An effective low cost guerrilla marketing program for local markets.

As we carefully measure the degree of damage or better termed reduced revenue and increased costs we will be experiencing from the current decline of our economy, advertising tends to be one of the first cuts made as it always appears unnecessary or at least not critical, or so it seems.

Actually this may be a great time to expand marketing to take a share of market away from our competitors, however the purpose of this post is to reveal a local program which I have seen work extremely well and at a very low cost, yet with a very measurable and positive results. Here it is:

I have witnessed a local contractor climb from a new entry into the market with no clients to the leader in the local market area in a few short years. This was done by the owner participating in the local political arena. First volunteering for various positions and slowly building political strength and being appointed or volunteering for higher visibility positions and eventually elected office.

Along the way his involvement simply attracted business…automatically. Without a mention of his work or his desire to build business he simply attracted business  by his selfless volunteering for local political positions. It worked like a charm. It took a year or two to catch on, but he was able to build business almost immediately and it has not stopped since.

A second rendition of this  public service idea was developed by  another business owner I know who built a very successful regional business on the backs of children.

He offered to sponsor any sports team anywhere within his region, which was a number of towns, a county or two and he would provide the printed t-shirts. He eventually, over the years, built it up to many dozens of teams and a $60,000 per year budget sponsoring teams in every imaginable sport all over the region.

It created such good will and such local brand recognition that it was all the advertising he needed. He literally built his business on the the t-shirts the kids wore playing every imaginable sport. The parents were grateful and the community knew the name. It worked extremely well.

A third approach, was to use the teams, Boy Scouts, classes, clubs, etc. to sell the services of the business by splitting revenues for sales the kids brought in. Better then girl scout cookies, more valuable and if its the right product it is a great idea.

Try it, its inexpensive, creates tremendous goodwill and brings in lots of business in a local market.

His business is now the leader in the local market area.

We must continue to market, advertise and build our share of market, even in a declining economy. It requires creativity, effort and imagination…it must be done.