In many ways, the marketing world has been turned upside down. The ‘big’ marketing media such as television and publications are now secondary to blogs, social media, and other free means of gaining exposure. This gives small businesses an unprecedented advantage in the corporate world. You can turn your business into a success simply by getting people talking.
However, gaining this positive buzz often proves easier said than done. By the time you master a new strategy, it has already been replaced by newer, more effective methods. Here are a few guerilla marketing strategies that are hot right now and will likely be for the 2012.
Creative contests. There was a time when contests were relatively simple; you could have people drop their business card into a fishbowl and hold a weekly drawing, or some similar tactic. On the other hand, who wants to talk about that? Guerilla marketing is based on word-of-mouth, so design your contests to be both interesting and relevant.
Here’s a good example: a professional organizing company in Chicago, Hire Order, recently held a contest for the messiest desk. People sent in photos for the chance to win free services from the company. This provided three different kinds of positive buzz and exposure for the company. First, interested parties and the media paid attention quickly due to the uniqueness of the contest. It doesn’t hurt that the likely entrants were also prime potential customers. Second, there was more positive PR when the winner was announced. America is a country of voyeurs, and who doesn’t want to see what the messiest desk in the country looks like? Last, the company could use the end result as a case study to show potential customers what they do. And all it cost was a couple hours of time.
Instant expert Customers are more likely to buy from people they perceive as experts in the field. You can create an expert persona in a variety of ways, depending on your personal talents. If you are a charismatic person, you could volunteer to speak at an event, present an award, or otherwise place yourself in the public eye. This creates instant credibility, especially if you offer interesting information rather than a dry sales presentation.
If you are reluctant to get up in front of a crowd, there are still opportunities for building your star power. Try to participate in panel discussions regarding important issues in your community or even to sponsor a local team or event. Some people are good writers; if this is the case, you should begin submitting articles related to your business to both internet and local sources. Include links to these sources on your website and in your social networking pages. It is actually relatively easy to get published, but it still gives you the aura of an expert. Again, molding yourself into an expert costs only a few hours of time, but it can get your name out there and present your business as one of the best in its field.
