4 Realistic Guerrilla Marketing Ideas On a Budget
Guerrilla marketing is a form of marketing that focuses on making a brand or business stand out from the crowd. By embracing unusual
With the internet, guerrilla marketing has become even more valuable to marketers with the ability for guerrilla campaigns to be seen by millions online instead of thousands in the streets. Modern marketers know the importance of integrating online and offline campaigns for maximum effect. Big time marketers like Heineken and Coca-Cola reach into their bag of tricks every so often and pull off guerrilla marketing stunts that go viral. But what if you’re a smaller business with access to limited resources? Here are a few ideas to get the juices flowing.advertising techniques that require time, energy and planning rather than a big budget, guerrilla marketers can grab attention and make a name for their companies simply by being different.
1. Drop Cards
We’ll start with one of the simpler ideas. Drop cards traditionally are little cards folded up that look like a dollar bill. These can be left in public places (without littering) for innocent bystanders to pick up. When they look at the cards they have your business information on them. Probably not the most targeted version of marketing, and some of the bystanders might have their hopes dashed, but they can work. Some of the pedestrians will get excited, disappointed, and curious all in one swoop, but get enough of an impression to remember your brand name in the future.
2. Flash Mobs
Whether you’re launching a new product or trying to spread the word about your brand, public improv displays are great marketing tools. Get employees, friends, family and loyal customers in on the act and stage something interesting like an impromptu song and dance or short dramatic scene in a public place. Make sure you won’t be in violation of any local laws or ordinances before organizing your advertising stunt.
The most hilarious of these mobs show up on YouTube and get millions of views. In order to cash in on the exposure, have some or all of the members wear t-shirts advertising your cause. If you don’t want obvious brand promotion during the event, edit the video with more info on your campaign at the end of the video, out of millions of potential views, a sliver are sure to visit your site.
3. Wrap Company Vehicles
Don’t just put your business name and contact info on the company vehicle; go all out and paint the entire thing in an eye-catching design. Get creative within the boundaries of your industry. Be as original and memorable as you can so that your vehicle grabs attention every time people see it go by.
There are scores of ideas for wrapping vehicles, and you don’t have to be limited to just cars and trucks. Wrap anything that can be such as trailers, boats, RVs, motorcylces, anything within budget. Partial vehicle wraps are a good idea if you don’t want to invest the money in a full vehicle wrap just yet.
4. Light Up the Night
If you have a little more money in your marketing budget, consider investing in an outdoor projector that can light up your building with your logo and contact information all night long. Some locations might let you project on the sides of other buildings, so you can easily spread your message around town. A custom-printed banner is a good alternative when a projector is unavailable, especially if you have outdoor lighting to illuminate it in the evening hours. Try to get the highest trafficked vehicle and pedestrian location that you can to maximize exposure.
Be Strategic to Maximize Success
Creating a unique image for your business while conveying the core message of your brand is the heart of guerrilla marketing. It’s possible to keep these campaigns within a smaller business budget if you’re smart about the process. Be strategic about the location of your stunts and plan them out well to maximize success. Viral strategies like these are far from guaranteed, but do enough research, fail enough times, and at least one of them is bound to be a hit.
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