Small businesses come in all shapes and forms, from roofing repair and replacement contractors in Calgary Alberta, to the local banana store in Zimbabwe. No matter where a small business is located, or what it sells, it will do marketing. And since newbies often can’t afford the big buck efforts, we the small business owners, resort to a thing called Guerrilla Marketing. Also known as the “whatever works” approach. This short article covers some of the recent Guerrilla Marketing successes I’ve experienced; I trust they may spark a little fire of intelligence within you, perhaps stimulate your creative side, and hopefully aid to generate you some new ideas of your own.
Websites: Big web site companies charge tens of thousands of dollars for multi leveled, super functional, graphic loaded sites that often do a whole lot of nothing. It’s so easy for an executive to believe that “you get what you pay for”, and throw the wallet at a reputable designer. But what about the results? Web guys are typically interested in creating beautiful web sites, but what about website that actually sell?
Imagine you are interested in replacing the roof on your beautiful home. You want the right company to do a good job. Does this web site gain your trust? Provide you with some good information? Perhaps even provide more information than you want in an easy to understand format? You decide. Simple stuff. For less than $1,500.00 plus GST upfront plus about 40 hours of my time, I got this site up and running and producing beautiful results. Remember, I’m not here to sell websites. My point is LOOK darnit, for result producing marketing. Big results for little money.
Event Creation: Making a buzz, stimulating word of mouth, enticing excitement to seep from peoples pores, let’s have some fun! A good event (with Roofing Blogs Florida lots of pictures and video’s of course) goes a long way. And can cost nothing. I did several a few years back, here was my basic approach:
1. Tell people there’s an event going on. Promise a big name speaker, lots of food, live entertainment, trade show booths, beautiful room, gold (colored) name plates, great networking and whatever else your heart desires. Tickets cost only $75, but pre-sale Vinyl Vs Wood Soffit special (i.e. right now) cost only $50. Booths $500 regular, $300 today. Sell the tickets. them before you’ve finished planning what you’ve promised. If you wait for all the lights to be green before leaving your house, you’ll never leave your house.
2. Telephone 20 big name (or big enough name) public speakers. Look in public speaking forums, check with the chamber of commerce, Google public speakers in your area. You’ll find locals, or people somewhat close to you with a claim to fame and who want to speak. These guys typically charge between $2000-$10,000 for a gig, but you’re not going to pay it. Here’s the deal. Be honest and tell them you have no budget to pay them, but that there will be a room full of good people for them to expose to. It’s likely they will sell some books, get some leads for more gigs, perhaps generate interest in a course they sell, and who knows what else. It’s a place for them to get out there. Yes, do this before you’ve finished planning what you’ve promised.
3. Do the same for the live entertainment, food caterers, event location and corporate sponsors. Are you intimidated yet? If not, you might be nuts. If you are, then you might be new to this. I’ll tell you one thing, the jitters are a sign of things about to manifest. Take that as you will.
4. Do it, and don’t screw up. Walk your talk. And you wait for all the lights to be green before leaving your house, you’ll never leave your house.
Happy marketing.
