What is guerrilla marketing, you ask? It’s all about expressing your personal imagination and creativity! While it may be an unconventional marketing strategy, it has been a successful strategy for small businesses.

This specific type of marketing relies heavily on taking the customer by surprise by making a lasting impression. It is about creating something that will really get people talking after seeing your advertisement! Most guerrilla marketing campaigns aim to ignite the consumer on a more memorable level.

Small Business Advantage

So why is guerrilla marketing ideal for small businesses? This type of advertising is a great way to reach a massive audience without breaking the bank. Below is a great example of a guerrilla marketing campaign done by Cocoa-Cola. They “created happiness” for some lucky college students!

When executed well, guerrilla marketing is a wonderful way to get your small business noticed. At a low cost, you can set yourself apart from the competition and show consumers how different and fun your company is!

Take it from Jay Conrad Levinson, the man who coined the term. Here is a list of some of the most important ways he thinks guerrilla marketing differs from traditional marketing:

• “Instead of investing money in the marketing process, you invest time, energy and imagination.”
• “Instead of ignoring customers once they’ve purchased, you have a fervent devotion to customer follow-up.”
• “Instead of believing that single marketing weapons such as advertising work, guerrillas know that only marketing combinations work.”

Guerrilla Marketing=Taking a Risk

As a small business, it can be a good thing to take a risk every once and awhile. Basically any company can utilize guerrilla marketing, but it definitely requires you to step outside of your comfort zone and do something new and exciting that as a business, has never been done before.

If you want to take a safer route, try online guerrilla marketing tactics. LinkedIn, in my opinion, is the most powerful social networking site, and you should take advantage of it for the advancement of your business!

Moreover, creating a LinkedIn group is a great way to gain exposure. “LinkedIn Groups provide a place for professionals in the same industry or with similar interests to share content, find answers, post and view jobs, make business contacts, and establish themselves as industry experts.”

LinkedIn also offers a tool called LinkedIn Events, which allows marketers and other professionals to promote an upcoming event. This creates an opportunity for your business to put your event out there, which will then enable users to promote the event through their profiles and personal network page.

Guerrilla marketing can be anything your business wants it to be, as long as it’s something unexpected, eye-catching, and unforgettable. Just make sure your strategy represents your brand and your customers! Whether through online or in person, this marketing strategy creates awareness and is bound to generate more traffic to your business- for little to no cost!