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Educating to Plant Seed of Future Sales
One of the best examples of proactive market education can be found at www.bhphotovideo.com. Select any camera or major product, and tabs appear for "Accessories," "Features," "Specifications," and "Item includes."
Click "Accessories," and you'll find detailed descriptions of every accessory that could increase the utility and pleasure the product offers. The cost (and profitability) of these recommended accessories, i.e., batteries, power supplies, viewfinders, filters, remote cords, lens caps, etc., can quickly convert a low-margin sale into a highly profitable one.
Does your web site make it easy to cross-sell and up-sell buyers?
| Tip for December 1, 2007 |
| Tip for December 2, 2007 |
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The purpose of guerrilla marketing is to basically take on a competitive brand in terms of upsetting a competitors promotions. With intentions of having `out of the box' solutions.
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| Tip for December 3, 2007 |
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Your web site needs a "why"
The web is crowded with sites that exist only because their owners thought getting on the web was a cool thing to do. But the web sites that consistently attract customers and generate profits do it because they have a specific purpose that addresses a real customer need. Your web site needs a "why" that your instantly understand, such as: * delivering tons of useful information that's hard to get otherwise; * offering speedy information updates that can't be gotten otherwise; * presenting a far larger selection of products, or an easier way to compare options or colors; or * producing customized reports or analyses for each customer. Your reasons for having a web site won't mean much unless customers have a reason to visit it. |
| Tip for December 4, 2007 |
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Barriers to creativity:
Over-reliance on statistics, always following the rules, playing follow-the-leader, conventional thinking, self-judgment, over-reliance on research, fear of failure, speed due to emergency conditions. |
| Tip for December 5, 2007 |
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Even Those Who Make a Difference Often Forget a Call to Action
Several Guerrilla Marketers, including Will Reed (www.b-smart.net) and Roger C. Parker (www.onepagenewsletters.com), are profiled in Seth Godin's newest book, Bullmarket Sourcebook. The Bullmarket Sourcebook profiles 500 creative service providers around the world who, in Seth's words, "can make a difference" by acting as catalysts and helping clients become Purple Cows in their field. What's interesting, however, is how rarely is a call to action included in the profiles--which were written by the entrants themselves. Most entries are strong on description, benefits, and (often) self-congratulation. But only a few tell readers what to do next. Most list a web site URL, for example, but don't tell readers WHY they should visit the URL. Often, the difference between a Guerrilla or a competitor getting an assignment boils down to the call-to-action incentive that tells the prospect what to do next, like contact Will or Roger and ask where they can download the free 446 page book.. |
| Tip for December 6, 2007 |
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Repeat what works
A Guerrilla repeats past successes. Rosier Reeves, president of one of America's great advertising agencies said, "Originality is the most dangerous word in advertising." When an ad is successful, run it again, and again. When you get a high response from a direct marketing effort, repeat it again and again. |
| Tip for December 7, 2007 |
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Create an easily located testimonial folder
Valuable testimonials are easily lost. When you receive praise from a client in a letter or e-mail, immediately copy and paste it to a Word document and save it in your Testimonial folder. Use a filename that identifies the name of the individual who praised your quality and service. This is especially important when kind words are buried in longer letters and e-mails which you might inadvertently misplace. |
| Tip for December 8, 2007 |
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Way of Guerrilla # 17: Guerrillas are Goal Oriented
Guerrilla Marketers are focused on the goal. They rid themselves of the values and expectations of their ancestors. They focus on the journey, seeing the future clearly while concentrating on the present. Guerrillas recognizee that the minutiae of life and business can distract them, so they do what is necessary to make distractions only momentary interruptions. Adapted from: The Way of the Guerrilla, 1997 |
| Tip for December 9, 2007 |
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Everyone loves freebies
Everyone likes to get something for nothing, so giving away free stuff is a good way to get people interested in your product. Offer a free report, a free information kit, a few free minutes of telephone consulting, or a sample of your company's product or service. If you have confidence in what you're selling, let the product or service do the selling for you. |
| Tip for December 10, 2007 |
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Is technology costing you customers?
