Which Businesses Should Be Using Growth / Guerilla Marketing?

You’re likely familiar with guerilla warfare, but – guerilla marketing, aka growth marketing?

This strange connection actually makes a lot of sense when you consider that guerilla warfare is based on the element of surprise or ambush. Put into a marketing perspective, you’re looking at creating awareness of your brand or promotions in a surprising, unorthodox way. The whole concept is based on non-traditional marketing tactics that grab consumers’ attention and evoke astonishment or shock.

Guerilla marketing is definitely worth considering for businesses on a budget or those within a particularly competitive niche. Unconventional advertising methods can be surprisingly effective, especially if you’re trying to sell a product or service with which people are already familiar. 

Defining Guerilla Marketing

Guerilla marketing is a type of marketing that uses unconventional methods to reach customers. It often involves using creative, low-cost tactics to make your brand stand out from the crowd.

Jay Conrad Levinson coined the term guerilla marketing in his book Guerrilla Marketing in 1984. He defined it as “the art and science of warfare for business.” The goal is to gain attention, generate interest, and persuade potential customers that your product is worth buying by using unconventional methods.

Sometimes referred to as buzz marketing or shockvertising, guerilla marketing can be used by small businesses or large companies (think Pepsi with their controversial Kendall Jenner ad). In fact, big brands like Coca-Cola have been known to use this style of advertising frequently—it’s become one of their hallmarks for being innovative and edgy.

How Small Businesses Benefit from Alternative Marketing

Guerilla marketing is an excellent strategy for small businesses looking to attract new customers. Small businesses have the advantage of being more agile and able to respond more quickly than their larger counterparts. This makes guerilla marketing an ideal way for them to increase brand awareness and engage with customers creatively.

Clever product placement, using influencers, local celebrities or sports personalities, is a great direction depending on your product. However, if you’re new to the process, you can still benefit from the “shock and awe” idea in your PPC campaigns. 

Some companies have used unexpected headlines and imagery, leading to clever landing pages that focus on solving a problem rather than simply promoting a product. 

Niche Businesses

Guerilla marketing is not just for big corporations. It can be used by any business, no matter its size or location. Here are some examples of niche businesses that can benefit from this type of marketing:

• Independent artists and musicians
• Local food truck owners
• Artisans who make handcrafted items

In fact, niche businesses are perfectly poised to use alternative advertising methods because their products are unusual or rare.

Retailers in a Competitive Market

Retailers in a competitive market need to stand out and be creative. Guerilla marketing is a great way to achieve this.

Consider the following examples:

• A clothing retailer is looking for new customers. It gives away T-shirts with its company logo in exchange for a photo of someone wearing it. The photos are shared on social media, which helps the retailer gain more exposure and attract more customers.
• A restaurant owner wants to get people talking about his restaurant, so he hires an actor dressed as an alien who asks strangers if they have seen any aliens lately (the restaurant’s slogan). He records these interactions and shares them on social media.

Large Brands Who Want to Stand Out

If you’re a large brand that wants to stand out in the marketplace, then guerilla marketing is a great option. It’s often more affordable than traditional advertising, allowing you to promote your products in new, creative ways. You could use guerilla marketing to promote an event or product launch.

How Will You Make Your Voice Heard?

Guerilla marketing is a great way to stand out in the crowd of brands and businesses. 

It’s also a good option if you have limited funds or don’t have the time or resources to do something more traditional. The key takeaway from this article is that guerilla marketing can be used for many different kinds of businesses. These include retail stores or large corporations wanting to get their name out there by doing something fun and unexpected.

The point is to engage potential customers by evoking an emotional response. Encourage them to see your brand or product differently.