Guerrilla Marketing

by Jonathan R. Aspatore

Developing new business is an integral part of every guerrilla’s regimen. There are endless ways to go about looking for new business, however guerrillas know how to focus their efforts to engage in the most efficient methods possible.

Most businesses derive 80% of their revenues from the top 20% of the customers. The key is to expand upon the relationships already formed with customers and tap into the relationships that have been made with suppliers, partners, and any other individuals and businesses to generate new business. Guerrillas know that having already established working relationships with these people and given both parties share the same target market, they are in a position to tap their brains for new ideas:

1. Do they have a need for any additional products or services?
2. Are they aware of any other businesses that would have a need for similar products and services?
3. Would they be able to refer any individuals or businesses that would help in penetrating new target markets?
4. What sort of additional products and services would be of interest to them and their business?

Whether he is a one-person business or runs an international corporation, guerrillas approach developing new business as a team effort. Anyone that can help him engage in new business is part of his team. This includes customers, suppliers, partners, friends, and everyone else that can introduce new ways to market the company.

Guerrillas reward individuals and other businesses that help him to penetrate new target markets and bring in additional customers. He creates arrangements that stand to benefit both himself and the individual or business he is working with. He probes the minds of existing customers and suppliers to learn about any new types of products and services they may need. Through this investigation he may find fellow guerrillas that share his passion or even receive feedback for new ideas that result in his next wave of products and services.

Every industry is constantly in a state of change. Guerrillas find ways to innovate, build, and advance their business in order to ensure a foothold in the marketplace. Every industry will always have new products, services, and technological advancements that alter the way business is conducted. By understanding the elemental factors that affect these changes, guerrillas will be in the position to capitalize on new business developments as the marketplace changes. The guerrilla entrepreneur considers the following:

1. What sort of new products and services would allow expansion into different target markets?
2. What factors will shape the landscape of the industry next year, in two years, and in five years from now?
3. Which parts of the business will stand to gain the most from these developments?

The guerrillas that are ready for these changes stand to gain the most. Being able to project his knowledge of the industry into the future and understanding the effects of new marketplace developments will enable the guerrilla entrepreneur to uncover valuable new business opportunities.

Guerrillas are able to use the resources readily available to them to develop a steady stream of new business initiatives and create a foothold for themselves that can be leveraged into even greater opportunities. New business drives companies in every industry and is a major factor in the future of every business. Those guerrillas that are continuously looking for and executing new business development endeavors will be the ones that capture market share and successfully position themselves in the marketplace to go even further.