Low cost, high impact marketing.

Jay Conrad Levinson defined a new form of marketing for the digital age back in 2007 — the concepts are still relevant today.

Here are the 3 most important concepts in creating a successful guerrilla marketing strategy.

Back in 2007, author Jay Conrad Levinson launched a book that would become a brand new way of marketing. This book was called Guerrilla Marketing.

The idea is that traditional advertising channels — radio, TV, even the internet — had become bloated. Any message that tries to reach a mass audience is inevitably lost to static and noise. It takes a lot of money to cut through, money that most businesses simply don’t have.

So, the concept of guerrilla marketing, a way to subvert this traditional advertising and reach customers directly and personally, was born. What follows is some of Levinson’s best advice from this groundbreaking book.

One person at a time

Guerrilla marketing is different because it is a grassroots effort. It seeks to get one person interested in what’s being advertised, and works to motivate them to share it with others.

“Guerrilla marketing aims its message at individuals or, if it must be a group, the smaller the group, the better.” Jay Conrad LevinsonGuerrilla Marketing

Creativity is key

Traditional marketing is expensive. Guerrilla marketing leverages the ingenuity of a small, scrappy team to create campaigns that do a lot with a little. Rockstar Games leaning into controversy and State Street Capital Advisors taking on Wall Street are both great examples.

“Guerrilla marketers do not rely on the brute force of an outsized marketing budget. Instead, they rely on the brute force of a vivid imagination.” Jay Conrad LevinsonGuerrilla Marketing

Win - win - win

Guerrilla marketing isn’t about gaining sales at all costs. Instead, it looks to surprise and delight customers, give them an incredible experience, and deliver some product or service that fills a void in their lives. Companies following the tactic don’t win by conquering their competition or customers, they do it by winning market share with new and innovative ideas that people want.

“The guerrilla is obsessed with benefits. Whenever offering a product or service, she focuses on how it will benefit the consumer and builds everything - the product, the delivery, the marketing - around that benefit.” Jay Conrad LevinsonGuerrilla Marketing

How can you apply guerrilla marketing?

What untapped channels are available to you? Where is your audience spending time that competitors don't tap into? Find the answers to these questions and you'll be able to position your advertising in a way that surprises and delights customers, and gets your more sales for less.

—Mike