Guerrilla marketing ideas just start flowing once you get in the headspace – each idea blossoms into another, and many of them can work in harmony. That is why we have decided to do another post about guerrilla marketing strategies and tactics. Our previous post, 3 Guerrilla Marketing Tactics That Work in 2013, shared some ideas to generate buzz and get people talking about you without traditional advertising. We cannot stop coming up with ideas, so here are three more:
4. Do Something Ridiculous to Get Media Attention
Publicity stunts are one of the oldest guerrilla marketing tactics in the book, but they still work. Celebrities know that there is no such thing as bad publicity, which is why publicity stunts are one of the gold standards. The thing to keep in mind with publicity stunts is that the buzz may or may not be positive, so prepare yourself for any response. Before you put your plan into action, be sure that you do not mind being known as “the person that did______” for the next decade or so. Here are some guerrilla marketing ideas that involve publicity stunts:
- Organize a flashmob, then give away your products to onlookers.
- Wear something absurd or slightly inappropriate in public – and have a response prepared to explain “why” that ties into your business. For example, a hairdresser could don a Marilyn Monroe costume and say, “I just want to see more appreciation for beauty in the world.”
- Protest something loudly (the squeaky wheel gets the grease!), and encourage the community to join you with social media invites, flyers, banners and word of mouth.
- Have your business painted in an unusual way – like letting a local artist or graffiti artist paint your entire building.
- Get caught doing something mischievous – like soaping a fountain, or flocking somebody’s shrub like a Christmas tree in the middle of the summer - be mindful of crossing ethical lines and always arrange your activity with the property owner in advance, so you do not face charges.
- Turn whatever you do into online guerrilla marketing by capturing it in a picture – just use your phone!
5. Use Word of Mouth
All guerrilla marketing strategies aim to create buzz, or get people talking about you. You do not always have to do something ridiculous to get people talking; you can also do it by making friends with social butterfliesin your community. Here are some subdued guerrilla marketing ideas to get people talking:
- Beauty shops and barbershops are all about talking. If you can get to know the stylists and barbers, they will talk about you. Try offering them free services/samples, or just treat them like royalty every time they patronize your business. Try reversing that as well by leaving a hefty tip and talking very positively about your business – consider leaking a juicy “secret.”
- Bartenders and baristas also spend a lot of time talking to would-be customers. Offer freebies to introduce them to what you do, and then provide the best experience to excite them and get them talking. A referral bonus is a classic guerrilla marketing technique that might inspire action, especially after they have a great experience.
- Take care of your existing clientele by creating a rewards program that also rewards them for referring their friends. Be generous in the rewards you give for referrals, and ask for feedback before you start a rewards program to make sure it does not come across as anything less than magnificent.
6. Start a Fight with the Competition
Humans are practically incapable of turning away from a train wreck. Why not use that tendency to earn some attention? Work with a direct competitor to pick a public fight, and be sure to integrate social media into your guerrilla marketing techniques. Use hashtags to turn the concept into online guerrilla marketing so that people will start using them as they pick sides on social media. Here are some approaches that might work:
- Competing restaurants can go head to head to see who makes the best burger, who has the hottest bartender, etc.
- Competing computer consultants could have “fight” over who makes the best systems. The fight could lead to a head-to-head competition to see whose tricked-out computer runs a popular game the best. Set them up side-by-side and invite gamers to test and vote.
- Businesses that make products not known to the public could have a fight over something unrelated – like whose company can lose the most weight or which company’s staff has the coolest tattoos.
The important thing to remember is that the competition must remain friendly so that both sides win. Keep it light and funny to make the biggest impact. Look at fights as one of many complimentary guerrilla marketing strategies. It can be an effective way to lead up to a contest, sponsor a community event, or earn a news story for doing something ridiculous.
With any of the above guerrilla marketing examples, you could ask people to show their support or vote for a winner on Twitter, using hashtags you create. Another option is to ask people to fill out a quick mobile survey. Tell people that a vote or survey answer is also a contest entry, then randomly pick a winner. Referencing back to the examples above, here are some ideas for prizes:
- For the restaurant, it could be free dinner once a month for a year.
- For the computer consultants, it could be the computers.
- For the lesser-known businesses, it could be a membership to a nearby gym or a gift certificate for a local tattoo shop.
If planned accordingly, a fake fight could encompass several guerrilla marketing tactics and go on for quite some time, continually generating buzz and bringing people through your doors to determine for themselves who is #1.
Guerrilla Marketing and Going Viral
Marketing strategists salivate at the idea of going viral and guerrilla marketing tactics can open the door, especially when social media is utilized. If you do something ridiculous, be sure to film it and share it on YouTube, “friend” the chattiest people in the community, and solicit community involvement in your shenanigans in person and on social media. In many ways, making something go viral is its own form of online guerrilla marketing. When you get views and shares, it translates to more traffic, people talking about you and better visibility in the world.
No matter where you focus your efforts, always remember the point of all guerrilla marketing techniques is to get people talking, usually by amusing them. Few things are more powerful to get your message out there than a good laugh and a catchy message.
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Image credit: washingtonpost.com