Guerrilla marketing in present-day conditions - offline and online

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Unfortunately, or maybe luckily, we will not disclose all the secrets of guerrilla marketing. Our objective is to remind you about the triggers and instruments that help laser tag clubs influence their clients without the need to spend anything or spend very little.

The idea of guerrilla marketing was invented long before the term itself appeared. In days of old, many businessmen, too, found inexpensive ways to attract people.

While placing ads in printed publications and then advertise on TV, radio was frequently costly, guerrilla marketing helped gain new clients at low cost. The main condition for the actualization of the idea of guerrilla marketing is desire and capability to spend one’s time, energy and creative potential. 

What is good about guerrilla marketing?

What makes it different from other means of promotion? It is believed that introducing and promoting a new product (in our case a service) on the market is very expensive. Indeed, it is, if you are planning to advertise on TV, reach out to a marketing agency to have banners and signboards put up all over the city. Yet other methods have always been around, too. In 1983, a book by Jay Conrad Levinson was brought out. It gave detailed examples of guerrilla marketing. Today, the tips and hints about inexpensive marketing activities are applied both by niche market providers and huge corporations.

Low-budget marketing by yourself 

The notion of guerrilla marketing includes all sorts of product purposes and functions.

For example, an owner of a retail clothes store wonders how he can outstrip his competitors – famous brand stores and online stores. He comes across an idea of selling clothes by collections (thus increasing an average bill), inviting a stylist who will help to choose the right clothes, offering the services of a tailor to fit ready items a particular figure type. Store assistants must not just stand behind their desks, but offer information to customers, not force them into buying a product, though (this typical example can be easily applied at any laser tag club that is just opening in a competitive environment of a city/ region, where such clubs function).

One can also extend opening hours, so that people are able to pop by after work. These all guerrilla marketing means are very selective yet effective. If you own a small business, then placing an ad over a double-page spread of a magazine is pointless: expensive and ineffective. As to trying to reach out to clients where they can be reached, this makes sense.

Online guerrilla marketing

1. Search for online forums devoted to a particular subject.

The people that visit forums are most interested in finding the answers to certain questions. Due to the fact that we have a niche product (services offered by clubs), we solve the problems of a particular category of clients. Therefore, it is essential that we elaborate upon our subject on forums steadily and constantly. Besides gaining the people who are interested in the product and are ready to buy right here and now, you will get brand advocates and reach out to more people through the word of mouth.

2. Your colleagues can write notes and publish company content on their own behalf.

Introduce the practice of content creation by your whole team. You can hold brainstorms, think about topics for entries, create platforms for reviews. The senior managers can make their colleagues mention the company brand, leave hashtags, etc. on their personal pages in social networks.

3. Search for niches on the web.

For example, still few have a YouTube channel. At the same time, well optimized content appears at the top of search results. Just imagine how many video ads can be created using just a smartphone camera and a free film editing program. These days, many companies try to get more people to visit their pages by means of SEO, yet a YouTube channel will be a lot more effective. Knitting classes or art classes that receive 50 thousand views daily, can serve as an example.

Examples of the cheapest guerrilla marketing methods

Start with any idea. Handing out leaflets, going to places of mass gatherings can give an immediate effect. Low-budget marketing must be divided into several segments:

• Attracting audience.

• Not letting clients go.

• Post-sales service.

Find out exactly at which stage you lack clients at the moment. Calculate where you miss out on profit. For instance, a newly created business needs clients.

Make use of the instruments that will give the maximum effect: placing ads on online advertising platforms, on forums or in printed newspapers, sending out invitations for a free test drive of a playground, new equipment and other, getting subscribers in Instagram or handing out leaflets in the street.

If you think you need to persuade and use the word of mouth, you will have to think of objections. For example, detailed entries on forums, in social networks. When you are in shopping areas and at exhibitions, you must interact with buyers directly and learn about their fears and needs. This way, you will be able to take advantage of word of mouth and skip the need to make any extra investments.

Don’t forget about post-sales methods of guerrilla marketing. A happy customer will not only become your permanent customer – he will bring 3 to 10 new players along with him. Therefore, offer a warrantee, work out a system of bonuses, a loyalty scheme.

Use important dates, such as birthdays, to present a bonus, a coupon or offer a discount. Remember that people are not likely to throw away useful souvenirs (such as memory sticks) right away – they will most probably use them.

We can continue examining examples of guerrilla marketing almost endlessly. Essentially, one must think of the right actions that will increase the income of an entrepreneur and will pay off in the end. Guerrilla marketing is ideal for those who start a business with hardly any investments or who won’t pay for standard advertising.

For experienced club directors, this information can serve as a reminder about the actions that must be undertaken in order to promote own services.

For beginners, this is a call for action and a reminder that a good ad is not always expensive.