When Jay Conrad Levinson first being writing and speaking about Guerrilla
Marketing, he was part of a team developing the most successful ad campaign
ever. The Marlboro Man. Whether you smoke or not, unless you've lived under
a rock you are familiar with The Marlboro Man.
Guerrilla Marketing is in effect the use of wide and varied unconventional
marketing tactics to achieve the most conventional of business goals, which
is profits. Back in the day when Levinson coined the philosophy, the
internet age hadn't arrived. And still, he developed hundreds of guerrilla
marketing tactics that millions of successful businesses used to grow and
prosper.
Now that the internet age is moving beyond its infancy, and the majority of
homes have at least one PC with access to the internet, guerrilla marketing
is ready to come of age. The internet lends itself to guerrilla marketing
because it makes optional so many low-cost, viral marketing alternatives.
By the standards of a guerrilla, a successful business is one that is making
a profit. Obviously, Amazon.com wouldn't have been considered successful by
guerrillas even though they were growing by leaps and bounds.
Guerrilla marketing is perfect for small business working on shoestring
budgets. As I've heard many a Success Promotions client say, "frayed and
short shoestring budgets". According to the original list of Guerrilla
Marketing Arsenal Techniques (which included 100 weapons) sixty-two were
free. Guerrilla marketing is incredibly useful to internet marketers because
there are so many free and low cost advertising tools and tactics available
via the internet.
Jay Conrad Levinson always preached using ALL the technology available to
you. Your computer. Your fax machine. Your telephone. Your cellular phone.
Your pager. Your Palm device. Your laptop. Your digital camera. Your
wireless accessories. EVERYTHING.
In an age where technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, Guerrilla
Marketing is truly coming of age. I was just cutting my teeth in marketing
when Levinson was fine tuning Guerrilla Marketing. And I bought into the
concept lock, stock, and barrel. As a result, I am all about marketing on a
frayed and short shoestring budget.
So the next time you are in the store or on e-Bay or thumbing through a
catalog and trying to decide if a digital camera or a web design program or
an contact management program is a good investment, listen for the drum beat
and the rolling thoughts of Jay Conrad Levinson. If you don't think the
technology item is a good investment, perhaps you should pick up a copy of
one of Jay's latest books. If you do think it is, instead of letting it lie
around your office collecting dust while you wait for time to learn how to
use it, plug it in and get rolling.
The day of the Guerrilla is upon us. And the worm no longer just goes to the
early bird. It goes to the bird who uses every tool in his work hunting
arsenal to catch the worm. Be the Guerrilla. Buy the technology. And get
started marketing. Guerrilla Marketing has come of age.
About the Author
Shannan Hearne-Fortner is the President and Wizard of
http://www.SuccessPromotions.com
Marketing Your e-Business Better through creative marketing and knowledge.
Guerrilla Marketing. One-to-One Marketing. Relationship Marketing. Your
Marketing.