness expert, you have valuable information that |
| and maximum impact. guerrilla marketing gets you | | | | people would love to hear about. When you provide |
| and your company in front of future customers in | | | | value first and you provide value without expectation |
| the places that they frequent. Customers today are | | | | of something in return, a return is exactly what you |
| bombarded with traditional advertising and have | | | | will get. Office buildings love food -- especially free |
| become resistant and unaffected by it. Meaning: it is | | | | food. The lunch-and-learn program is a guerrilla |
| time to change the way you market. | | | | marketing strategy that has been proven successful. |
| Guerrilla marketing works when complimentary | | | | The lunch and learn program is an educational lunch |
| businesses agree to come together and take a | | | | program for an office that would be sponsored by |
| cooperative approach to marketing their businesses. | | | | you or your company. The office personnel would |
| There are synergies between companies who serve | | | | gather and eat lunch while listening to your talk on |
| a similar customer base. Identifying these synergies | | | | something both valuable and interesting. Do not try |
| and getting to know one another's business are the | | | | to sell them anything; this should be treated as an |
| first steps towards creating a lasting guerrilla | | | | opportunity to share valuable information that they |
| marketing relationship. The possibilities are as vast as | | | | can use. The best contact to set up these lunches is |
| your imagination. Here are four guerrilla- marketing | | | | the office manager. |
| techniques that you can use to generate more traffic | | | | Most times the office will provide the lunch and you |
| next week: | | | | will provide the talk. If they do not provide lunch, you |
| 1. Thank-You Take-A-Way Packets | | | | will be able to negotiate for a local restaurant to |
| A thank-you take-a-way packet enhances your sale, | | | | provide the lunch for free in exchange for some |
| helps validate the customer's purchase, and provides | | | | signage on the lunch table and their information in |
| a valuable service to your customers while | | | | your packet that will accompany your presentation. |
| simultaneously thanks them for being your customer. | | | | Topics will naturally vary depending on your |
| The key to the take-a-way packet is to have | | | | profession. If you are a financial planner you can give |
| something that is high quality and feels like a | | | | a talk on "10 things you can do now to guarantee |
| thank-you gift. It should, by no means, represent a | | | | financial security," "investing tips for the non-investor," |
| selling piece. The thank-you take-a-way packet will | | | | or anything else that is both creative and interesting. |
| vary depending on your type of business. For a | | | | After the mini seminar, ask "If anyone would like to |
| high-end retail location we suggest using a small folder | | | | hear more about (topic), just drop your business card |
| about the size of a half sheet of paper. On the | | | | in the basket at the front." You can also have a mini- |
| outside of the folder should be an effective and | | | | book prepared on the subject and offer to send it |
| professional design with the words "Thank You." | | | | free to anyone who is interested. You will leave with |
| Inside the folder should contain all the relevant | | | | an established reputation in the field as well as a small |
| paperwork associated with their purchase as well as | | | | stack of qualified leads with whom you have already |
| all necessary information to make sure that their | | | | established rapport and credibility. |
| after purchase experience is pleasant and well | | | | 4. Be A Guest Columnist In A Newsletter |
| informed. | | | | There are networking organization newsletters, |
| This information should go on one side of the folder | | | | non-profit newsletters, and internal company |
| only. The other side of the folder is where you will | | | | newsletters. These newsletters are always looking |
| put your pieces of value. Pieces of value can include | | | | for guest columnists that will provide a relevant and |
| anything that your customer will enjoy receiving. | | | | an interesting article. This technique is similar to the |
| Successful examples include, a free appetizer at a | | | | concept of the lunch and learns. Seek out these |
| local restaurant, free dry cleaning, a small book on a | | | | newsletters and offer to write a column. When they |
| topic relevant to their purchase, or a small | | | | run your column, you will provide valuable and |
| ad-specialty item from a complimentary business. The | | | | interesting information. By doing so you will be getting |
| pieces of value will differ depending on the type of | | | | your name out into the community as an expert in |
| business that you are in. Use your imagination and | | | | your field. By having a brief bio at the end of the |
| have fun with it. These thank-you packets work | | | | column, the readers who have an interest will have |
| because every company that is represented in your | | | | the information necessary to contact you for further |
| packet will reciprocate by including your piece of | | | | information. You may even direct them to your |
| value in their packet. Therefore, you are quadrupling | | | | website to download a small mini-book on the topic |
| your exposure to customers from complimentary | | | | where you will capture their information for proper |
| businesses in exchange for giving your customers | | | | follow up. |
| something that they perceive as a gift. | | | | The different types of guerrilla marketing are endless |
| 2. Website Co-Branding | | | | and are only limited by your imagination and |
| When you have a strong guerrilla partner network, | | | | willingness to get out in front of people. guerrilla |
| you can use a similar approach with your website. | | | | Marketing is incredibly effective because the rapport |
| The group of businesses can link their websites | | | | that the partner business has already established with |
| together in a way that 'provides value first'. Providing | | | | their customer is transferred to you and your |
| value first means that the link needs to be positioned | | | | company. When you successfully implement guerrilla |
| in a way that is more than an advertisement. A good | | | | marketing into your marketing plan, then your cost |
| cooperative link on a website is more than just an | | | | per lead will be significantly reduced while the quality |
| advertisement. It must be something that would | | | | of your traffic will dramatically increase. |