Notes

How Guerrilla Advertising Can Build Business Without Breaking the Bank
If you're like most smaller businesses, there's never plenty of time or money. Particularly when it comes to advertising. You know you have to advertise to build business, but it's hard to advertise when money is tight.

That is where guerrilla advertising comes in. Guerrilla advertising (sometimes referred to as "guerrilla marketing") is about utilizing the resources you have at your disposal to build business. They are things that may be a little off the beaten path of mainstream advertising, but they still prove highly effective if done properly.

Flyers
Whether you want tell customers in regards to a sale or other dressing up event, or just desire to let people find out about you, flyers are easy and relatively effective if you are trying to advertise on the cheap. For those who have a computer and access to clip art or photos, then you can certainly probably put together a professional looking flyer. Some do's: 1) Include an irresistible offer, when possible. 2) Work with a catchy headline and visual. 3) Keep your copy short and to-the-point. 4) Remember your address and phone number!

Some places it might seem about putting your flyers include
- Cars in parking lots

- Coffee shops

- Windows of local businesses (like food markets)

- College bulletin boards

- Library bulletin boards

- Apartment buildings

- Office buildings

- Fold, tape, and send to your mailing list

Think about paying a college or high school student to distribute your flyers at busy gatherings like Farmers' Markets, sporting events, etc., or even to take them door-to-door. Be sure to check the legalities in your town regarding the above, and always ask permission before you post or pass out flyers.

Vehicle Advertising
Go to your local sign shop and have your logo, contact number and/or website converted to a decal and place it in your vehicle window. Viola! Marketing on the move! Actually, have several printed up and ask family and friends to consider putting them on the vehicles as well.

Social Media
I've been monitoring this trend for months now, and for the reason that time, it has spread like wildfire. And from everything I've seen and everything I've read, the trend will continue. There are plenty of of these sites out there, but my favorites are Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace. These social communities let you setup "house," invite friends and family over, and meet lots of new people who could have the same interests as you, or could be potential customers. Don't be shy about touting your services!

Website
Everyone is on the web. Seriously, everyone. (Okay, not your Great Aunt Edna.) So these days, it's almost confirmed that you should have a website. Your potential customers want to be able to have a closer look at your organization at their convenience. And it's really a perfect opportunity for you to let your customers see you at your very best. It is a win/win. And surprisingly, it's relatively cheap and an easy task to put a simple website up. There are lots of wonderful hosting companies that not merely provide website hosting services, but templates that you can use. Depending on your goods and services, you can either put up a simple info site, or one that lets your customers can buy from you directly.

Sports Team Sponsorships
Does your son or daughter play in an activity, or have you any idea a child who does? Or are you currently simply interested in getting the name before a huge selection of proud parents every week? Sports team sponsorships are fairly cheap & most of the time you get to put your logo on all the jerseys.

Online Video Marketing
YouTube, TubeMogul, et al
Did you know that YouTube now represents over 12 percent of website traffic? In fact, many marketing experts are recommending their clients add this sort of tool within their marketing mix due to all the free traffic it could generate. Also it costs nothing to create!

What should you post? Consider performing a 3-5 minute informational video about your service or product, or perhaps a video testimonial from satisfied customers. "How-to" videos can even be incredibly successful. Does your service or product lend itself to an instructional how-to? If you are an accountant, how about "how to" maximize your tax deductions? A florist..."how exactly to" make your flowers last longer. The possibilities are endless! Your video doesn't have to be Oscar-caliber, but make sure it looks professional. Another idea for YouTube...if you do commercials, post the commercials!

Dedicated NEWS RELEASE Campaign
Honestly, just about anyone can write a press release. It costs close to nothing to generate and send out press releases, and the benefits can be huge.

First thing to do is make a list of media contacts and addresses. They are individuals you'll send the releases to. Unless you know where to start on this, call your local media (newspapers, publications, magazines, radio and television stations) and also the trade publications in your industry and have who receives pr announcements. Update this list regularly. Next, determine that you'll send X amount of press releases out monthly and stay with it! Don't just wait for the big stuff...create happenings if you need to. Some of the things you need to send press releases out for include:

- Awards

- Grand openings, sales, events, etc.

- Conference attendance

- Seminars

- New equipment

- New employees

The list can do not delay - on! The idea here's to keep your organization up front as much as possible.

get more info -shirts
Put your logo on t-shirts and wear them everywhere it is possible to. Encourage employees, family and friends to do the same.

check here are fairly inexpensive. The next time you have a sale or other dressing up event, have a banner made and display it proudly and prominently on your building, or in the front close to the street.

Referral Bonus
Offer your current customers a "referral" bonus (a discount on your own service or product perhaps) if they refer someone to you. The most effective ways is to have some cards (business card size) printed up together with your logo, address and contact number, plus a blank line for the current customer to print his/her name. Give your very best customers a number of these and ask them to hand them out to friends and family. Whenever you get one returned, send your customer a postcard (or a contact) thanking them for the referral and reminding them to come in to claim their discount (or free whatever).

Guerilla advertising requires a little more effort and focus on your part, but the results can be well worth it. Rather than the scatter-shot that lots of of the traditional media outlets offer you, going guerrilla forces one to be more creative in targeting those customers that you can reach with the budget you have.

Donna Williams may be the founder and creator of BusinessBurrito.com - an internet site dedicated to helping smaller businesses grow with their maximum potential. She is also a 25-year advertising / marketing executive, creative director, writer, and producer. Together, Donna and her husband currently own and co-own five smaller businesses. For more information about Donna and read more of her articles, visit her website at

http://www.businessburrito.com

� Copyright 2008, Donna Williams, BusinessBurrito.com. All rights reserved.
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