Several times I've talked about an art gallery that did a lot of things right. Unfortunately, however, I just unsubscribed from their e-mail newsletter. Why? Because their "webmaster" allowed a technical problem to get in the way of our relationship. Each weekly newsletter offers an up-to-date copy of their comprehensive quarterly catalog of photo books. Unfortunately, being prepared on a Macintosh, I could never get the PDF to download. II had spoken several times about this to the webmaster, but it would never work. And they refused to send me the print copy of their newsletter, which they sell for $7.00--although I've bought several hundred dollars worth of books from them. So, technology and insensitivity--and valuing the cost of a quarterly mailing (probably about $3.00), they lost a good customer and a source of referrals. Guerrillas never let this type of thing happen. Make sure it doesn't happen in your organization! |
| Tip for December 11, 2007 |
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Creating a "Disposable" E-mail folder
One of the best ways to manage the increasing volume of incoming e-mail is to create a "disposable" folder. Use it for those doctored photographs and other humorous files that your send you. Every time you receive a humorous downloadable file, download it to your "disposable" file. Then, once a month, either go through the contents of the file and selectively save the best, or simply delete everything and start from scratch with next month's contributions from your friends. |
| Tip for December 12, 2007 |
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When introducing new offerings, enthusiastically announce that they’re new and clearly explain why they’re good. When introducing new products, there are three types of prospects:
Guerrillas market to “maybe to new” prospects with messages that not only stress that the offering is new, but also describe the reasons why the new product or service can better satisfy the prospect’s needs and desires than current offerings. It doesn’t pay to advertise to the “yes to new” prospects because they’ll buy anyway. It doesn’t pay to advertise to the “no to new” prospects because they’ll be unresponsive to your arguments. That leaves the “maybe to new prospects” who may switch, if you provide compelling arguments. |
| Tip for December 13, 2007 |
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Way of Guerrilla # 16: Guerrillas are Passionate
Guerrilla Marketers are passionate about their work. This enthusiasm is readily apparent to everyone they come in contact with. While others are content to "put in their time," Guerrilla businesses are rooted in intense feelings that exist within their owners, which others sense and respond to. Adapted from: The Way of the Guerrilla, 1997 |
| Tip for December 14, 2007 |
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Guerrillas Start with a Plan
Guerrilla Marketing is based on message, audience, and competition. Rather than talk about what interests them, Guerrillas analyze their market's information needs and develop content that satisfies those needs. Then, they "package" it using colors, layouts, and typefaces that will simultaneously appeal to their market while setting their businesses apart from the competition. Design, like copy, is always intentional, rather than haphazard or subjective. |
| Tip for December 15, 2007 |
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There are over 100 Guerrilla Marketing weapons. How many do you employ? Avoid the temptation to confuse advertising, such as
newspaper ads and radio spots, with marketing. Advertising is a tool; marketing is your goal. Ideally, you'll start with your marketing arsenal filled with eight or ten weapons, and then -- out of those -- choose the three or four which work best for you. Guerrillas are aware of all 100 weapons, experiment with many of them, keep careful track, weed out the losers, then go to the bank with the winners. |
| Tip for December 16, 2007 |
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More guerrilla writing advice:
To write you have to set up a routine, to promise yourself that you will write. Just state in a loud voice that you will write so many pages a day, or write for so many hours a day. Keep the number of pages or hours within reason, and don't be upset if a day slips by. Start again; pick up the routine. Don't look for results. Just write, easily, quietly. |
| Tip for December 17, 2007 |
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Direct mail, love it or leave it 50,000 Americans a month call the Direct Marketing Association and ask to be put on a not-to-be-mailed list. As of this moment, three million Americans enjoy this freedom from direct mail. Not a guerrilla among them, I'll bet.
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| Tip for December 18, 2007 |
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Sales Incentives #8: Rebates
Rebates are refunds offered to buyers after they have paid for an item. Rebates are similar to discounts in that the buyer ultimately pays less, but the seller has use of the buyer's money for a varying amount of time (i.e., until the rebate check is cashed.) |
| Tip for December 19, 2007 |
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Offer opportunities to upgrade. Any type of business can find simple ways to enlarge the size of the purchase. Offer an additional product with the purchase at a steep discount.
