Guerrilla Marketing, over 90 field-tested tactics to get your
business into the frontlines
By: Jay Conrad Levinson.
31. FREE P.R.
Canʼt come up with an angle to get your company in the news? Guerrilla Margaret Briggs has
an out-of-the-box tactic that will send you back to “school.”
It was just before a storm when she came up with this PR tactic and public service. Why not
announce their closing like kids schools do when the weather gets bad? Most everyone listens
to the news during a storm and every time they get a really big storm, Margaretʼs computer
training company has to think about calling off classes. Also, calling students by phone takes
time and money.
Margaret put together a local media list and sent out the “school” closing notice. She let
customers know they could stay home for the day and she got many mentions in the local
media.
32. HOOKING NEW CUSTOMERS
Youʼve probably tried many different tactics with sometimes disappointing results and so had
Guerrilla Betsy Berman, until she tried a simple tactic with a subtle difference.
Betsyʼs tactic of “hooking” is something most of us have tried but with one little difference
that almost everyone forgets. “Hooking” for Betsyʼs Charleyʼs Steakery is “sampling” to the
rest of us but they make it work like never before with measurement.
They measured and tracked the results of their sampling program, tweaking and refining
it until it became an efficient practice all their own. Betsyʼs company went from one underdog
outlet to more than 50 stores in only 6 years and it all started with something they call
“hooking.”
33. DON’T GIVE IT AWAY!
Ever tried to give something away only to find few or no takers? Guerrilla Wayne Schulz discovered
how to sell what he couldnʼt give away and gave his marketing a boost in the process.
Wayne used to advertise software demonstration seminars as freebies. Perhaps four people
would sign up and of those, only one would actually show up. In frustration he decided to
charge something for the seminars. Same content—only now people have to pay to attend.
Surprise! His enrollments went from four to fourteen! And because people paid, they valued
the seminar more highly and more actually attended the seminar.
34. A LAUGH DISCOUNT?
Have you run out of ideas for new marketing tactics? Guerrillas know that itʼs better to spend
marketing money on existing clients than it is to spend money looking for new customers.
The problem is that so many tactics get taken for granted and are quickly forgotten.
Guerrilla Drew Roberts came up with a “laugh discount” for his customers. Any client that
makes him laugh during the first five minutes gets a small discount. Customers love the
discount and never forget him. It also makes his work easier.
35. GIVE A WEB PAGE
Seems everybody with a website is either trying to get people to visit it or trying to make
more money with it. Guerrilla Thaddeus Frick did both when he started giving away web
pages.
Thaddeus gave away personal pages on his site to his clients to promote themselves and this
in turn brought traffic to his site and loyalty to his consulting practice.
36. BOLD AND DARING WINS
After 11 years as freelance voice talent, Guerrilla Mike Weiner had done lots of marketing but
it was all ho-hum until he got bold and daring.
Mike had often joked that he could do his work in the nude and, since most only hear his
voice, they believed him. So, he had a picture taken in his studio, behind the mike, with his
shirt OFF! Then he sent out a demo tape to prospects with the photo on the label and using
the headline: “The Naked Voice.” It was the best thing he ever did.
You might be better off to keep your shirt on but you might also want to think long and hard
about how to be really bold and daring. What can you do to cut through the clutter in your
prospects minds and touch them with your message?
37. MORE P.R. TRICKS
A new line of lawn furniture is no great media event but Guerrilla Cliff Stepp got great press
for his clientsʼ new product made from recycled plastics.
How, you ask? He dropped the press release in the plastic milk cartons that are used to make
the new lawn furniture. Then he mailed the cartons to the media. The milk cartons were
recycled but the press coverage was all-new.
Been wanting to do some direct mail that will cut through the clutter but stuck with a generic
budget? Guerrilla Jose Uribe ran out of money for direct mail at their custom blind company so
they had to get creative. Jose put stickers on blind scrap samples and mailed the scraps out!
They got way more response from the scraps than they had from their traditional brochure
mailer.
