Guerrilla Marketing in Action

Guerrilla Marketing is using time, energy and imagination to market a product, business or person without spending massive amounts of hard earned profit dollars. It also has been defined as non-traditional marketing, something unusual, unexpected and designed to be noticed. Of course all marketing is designed to be notice. Its just that some isn't, believe it or not.

There are many examples over time that have passed the guerrilla test. I will save those for another speech, article or book. For now I would like to share examples of Guerrilla Marketing in Action. I have actually seen these in just the past few months. Someone out there is using a whole lot of imagination and not spending gobs of money to market. Here we go with some examples of non-traditional marketing observed; odd places for media; unexpected messages:

Restaurant Pager

No doubt, you have been in restaurants where you have waited for a table to become available. In many restaurants they give you the big half-frisbee sized pager that blinks incessantly when your number is called. No longer are these plain blinking pagers. In the center is a full color graphic either advertising the restaurants drink special or the retail location adjacent to the restaurant; certainly unusual and probably noticed most of the time.

Gas Pump Handles

Pump gas and you have to look at the handle to secure it in the tank opening and then to execute the gas pumping process. Some genius squared off the top of the back of the handle, (the part you look at) and made a space for a 2" x 2" advertisement. Ice for 99 cents, Candy Bars two for one, Car Wash Specials, etc. are all advertised to get that gas pumping consumer to think of one more item to buy than gas.

Java Jacket

Grab a Starbucks and undoubtedly your next stop is the breath mint aisle in your local convenient store. Oh what to buy? Alas, the brand is suggested to you, at the exact right time, right there on the java jacket, the corrugated sleeve around your coffee cup to keep you from burning your hand. I recently had this thought and I looked at the jacket only to see the brand name, Eclipse, advertising their newest gum flavor. Guess what I bought next? In marketing we always talk about putting your message where your target market is. This is the epitome of that.

Plastic Room Key

Most hotels have gone to the credit card like plastic room key that slides in the activator right on the door handle. I was traveling the other day and was craving a Domino's pizza. Being out of town and not having a clue as to the phone number, I wondered? I looked down at my room key and Domino's had purchased the advertising space on the room key complete with a phone number. Guess who I called? Thanks room key.

Escalator Step

I haven't seen this done but I have often thought it would make great advertising space: the front side of an up-escalator step. As you ride up, you come eye level with a step about 3 or 4 ahead of you. What a great place to put an advertisement. What a great place to charge for advertising. Lots of exposure and right where your target market is if you are in the retail business or service business in a retail location. Let me know if you see this in action. Send me a picture of it and I will send you a free copy of Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days.

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on websites provided attribution is provided to the author and it appears with the included copyright and resource box. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated: al@market-for-profits.com.

© 2005 Al Lautenslager

Get a free 7 step PR plan by sending a blank email to prplan@market-for-profits.com or get a report on how to instantly add 50 people to your network by going to http://www.market-for-profits.com.

Al Lautenslager is a speaker, author, business owner, consultant, a certified guerrilla marketing coach who helps businesses and professionals increase their revenue through focused marketing and an increased client base. He is the bestselling co-author of Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days and a featured business coach for entrepreneur.com. He can be contacted at al@market-for-profits.com or through his website, http://www.market-for-profits.com

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Google News Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:50:43 GMT Stevens's Reputation 'Sterling,' Powell Says - Washington Post Washington Post Stevens's Reputation 'Sterling,' Powell Says Washington Post - 8 hours ago By Del Quentin Wilber Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell told jurors in the corruption trial of Sen. Ted Stevens yesterday that the powerful Alaska Republican had a "sterling" reputation among the nation's military and political leaders. Reporter's Notebook: Powell Takes the Stand for Stevens FOXNews Powell says Sen. Stevens' integrity "sterling" Reuters CNN - Kansas City infoZine - The Miami Herald - ABC News all 2,865 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:13:53 GMT Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' - Bloomberg Ottawa Citizen Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Bloomberg - 7 hours ago By John Brinsley and Rebecca Christie Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson indicated that pumping government funds into banks is a priority and said financial markets will remain volatile. US to buy shares in struggling banks Los Angeles Times Obama welcomes Paulson plan to buy equity in firms Reuters MarketWatch - International Herald Tribune - Bizjournals.com - Washington Post all 2,114 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:21:05 GMT Morgan Stanley, Goldman May Gain Investment From US Treasury - Bloomberg Wall Street Journal Blogs Morgan Stanley, Goldman May Gain Investment From US Treasury Bloomberg - 7 hours ago By Christine Harper Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the biggest independent US investment banks, may reap cash infusions as part of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's plan to buy stakes in financial institutions, ... As Stock Falls, Morgan Looks to Japanese Bank New York Times Morgan Stanley hangs on Mitsubishi's $9bn pledge guardian.co.uk Forbes - New York Post - New York Times Blogs - Barron's all 895 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:30:39 GMT Mugabe Hands Ministries to His Party - New York Times Voice of America Mugabe Hands Ministries to His Party New York Times - 52 minutes ago By CELIA DUGGER JOHANNESBURG - In a step likely to lead to the collapse of a painstakingly negotiated power-sharing deal, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, in office for 28 years, has unilaterally declared that his party will retain the most powerful ... Mugabe 'gives Zanu-PF key posts' BBC News Zimbabwe's Mugabe hands key ministries to his party Reuters United Press International - AFP - Aljazeera.net - The Associated Press all 1,687 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:57:49 GMT Palin violated ethics law, inquiry concludes - International Herald Tribune Washington Post Palin violated ethics law, inquiry concludes International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago By Serge F. Kovaleski NEW YORK: Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, abused her powers as governor of Alaska by pressuring subordinates to try to get her former brother-in-law, a state trooper, fired, according to an investigation ... Palin ethics lapse cited Los Angeles Times Alaska probe finds Palin 'abused her power' Indian Express Baltimore Sun - Boston Globe - New York Times - Reuters all 4,043 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:58:28 GMT Thai protest leaders released on bail, vow new rallies - AFP GulfNews Thai protest leaders released on bail, vow new rallies AFP - 20 hours ago BANGKOK (AFP) - Leaders of Thai anti-government protests were granted bail Friday after surrendering to police and immediately vowed new rallies, raising fears of mounting turmoil days after deadly street clashes. Video: Raw Video: Tear Gas Fired at Thai Protestors AssociatedPress PAD leaders surrender to Thailand police United Press International The Associated Press - Washington Post - New York Times - International Herald Tribune all 2,495 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:31:03 GMT McCain calms supporters, urges respect for Obama - Los Angeles Times The Associated Press McCain calms supporters, urges respect for Obama Los Angeles Times - 2 hours ago 'NO MA'AM': Sen. John McCain takes a question from a supporter who called Democratic rival Barack Obama an Arab at a town hall meeting in Lakeville, Minn. McCain-Palin's hot rhetoric risks GOP backlash San Francisco Chronicle McCain Lauds and Attacks Obama in Same Day New York Times Boston Globe - Washington Post - Minneapolis Star Tribune - Reuters all 460 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:04:20 GMT RSS Parser Increased Web Site Traffic

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