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| Tip for December 20, 2007 |
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Can that message
Canned messages and electronic brochures are e-mail letters that you prepare in advance and have ready to send to online prospects when they inquire about you and your business. Your participation in discussion groups will generate leads. With an arsenal of canned messages, you can respond to quickly to requests instead of having to compose new responses on the spot. A carefully prepared response sent immediately will enhance your reputation, while a speedily written message full of typos will only discredit you. |
| Tip for December 21, 2007 |
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Way of Guerrilla # 18: Guerrillas are disciplined
Guerrilla Marketers are disciplined about the tasks at hand. Every time they write a task in their daily calendar, they recognize they are making a promise to themselves. Part of the payoff to this discipline is the leisure time that results. Adapted from: The Way of the Guerrilla, 1997 |
| Tip for December 22, 2007 |
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A Guerrilla shakes hands by connecting the base of the thumb with the other's thumb base until a good, flat hand shake is made, a "web to web" connection. The web is the flesh between your thumb and your index finger. Don't shake anyone's fingers again; no bone crushers either. A good firm hand shake starts your sales encounter off on the right foot, so to speak!
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| Tip for December 23, 2007 |
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Your second best prospects after your customers.
What would happen if you made a sales call and follow-up to all customers who have not placed an order in the past six months? If you've waited six months to call on an inactive customer, it's been too long, but this inactive customer is still a better prospect than a prospect who has never used your firm's services. If your approach is framed in the style of a customer service call and handled properly, it can turn into an order on the spot. At the very least, it could re-establish your company as a possible source for the customer to consider. How many customers have you lost because you did not follow up when they stopped giving your company job orders? When you did not come by and your competitor did - guess who got the job orders? Inactive customers are your best prospects |
| Tip for December 24, 2007 |
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Auctions add interest to web sites
In addition to the profits that they generate, auctions can add interest to email newsletters and web sites. There's a bit of a voyeur in everyone; people are always interested in what others who share their interests are doing. The PHoto-Eye bookstore and gallery, www.photoeye.com, in Santa Fe, NM, takes full advantage of this universal drive to find out "what's up?" Their weekly e-mail newsletter lists a variety of rare books and prints that are being auctioned. Even if you're not particularly in the market to buy, the "surprise" value of seeing what's being auctioned provides a strong motivation to open the e-mail newsletterr each week. |
| Tip for December 25, 2007 |
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Way of Guerrilla # 15: Guerrillas are Constant Learners
Guerrillas recognize that we live in an age of accelerated change, and are adopt to it by committing to constant adapting their skills to new situations and mastering new technologies and marketing skills. Instead of fighting change, and getting run over by it, Guerrillas welcome it and adopt it when appropriate. Adapted from: The Way of the Guerrilla, 1997 |
| Tip for December 26, 2007 |
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Make trade show connections
If you're in a discussion group whose members will be interested in attending a particular trade show that you're planning to attend, offer to meet with other group members at that show. In-person contacts do a lot to cement relationships you've begun online. |
| Tip for December 27, 2007 |
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How to involve the prospect.
Questions work because they don't communicate phony enthusiasm or desperation. They require involvement on the part of your prospect. You can also control the flow and direction of the sales interview by answering a prospect's question and then asking a question in return. Asking questions, probing questions is only half of what you need to do. Don't ignore the answer. Listen - listen - qualify and paraphrase |
| Tip for December 28, 2007 |
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Guerrillas demonstrate honesty in all their dealings, giving customers the facts, resisting the temptation to exaggerate benefits or to fabricate small details. It never works.
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| Tip for December 29, 2007 |
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Ad specialties give you off-line visibility
Advertising specialties with your company name, logo, or slogan on them are a good way to remind people about you when they're not online, or when they're about to go online. You can order custom mouse pads, diskette holders, pens, coasters, and even screen savers that will serve as mini-billboards for your company or your web site. The cost is surprisingly low, and the visibility helps you stand out from your competitors. |
| Tip for December 30, 2007 |
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Guerrilla Marketers Turn Opportunities into Exposure
By intentionally looking for ways to leverage everyday events into resources, Guerrilla can reduce the cost of marketing and promotion. Consider one Guerrilla Marketer who was speaking at a corporate event. The corporation wanted to videotape the event, which normally the speaker does not permit. In this case, he was willing to make an exception--provided the corporation gave him a master copy of the tape and permission to distribute copies. As a result, the Guerrilla/speaker was able to offer not only offer evidence of his speaking style to speakers bureaus and event planners, but he was able to add short video clips on his web site. |
| Tip for December 31, 2007 |
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Forty nations on advertising:
Of 37,700 people surveyed in 40 nations, 61% said advertising is entertaining and creative; 38% said it gives accurate information; 30% said it respects their intelligence. |