38. DRIVE YOUR PROMOTION
Looking for a great and inexpensive way to spread the good word? Guerrilla Jeffrey Ross was
thinking about his new business as he drove home in traffic when he noticed a pizza truck
just ahead. Everyone knows to put promotional messages on delivery vehicles but fewer think
to put ads on their cars but Jeffrey put “ webentrepreneur.com” on his car and most of the
employees cars too. Local visitors to their new website have been great!
39. FREE RADIO TIME?
Guerrilla Jack Livingston wanted to run a year-long radio campaign for a car dealership but
he only had enough in the budget for 30 days. Trading a car for that missing ad budget was
only part of the solution. Jack made sure that every one of the DJʼs got to check out the car
and drove the car to every station event and promotion. And later, when the station finally
gave the car away in a contest, Jack got attention from local TV and newspapers for the
contest and the lucky winner.
It all helped to make them the top selling area for the car company.
40. HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO RUN A CONTEST BUT LACKED
THE BUDGET TO DO IT RIGHT?
Guerrilla Scott Harvey at AOLʼs Hecklers Online built an online area that now reaches many
millions of people each month and keeps ʻem coming back with games and contests, using
prizes that he gets for free!
Scott gets prizes from other companies in exchange for great promotional plugs online. Want
to reach thousands or even millions? Give some prizes to a media outlet that reaches your
target market, in exchange from some promotional mentions.
Want to create a contest to boost interest in your company, service or website? Ask others for
prizes to give away in your own contest and be sure to give them loads of promotion in return.
41. MOST OF US WOULD LIKE TO DO MORE MARKET RESEARCH
But it usually falls under “nice to” and not “got to” in our list of priorities. Guerrilla David
Murphy used his research to find out about his market and then to create publicity and sales.
And, he did it all online!
While planning a website for his company, David needed to know what web browsers his
customers were using, what speed they were connecting at, and other important technical
details. David decided to ask visitors these questions in a simple web-based survey. And
when the results came in they thought others might also want to know the same things, so
they put the results in a press release that got them on the radio, in print, and landed them a
handful of new clients!
42. EVER WONDER HOW TO LAUNCH A PRODUCT
WITH NO MARKETING BUDGET AT ALL?
Guerrilla Danna Munley wanted to promote a software package for locksmiths but had no
marketing budget to spend.
Dannaʼs solution was to give the software to a few key groups; locksmith schools and associations.
Schools used it in training and recommended it to students. The associations gave
away a few copies of the software at their meetings and mentioned it in newsletters.
43. DO YOU FIND GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION
MORE PAINFUL THAN GIVING BLOOD?
Guerrilla Charles Larsen gave blood instead marketing and got plenty of attention. Charles
hosted a blood drive for his community and alerted the media about the event. He got all
kinds of attention from the local TV and radio stations. The blood drive was a success for
both the blood bank and Charles. Now lots of people know about his business.
You could also try the same approach with many other charitable acts and get the same
result. Youʼll do yourself and your community a favor.
44. LOOKING FOR WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR AD BUDGET?
Guerrilla Jack Livingston found a way to get free radio time from his outdoor signs! Jack had
already arranged for outdoor ads to promote his antique mall when he heard about a new
oldies format radio station. He offered the station space on his signs in exchange for radio
promotion. The fit is great for the two companies and they are even now working on a radio
show about antiques. Fusion marketing!
McDonaldʼs and Disney do it all the time and you can too, for a lot less money. Itʼs called
fusion marketing and it means joining forces with another company that reaches the same
target market that you do. Guerrilla Jane Thompson found a way to promote her CD store at
local grocers with very little budget.
Jane created a cute coupon resembling a dollar bill and a counter-top box to hold them. Then
she approached local independent grocers and stores in the area and asked them to help by
putting them on their checkout counters. In return, she promised to take out an ad on her
first year anniversary and promote them all with a “thank you” message.
the CD store about a week later. One year later she ran that thank you ad and two years later
her business is expanding to a larger space.
45. HOW TO BOOST SALES DURING THE OFF-SEASON?
People will always spend money to solve a problem before spending to improve something
that is already OK. Guerrilla florist Hugh Atkinson knows that this true in every area of life
and not just business-to-business marketing.
After all of the social expressions of the year-end holidays, flower sales can drop off until
Valentines day. His solution is a small road sign that simply asks, “How mad is she?” Heʼs
never had a busier January thanks to the sign.
