Saturday, October 12, 2013

Thoughts from the Great Guerrilla Marketer

I don’t remember when I first read something Jay Conrad Levinson wrote.

do remember though that it made me a fan.

Having read Seth Godin’s blog last night that Jay – a former VP and Creative Director at the J. Walter Thompson and Leo Burnett advertising agencies - had passed away, I went to the office and pulled out my copy of Jay’s 1990 book “Guerrilla Marketing Weapons.” 

As with any 20+ year old business book, some parts have weathered better than others. Still, the idea of being a guerrilla as well as many of Jay's specific thoughts and observations are as relevant today as ever. 
  • You yourself as your company’s ‘packaging’
  • The believability of non-generic testimonials
  • That being competitive is a non-stop job
  • Customer expectations must be understood and managed before they can be met and exceeded
  • The value of walk-by/drive-by traffic
  • High touch as a "safeguard" against consumer apathy
  • The relationship of success to ‘deep and healthy’ community involvement
While “Guerrilla Marketing Weapons” wasn’t written about radio, it's easy to see the applications.

You can read more of Jay’s writing here.



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