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Ten Characteristics of a Guerrilla Marketer

by Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP

It’s a jungle out there. You are not paranoid; they really are out to get you. Doing business in this highly competitive business environment requires the boldness and ingenuity of a veteran commercial mercenary.

Today’s winners in business are the renegades, the rebels who break all the rules, who use information and surprise to gain a tactical advantage. There are ten characteristics that set these guerrillas apart. Study them. Sell by them.

1. Investment

The average business in America invests only 3of gross sales in marketing. The guerrilla averages 10 Guerrillas believe that the difference between winning and losing, more often than not, is a very slim margin. So they invest heavily in technology, in people, and in themselves. They are constantly expanding their horizons, constantly training, and constantly on the lookout for anything that will give them a slight advantage.

2. Consistent

Poor selling done consistently will be more effective than great selling done sporadically. In the mind of your customers, consistency is interpreted as credibility, longevity and success. Guerrillas earn this confidence by communicating their identity, not their image. They are very resistant to changing their name, their logo, their color scheme. Be consistent and you will outsell the better armed, better equipped, better organized corporate regulars.

3. Confident

Guerrillas believe in their products, their services, and their people. They count on others in the organization to deliver on every promise, every time, and then some. If you can’t feel that kind of confidence, you’re working for the wrong outfit. When something goes wrong, take personal responsibility for making it right, right away.

4. Patient

A guerrilla will set in the trees for days waiting for a clear shot. Less than 4of sales are made on the first call, over 80are made after the eighth call. Guerrillas are always on the lookout for the next need cycle, and strive to be there when the need arises. So stick with it. Keep mailing out your brochure.

5. Assortment

The old days of Henry Ford, when “you can have it any color you want, as long as it’s black” are long gone. Guerrillas offer a wide variety of goods and services, and adapt their offerings, their terms, even their delivery schedules to meet the customers’ needs. Look for the new, the unusual, the unique, and add it to your offering. Ask customers what they’d like to see. The more flexible you can be, the better. The more options you offer, the more people you can serve, and the more successful your company will be.

6. Subsequent

Guerrillas are in this for the long haul, and getting the order is only the first step. Guerrillas spend 10of their resources educating the universe, promoting the business to the community at large. They spend 30of their time marketing to prospective customers. But they spend a whopping 60of their time, energy and money marketing to people who have already bought. Why? It costs five times as much to sell a new customer as it does to make the same sale to an existing customer. Guerrillas sell and re-sell and re-sell the benefits of their offering.

7. Measurement

Any behavior that is rewarded will tend to be repeated, so guerrillas reward every customer and client for the opportunity to serve them. It’s the thirteenth doughnut in the baker’s dozen; it’s doing everything you promised, everything the customer expected, and more. And because expectations are constantly changing, guerrillas are always asking “how are we doing?” and “how can we improve.” Survey your customers. Get out in the field and talk to them. If you do exactly what they tell you, you cannot fail.

8. Convenient

Guerrillas are both receptive and responsive. They know that they have to be “user friendly.” That means easy to reach, easy to talk to, and easy to do business with. They return their calls. They give out their numbers at home, at the office, in the car. They keep phones staffed at night and on weekends, even if only by an answering service. They are in touch. Be available. Lend an ear to your customers when they have a suggestion, a question, or a problem. And do everything immediately.

9. Excitement

Guerrillas are enthusiastic, and militantly optimistic. They have a good word for everyone, and never complain about the weather, the economy, or the people they work for. Their passion spreads like a wildfire. People love to do business with people who love their business. Spread good news and cheer about your people and your industry to everyone you meet. Start a one-guerrilla revolution to turn your corner of the economy around. Launch a success conspiracy. Enthusiasm is contagious.

10. Commitment

The guerrilla is enlisted in a larger mission than just closing the deal and getting the order. They are deadly serious about adding value and serving the community. When a customer complains, the guerrilla tracks down the cause and corrects it, whatever it takes. They have no time for excuses and apologies, and they never argue with results. They treat every customer as if the survival of their business depended on it, because it does.

Get committed to your marketing effort, and if you’re more comfortable hosting receptions or maintaining membership rolls, assign someone to be your full-time designated guerrilla. It’s time we launched a revolution in American business. You have no choice. To survive in today’s brutal economic environment, you must become a guerrilla.

Welcome to the Guerrilla Marketing Blog!

Welcome to the Guerrilla Marketing Blog, with exclusive content by Orvel Ray Wilson, Co-Author of the Original Guerrilla Marketing series of books.

Check back for tips, tools, reports & discussions every week!

 We look forward to helping apply our successful Guerrilla Marketing tactics to your business!

Orvel Ray Wilson, CSP