Gorilla(?) Marketing

A lot has been written about Guerrilla Marketing Strategies.

Does that mean putting on a monkey suit to attract attention? Of course not.

Or…maybe Yes.

Guerrilla Marketing has been championed in recent years by Jay Conrad Levinson, who’s written a series of books on the subject. The name simply implies means by which you can implement marketing ideas through low-cost, non-traditional methods.

True story: when I was Advertising Manager at Royal Insurance, I received an unusual delivery one day. When I opened the box, inside was one of those plastic foot models you see in a shoe or department store. This “foot” was wearing a sneaker…and a note attached from a local ad agency which said, in essence, “Now that we’ve got our foot in the door…let’s set up a meeting to discuss how the (name) Ad Agency can assist you and Royal Insurance in your marketing endeavors…”

Well, I thought it was brilliant, and invited the guy in post-haste. How can you not respond to something like that?

Here are some other ideas:

• Send one of those inexpensive “throw-away” cameras to a valued client or high-chance prospect with the message “Picture us together…(etc.)”



• Similarly, send one of those silly bottles (of candy) that typically are labeled “Stress Busters” or “Problem Solvers” and send that, along with an apt message that acknowledges the client’s concerns…along with your ability to take care of it.



• Consider old-fashioned bartering; according to Rick Crandall, PhD, and marketing author, “Barter not only cuts your costs, but can also get you a beginning client base which can then provide further referrals and testimonials.”

Guerrilla marketing is as far-reaching and all-inclusive as you want it to be. It doesn’t have to be “wild” or inconsistent with your business or industry. It just has to be different. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, the worst sin one can commit is to be dull.

So start to think outside the box. And inside, and alongside, and near side and far side…

Joel Kweskin is the principal behind JDK Marketing Communications Management.

He is a former Advertising Manager and Creative Director for Royal (& SunAlliance) Insurance, helping to earn several industry awards for excellence in advertising and marketing communications. During this period, he served as national Vice President of the Insurance Marketing Communications Association (IMCA) and was representative to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA).

He has been a copywriter for New York City and Charlotte advertising agencies; his writing skills embrace virtually all disciplines of marketing promotion and journalism.

Since 1996, through the emergence of his own company, Kweskin has offered consultation on marketing strategy and creative development and implementation for such diverse national, regional and local corporate names as BellSouth Mobility DCS (Verizon); Transamerica Reinsurance; Bristol-Myers Squibb; John Deere; Moissanite Jewelry; Pro-Med Emergency Care; Charlotte Housing Authority and Archadeck.

Kweskin has also displayed his skills on both the publication stage and the theatrical stage: he co-authored articles for National Lampoon magazine and co-scripted a comedy revue off-Broadway in New York City.

Joel Kweskin
JDK Marketing Communications Management
704.846.4835, office
704.575.8850, cell
704.841.2746, fax
www.jdkmarketing.biz

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