Guerilla Marketing for creatives

davewill

Senior Member
Hey guys, Im putting together a list of guerilla marketing tips for creatives to help you get some exposure without having to spend too much cash. It is hopefully going to be published in quite a popular design blog. Ive listed my ideas below (plus bits Ive been told/read in the past) so if anyone has any other suggestions please let me know!

1.Leave business cards / bookmarks in library books when you return them. Especially in books related to your business, who knows who may read them?

2. Add vinyl stickers to your car/bike/bicycle

3.Speak to similar companies about collaborating (e.g. I sell posters so Im in the process of doing a deal with an online framing company so my customers get discount and they get my customers) In return there could be a possiblity of future work with the framing company and a link on their site.

4. Get stickers printed and put them EVERYWHERE! Realy cheap, effective and easy to stick onto books/lamposts/taxi seats/windows/bags/ATMs etc

5. Write your website/blog address on bank notes. (Not illegal as long as it doesnt interfere with the important info on the note) Just think how far and wide that note will travel!

6. Be proactive, post flyers through the doors of small businesses/houses/shops/offices.

7.Send letters/flyers to prospective clients but use 1p stamps to cover the cost. Imagine receiving a letter COVERED in stamps, it would certainly stand out from the crowd.
 
Number 4 can cause real problems! There are stories from bands getting into loads of trouble with the police because of something their fans did!

It hasn't stopped me mind!
 
some of them may be a bit naughty (i.e leaving bookmarks in library books) but none are illegal. Obviously as Mike points out there could be issues with the stickers, but it depends where you stick them.

Ive been researching more since yday, heres a few more ideas:

Hold a contest on your blog/facebook page/twitter where you give something away for free (i.e. your time, your services, a design book etc)

Get custom toilet paper printed with your company deals on (can cost as little as £4 per roll) and leave it in public places (maybe a little illegal typo!)

Get pencils printed with your details on, send them to agencies, freelancers, creatives, businesses. Everyone uses pencils, imagine your name, web address, contact details just sitting around offices all day

Final idea: (I read this on another blog) Get pizza boxes printed with your details on, ask local pizza shop if they would use them, (they get free boxes, why would they say no?)

Any other ideas guys?
 
Most of the time I don't have a problem with the legal/illegal thing.
It's just that it'll have your details written all over it....your Honour.
 
Toilet paper? - that's not cool people will be wiping their arse with your logo. You don't want that.

I think most of that would just annoy people rather than get you business to be honest Dave 'any publicity is good publicity' - doesn't really work for business - at least ours.
 
Regarding stickers or "fly posting' I believe you can't be prosecuted unless you're actually caught in the act as it were.
 
Fair comment andy, some of those ideas are very "out there" and not for everyone, I wouldn't do them all myself but I just wanted to put them out there to get some ideas going. I know personally how expensive marketing can be and I'm sure everyone would love some tips on how to get some attention without spending a lot. Maybe it's not possible, but I'd like to hope it is!
 
haha, now that is an idea Tom!

How did you guys over at Sound Print market yourselves in the early days? Was it all word of mouth or did you take out advertising space etc?
 
Flyer drops, themed give aways to local shops etc, mainly word of mouth and reputation from a previous life. Went to some networking dos, did some charitable work which is a good way of getting your name out there too. Advertised in local stuff, like the local carnival programme and local am dram programmes etc. all sorts

:D
 
hard work then basically Tom by the sounds of it?

I know there are no shortcuts in this kind of thing, but do people think sending branded pencils, putting stickers across city centres, writing URLs on bank notes would actually build your profile, or like Andy/Typo says, would it do more harm than good to your reputation?
 
Hey Dave,
Some crazy ideas there, although I prefer the direct approach, ultimately you want the deal makers to notice you, so getting down the Golf Course, Squash Courts, Country Clubs etc with some business cards, and striking up a conversation with CEO's, MD's, Senior level management, and those with both a penny to spend and the authority to spend it can do wonders for your business!

Dam... have i given the game away?
 
Good tips there Geoff, sounds like that has worked for you in the past. However, as a young(ish) designer im not sure how many hi-level exec's would stop for a chat with me whilst I stood by my battered Vauxhall Corsa. I have no doubts that chatting with the deal makers would work, but I dont see that working for me at this point in my career.

The point of my list is to help younger freelancers get noticed in the industry and to get their name known. Im unsure however that some of the techniques I mentioned would actually help, but I would love to know everyones tips on how they got their name out there!

Im also aware that this kind of info isnt easily shared due to fear of competition, so thanks Geoff for letting us know some of your own techniques.
 
Ha! Dave you would be surprised, If my memory serves me well, Berry and I had a chat a while back about using Cars and full vinyl wraps as a form of advertising. and parking them up in some prominent areas in order to gain the exposure. The point being is, however, you don't need to have a fancy car, just get involved and find some common ground to break the ICE with, from that point on, its just being confident and getting your face recognised week in week out.
 
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