What is Guerrilla marketing?
The words ‘Guerrilla marketing’ are a phrase coined and defined by author and marketing expert, Jay Conrad. The term has since entered the popular vocabulary to also describe aggressive, unconventional marketing methods generally. Typically, guerrilla marketing is unexpected, where consumers are often targeted when and where they least expect it, which can make the idea, product or service that’s being marketed more memorable, generate buzz, and even spread virally.
By its very nature, guerrilla marketing demands an element of ‘surprise’. This brings an element of chaos into the marketing mix, because – as we all know – a nice surprise for some can be a nasty surprise for others. Fundamentally, guerrilla marketing can be risky as companies large and small have found out to their cost. Guerrilla marketing can be ethical, but only if it’s smart. That is – if the initial thinking is correct and accompanied by good intent, if the concept is inventive, interesting, and creative and.
However, the ’ethics’ of a marketing campaign can break down irreparably if the initial thinking is flawed, the intent to deceive or if the guerrilla marketing process or delivery fails in some way.
Surely what is completely unethical is when a business hides the truth or encourages the belief that something is real and authentic when it really isn’t
With the web and social networks becoming the playground for guerrilla marketers, online consumers are going to need to keep their wits about them.
Jay Conrad Levinson say in his ‘The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook’, he states: “In order to sell a product or a service, a company must establish a relationship with the customer. It must build trust and support. It must understand the customer’s needs, and it must provide a product that delivers the promised benefits.”
Smart thinking combined with simple marketing truths: ‘establish relationships, build trust, understand the customer and deliver the promise’. If your guerrilla marketing campaign is doing anything other than these, it just won’t work.
One Response
People like to do business with folks they know, like and trust!