We have interviewed nonprofit leaders in preparation for the book and found some communication people who say they don’t use Guerrilla Marketing. Knowing what we know about the benefits of going Guerrilla, it’s hard to understand why anyone would resist the secrets that have helped so many. Apparently, some nonprofits fear they will lose some credibility if they use Guerrilla Marketing. The folks who feel this way tend to have a cartoon image of what Guerrilla Marketing is all about. Guerrilla Marketing isn’t all about in-your-face media tactics. It is more about having an acute focus on excellence, rather than on flashy gimmicks. You may already have in mind what you think Guerrilla Marketing is all about. But take a second look. There’s more to it than a few attention-getting promotional tactics. Guerrillas don’t find a single marketing tactic and use it rudely to grab people’s attention unexpectedly. It’s about marketing combinations that work together for greater results.
Some objections you might hear about Guerrilla Marketing are:
- “The tactics are too aggressive.” Guerrilla marketing is not about aggression, but consistent action
- “There is too much time or energy wasted.” When you don’t have a lot of money, what you have left at your disposal are time, energy, information, and imagination
- “We can’t afford to spend money on marketing.” There are 200 marketing tools in the Guerrilla Marketing arsenal; many of them are free.
- “Segments people into stereotypes.” Guerrillas are sensitive to the real lifestyles of the people they want to reach
- “Gets people to buy things they don’t need.” Guerrillas link their message to the real solutions people need, meeting their real needs
- “Intrudes into people’s lives.” Guerrillas use permission marketing
- “Adds to the clutter of advertising out in the marketplace.” Guerrilla Marketing isn’t just about advertising; it’s a mindset that leads to the results they need
- “Manipulates people into doing things they don’t want to do.” Guerrillas meet people’s needs so well, they willingly give them referrals and tell their friends about them
Guerrilla Marketing books have helped people all over the world turn their time, energy and imagination into profitable results. With more than 60 titles and 20 million books sold in 63 languages, we know a thing or two about getting marketing results. In our book we want to help put the power of Guerrilla Marketing into the hands of you, the nonprofit leader. Guerrilla Marketing isn’t designed for people who want to know everything about marketing. It is designed for people who want to grow their organization and get results. Though organizations of all sizes can benefit from Guerrilla Marketing, it is designed with the smaller nonprofit in mind.