Canʼt come up with an angle to get your company in the news? Guerrilla Margaret Briggs has
an out-of-the-box tactic that will send you back to “school.”
It was just before a storm when she came up with this PR tactic and public service. Why not
announce their closing like kids schools do when the weather gets bad? Most everyone listens
to the news during a storm and every time they get a really big storm, Margaretʼs computer
training company has to think about calling off classes. Also, calling students by phone takes
time and money.
Margaret put together a local media list and sent out the “school” closing notice. She let
customers know they could stay home for the day and she got many mentions in the local
media.
32. HOOKING NEW CUSTOMERS
Youʼve probably tried many different tactics with sometimes disappointing results and so had
Guerrilla Betsy Berman, until she tried a simple tactic with a subtle difference.
Betsyʼs tactic of “hooking” is something most of us have tried but with one little difference
that almost everyone forgets. “Hooking” for Betsyʼs Charleyʼs Steakery is “sampling” to the
rest of us but they make it work like never before with measurement.
They measured and tracked the results of their sampling program, tweaking and refining
it until it became an efficient practice all their own. Betsyʼs company went from one underdog
outlet to more than 50 stores in only 6 years and it all started with something they call
“hooking.”
33. DON’T GIVE IT AWAY!
Ever tried to give something away only to find few or no takers? Guerrilla Wayne Schulz discovered
how to sell what he couldnʼt give away and gave his marketing a boost in the process.
Wayne used to advertise software demonstration seminars as freebies. Perhaps four people
would sign up and of those, only one would actually show up. In frustration he decided to
charge something for the seminars. Same content—only now people have to pay to attend.
Surprise! His enrollments went from four to fourteen! And because people paid, they valued
the seminar more highly and more actually attended the seminar.
34. A LAUGH DISCOUNT?
Have you run out of ideas for new marketing tactics? Guerrillas know that itʼs better to spend
marketing money on existing clients than it is to spend money looking for new customers.
The problem is that so many tactics get taken for granted and are quickly forgotten.
Guerrilla Drew Roberts came up with a “laugh discount” for his customers. Any client that
makes him laugh during the first five minutes gets a small discount. Customers love the
discount and never forget him. It also makes his work easier.
35. GIVE A WEB PAGE
Seems everybody with a website is either trying to get people to visit it or trying to make
more money with it. Guerrilla Thaddeus Frick did both when he started giving away web
pages.
Thaddeus gave away personal pages on his site to his clients to promote themselves and this
in turn brought traffic to his site and loyalty to his consulting practice.
36. BOLD AND DARING WINS
After 11 years as freelance voice talent, Guerrilla Mike Weiner had done lots of marketing but
it was all ho-hum until he got bold and daring.
Mike had often joked that he could do his work in the nude and, since most only hear his
voice, they believed him. So, he had a picture taken in his studio, behind the mike, with his
shirt OFF! Then he sent out a demo tape to prospects with the photo on the label and using
the headline: “The Naked Voice.” It was the best thing he ever did.
You might be better off to keep your shirt on but you might also want to think long and hard
about how to be really bold and daring. What can you do to cut through the clutter in your
prospects minds and touch them with your message?
37. MORE P.R. TRICKS
A new line of lawn furniture is no great media event but Guerrilla Cliff Stepp got great press
for his clientsʼ new product made from recycled plastics.
How, you ask? He dropped the press release in the plastic milk cartons that are used to make
the new lawn furniture. Then he mailed the cartons to the media. The milk cartons were
recycled but the press coverage was all-new.
Been wanting to do some direct mail that will cut through the clutter but stuck with a generic
budget? Guerrilla Jose Uribe ran out of money for direct mail at their custom blind company so
they had to get creative. Jose put stickers on blind scrap samples and mailed the scraps out!
They got way more response from the scraps than they had from their traditional brochure
mailer.
38. DRIVE YOUR PROMOTION
Looking for a great and inexpensive way to spread the good word? Guerrilla Jeffrey Ross was
thinking about his new business as he drove home in traffic when he noticed a pizza truck
just ahead. Everyone knows to put promotional messages on delivery vehicles but fewer think
to put ads on their cars but Jeffrey put “ webentrepreneur.com” on his car and most of the
employees cars too. Local visitors to their new website have been great!
