Digital channels are the dominant method of modern marketing, utilising viral videos, social media campaigns and user generated content to deliver. However, there are plenty of other creative options for marketers. Guerilla marketing, i.e. unconventional and innovative tactics, makes great use of mediums that are often overlooked in mainstream marketing. Printed media events and word of mouth are still powerful tools for getting your message across to existing and potential customers. Employed effectively, they can form part of a great guerrilla campaign and generate significant conversions. Here are 5 ideas to boost your marketing strategy.
On the Street
Street level advertising has been a mainstay of marketing tactics since day dot. Brands can take advantage of billboards and sponsored street features such as bus stops, or even crosswalks.
Outside the Box
While these outdoor installations can be an effective marketing technique, there are also other more cost-effective and creative ways for small brands to target their demographic on the street. Take for example the promotion of the movie It, an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. The Australian marketing team attached red balloons to drainage grates, suggesting that the malevolent clown Pennywise was lurking nearby. The successful use of this guerilla marketing tactic generated significant buzz around the film.
Guerilla Business Cards
What happens to most business cards you get handed at trade shows or conferences? They either end up in the trash or at the bottom of a drawer, forgotten along with the contact printed on them. Make your business cards memorable! You may wish to personalise your card by including a note about your product or service that appeals to customers’ interests. There is a school of thought that favours blank business cards, with appropriate numbers and details written on the spot. You could even customise your card to make it functional.
Printed Materials
Other than business cards, printed materials lend themselves to guerilla marketing due to their ease of distribution. Printing doesn’t have to be traditional, or just for paper. Branded vehicles such as bikes, cars or trucks work well at grabbing attention, and have the advantage of being mobile.
Focusing Local
One thing small businesses should do is get in contact with the local community. This adds a personal touch to marketing campaigns. From street parties and raffles to charity events, music concerts and more, getting the neighbours involved is a great marketing technique. Businesses may wish to assist in cleaning up neglected spaces, like IKEA did with their “Everyday Fabulous” campaign. Using IKEA furniture they decorated areas around New York City, increasing their functionality and bringing a smile to passers by. This creative guerilla tactic prominently displayed their products and boosted brand awareness.
The Bottom Line
Guerilla marketing is a great way to increase brand awareness, alongside a digital campaign. It has the potential to add a new dimension to how the public views your brand, and may improve your business greatly.
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