As a brand owner... you're constantly looking for ways to expand your business. Maybe you've already tried SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and more...
Additionally, these marketing strategies make it simple to build your eCommerce brand both online and off.
However, these marketing strategies may call for a sizable marketing investment. You can make sure your company achieves the success it deserves in this way.
Here's an idea, then! One of the best low-budget marketing strategies is this one.
Guerrilla marketing is what it is! Even before the Internet, a lot of small firms employed this marketing strategy to expand.
Creating a guerrilla marketing campaign serves as a low cost digital marketing solution for brand owners with a limited budget... which helps you achieve optimum results without spending a huge sum.
This blog will teach you...
- What is guerilla marketing?
- How does guerilla marketing work?
- 7 tactics to grow your eCommerce brand offline
So, let's get started!
What is guerrilla marketing?
Jay Convard Levinson originally used the phrase "guerrilla marketing" in his well-known book "Guerrilla Advertising" in 1984.
Guerrilla marketing emphasizes tactics that generate excitement and leave a lasting impact on consumers.
Additionally, it serves as the ideal link between online and offline shoppers. Guerrilla marketing concepts depend on originality and execution, in contrast to traditional marketing strategies that adhere to a set of standards.
Although guerilla marketing was first developed to assist small businesses, many huge corporations also use the most effective guerilla marketing strategies to expand their offline operations.
So, there are different guerrilla marketing types...
1. Experiential marketing
Unlike traditional marketing models, in which customers usually act as passive participants... experiential marketing allows them to participate in the process and helps a brand grow and excel.
This method uses creativity to introduce guerilla marketing campaigns that help customers connect emotionally with your brand and products.
2. Astroturfing Marketing
Unlike buzz marketing which involves organic recommendations from a brand, astroturfing marketing uses fake endorsements to build a reputation and social proof.
3. Buzz Marketing
Buzz marketing is a popular guerrilla marketing tactic used by marketers to create hype about a product or a brand.
This type of guerilla marketing is incredibly cost-effective as a brand has minimal involvement.
The process revolves around getting genuine endorsements from high-profile individuals, celebrities, and influencers to promote your brand or products without getting anything in return.
4. Stealth Marketing
Stealth marketing is a popular guerilla marketing tactic. This method targets customers without them realizing they're being targeted.
Guerilla marketers use this strategy to create brand awareness and buzz around a product or a service.
5. Street Marketing
Street marketing is not as popular as other forms of guerrilla marketing. But this tactic can drive more engagement and leads than other available alternatives.
Marketers use posters, billboards, and street art to communicate their brand message.
Now, I'm sure you're wondering...
How does guerrilla marketing work?
1. Location
First, you have to consider foot traffic. The idea here is not to target people but the right audience who are genuinely interested in your products.
2. Don't annoy customers
It can be easy for your buyers to ignore your guerilla marketing tactics unless your idea is powerful enough to capture their attention.
Even if you have captured your audience's attention... the real challenge is getting your message across without breaking laws or annoying your customers.
3. Consider different variables
An effective guerrilla marketing campaign depends on many factors, including city laws, theft, weather, etc.
4. Create A Link Between Your Offline Marketing And Online Brand
Customers should be able to find a connection between your brand and offline marketing strategies.
In other words... your guerrilla marketing strategies should complement your overall business goals and objectives.
So, remember these things before creating a business campaign. Are you ready? Let's discuss.
7 Low-cost guerrilla marketing tactics to grow your business offline
1. Use sticker marketing to boost your brand
Did you know simple stickers can make your brand stand out?
That's fine if you haven't heard of this type of marketing. After all, guerrilla marketing is all about pulling off creative marketing tactics.
However, this strategy has the potential to create brand awareness and help your target audience become familiar with your brand.
Reddit is an example here. The popular social media platform used its legendary alien logo stickers to create awareness.
Those stickers became famous in no time. And we've seen them on people's laptops, cars, binders, and everywhere.
Interestingly, Reddit spent only $500 on those stickers, and according to the CEO, the results were astounding.
2. Set up a pop-up shop
Yes, you guessed that right. Another effective low-budget marketing tactic is to set up a pop-up shop.
The good thing about those shops is that anyone can easily create one. Also, you can take them down whenever required.
With these pop-up shops, you can provide your consumers with a point of sale where they can purchase their desired items. You can even process payments using the POS system.
But the main point of concern is the location. The good news is you can set up your store anywhere — in your office, home, or even inside any other shop. Or in public places, but with permission.
This strategy, if done right, can bring wonderful results to your business.
3. Give away samples
Who doesn't like free stuff? Of course, we all do. Why not leverage this foolproof guerrilla marketing tactic to grow your business offline?
Giving away free samples is a surefire way to know people have access to your products and they will use them.
First, people love freebies. Second, when people get free samples, they feel obliged to spend their money on the products they once received as samples.
How to implement this?
You can talk to a local event or fair organizer and ask if you can distribute your products as samples to their visitors. If you want to interact with your customers, you can also set up a booth.
4. Pay attention to product placement
How you position your product can make or break a deal for you.
So, the key here is to place your products in front of your customers so that they realize their value. Then they will eventually feel the urge to invest their hard-earned money in them.
This is an excellent idea for increasing brand awareness because you're introducing your products to a larger audience.
5. Support local community events
One of the best ways to gain exposure is to become active in your local community events.
For example, if your local community organizes seasonal fairs or charitable events... you can sponsor that program to give your brand positive exposure.
When people around you start recognizing your brand, they will search for you. And if you have a great search engine optimization strategy, you’ll get more traffic to your website.
6. Street propaganda
Street propaganda is another old-school yet highly effective guerrilla marketing strategy.
This involves creating innovative street guerilla marketing campaigns to implement in your nearby area.
But of course, you need to be creative in your cheap guerilla marketing ideas. That's how you can get attention. You can also start by distributing flyers or posters to increase brand awareness.
7. Work with influencers
You don't really have to collaborate with famous social media stars and TikTok influencers to gain exposure for your brand, especially if you're not willing to spend thousands of dollars.
Many offline influencers can spread positivity about your brand. The good news? Without having you spend extravagantly on your guerilla marketing efforts.
You can look for those influential figures around you and approach them with a proposal. Some influencers ask for a monetary reward, while others can even settle for a free sample or a giveaway.
Even if it's a cash reward, it will be much less than what you pay to macro-influencers or celebrities when they promote your brand within their social circles.
The key here is to find an influencer who can make a big difference.
So, what are you waiting for?
Execute the best guerilla marketing campaigns with these tips!
When you go for the wow factor rather than relying on conventional strategies, guerrilla marketing may be incredibly profitable.
Guerrilla marketing strategies can grow and accelerate even though their reach is limited if you know what you are doing.
However, why should you restrict the offline reach of a tiny brand? when you are able to grow online!