39. FREE RADIO TIME?
Guerrilla Jack Livingston wanted to run a year-long radio campaign for a car dealership but
he only had enough in the budget for 30 days. Trading a car for that missing ad budget was
only part of the solution. Jack made sure that every one of the DJʼs got to check out the car
and drove the car to every station event and promotion. And later, when the station finally
gave the car away in a contest, Jack got attention from local TV and newspapers for the
contest and the lucky winner.
It all helped to make them the top selling area for the car company.
40. HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO RUN A CONTEST BUT LACKED
THE BUDGET TO DO IT RIGHT?
Guerrilla Scott Harvey at AOLʼs Hecklers Online built an online area that now reaches many
millions of people each month and keeps ʻem coming back with games and contests, using
prizes that he gets for free!
Scott gets prizes from other companies in exchange for great promotional plugs online. Want
to reach thousands or even millions? Give some prizes to a media outlet that reaches your
target market, in exchange from some promotional mentions.
Want to create a contest to boost interest in your company, service or website? Ask others for
prizes to give away in your own contest and be sure to give them loads of promotion in return.
41. MOST OF US WOULD LIKE TO DO MORE MARKET RESEARCH
But it usually falls under “nice to” and not “got to” in our list of priorities. Guerrilla David
Murphy used his research to find out about his market and then to create publicity and sales.
And, he did it all online!
While planning a website for his company, David needed to know what web browsers his
customers were using, what speed they were connecting at, and other important technical
details. David decided to ask visitors these questions in a simple web-based survey. And
when the results came in they thought others might also want to know the same things, so
they put the results in a press release that got them on the radio, in print, and landed them a
handful of new clients!
42. EVER WONDER HOW TO LAUNCH A PRODUCT
WITH NO MARKETING BUDGET AT ALL?
Guerrilla Danna Munley wanted to promote a software package for locksmiths but had no
marketing budget to spend.
Dannaʼs solution was to give the software to a few key groups; locksmith schools and associations.
Schools used it in training and recommended it to students. The associations gave
away a few copies of the software at their meetings and mentioned it in newsletters.
43. DO YOU FIND GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION
MORE PAINFUL THAN GIVING BLOOD?
Guerrilla Charles Larsen gave blood instead marketing and got plenty of attention. Charles
hosted a blood drive for his community and alerted the media about the event. He got all
kinds of attention from the local TV and radio stations. The blood drive was a success for
both the blood bank and Charles. Now lots of people know about his business.
You could also try the same approach with many other charitable acts and get the same
result. Youʼll do yourself and your community a favor.
44. LOOKING FOR WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR AD BUDGET?
Guerrilla Jack Livingston found a way to get free radio time from his outdoor signs! Jack had
already arranged for outdoor ads to promote his antique mall when he heard about a new
oldies format radio station. He offered the station space on his signs in exchange for radio
promotion. The fit is great for the two companies and they are even now working on a radio
show about antiques. Fusion marketing!
McDonaldʼs and Disney do it all the time and you can too, for a lot less money. Itʼs called
fusion marketing and it means joining forces with another company that reaches the same
target market that you do. Guerrilla Jane Thompson found a way to promote her CD store at
local grocers with very little budget.
Jane created a cute coupon resembling a dollar bill and a counter-top box to hold them. Then
she approached local independent grocers and stores in the area and asked them to help by
putting them on their checkout counters. In return, she promised to take out an ad on her
first year anniversary and promote them all with a “thank you” message.
the CD store about a week later. One year later she ran that thank you ad and two years later
her business is expanding to a larger space.
45. HOW TO BOOST SALES DURING THE OFF-SEASON?
People will always spend money to solve a problem before spending to improve something
that is already OK. Guerrilla florist Hugh Atkinson knows that this true in every area of life
and not just business-to-business marketing.
After all of the social expressions of the year-end holidays, flower sales can drop off until
Valentines day. His solution is a small road sign that simply asks, “How mad is she?” Heʼs
never had a busier January thanks to the sign.
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