In chapter three of Guerrilla Marketing (yes, I’m only on chapter three. I told you I was slow!) Levinson introduces 16 “Monumental Secrets of Guerrilla Marketing.” There’s really no big secret. They all add up to the same qualities we attribute to any successful person or project in life. I won’t go through all 16, but here are my faves:
- Commitment. This is important. In amy marketing endeavor, commitment to a strategy is key. I’ve seen some businesses, especially in the restaurant/food industry, give a ‘campaign’ one or two months to succeed, measure success directly in product sales halfway through, and change in the middle because the reward of the marketing effort wasn’t instantaneous.
That’s not how it works. Give yourself a solid six months or more before changing gears or pulling the plug. Otherwise you’ll never succeed with any plan because you’re switching it up too often to stick. - Investment. This is your time and your money. Don’t think of the time and money spent on marketing as an expenditure, think of it as an investment. With that frame of mind, you will get a return on that investment.
- Measurement. Before you implement a marketing plan, be sure you’ve written in a reliable standard of measurement so that you can gauge your success on paper. Without it, it’s hard to tell what really worked, what didn’t, and what adjustments need to be made.
- Involvement. With your customers, in your community, etc. Follow-up with your customers and make sure they had a quality experience. Show potential customers you are truly committed to the same things they are by getting involved in local events, fundraisers and outreach programs.
- Content. Great advertising and promotions will only get you so far. Be sure your service or product is top notch, and that you’re providing your customer with the best possible outcome, and it will advertise itself.
You may notice the trend of words ending in ‘ent.’ That’s kind of the hook Levinson uses to tie them all together. A bit of a stretch, I think, but it does the job, I guess.
