Maverick Marketing: Part 3

Now that we’ve examined what’s getting through, let’s look at how it’s getting through.

Community involvement. No, I don’t mean sponsoring Little League (though that might prove strategic). That’s a community based on location. I’m talking about being actively involved in a community of shared interest that is not necessarily bound by geography.

For example, you run a flight school and your target audience is primarily male, 21 – 75. That’s a huge age range. So you participate in events (both online and off) that attract your target market. e.g. you volunteer to answer Q & A for a popular online forum on flying, you write a regular column for a Flight magazine, you set up a reciprocal membership privileges with other flight schools in other states, you give introductory workshops at colleges with 2-for-1 coupons for friends and father-son coupons around graduation time. You know that your target demographic also overwhelmingly favors dogs over cats, so you get involved with dog -related organizations and businesses and you accommodate their needs (offer free on-site dog-sitting during flight-lessons). This is what’s known in marketing circles as “grassroots tactics.” Assemble enough of them and work at them consistently and you will build untouchable brand-loyalty.

Essentially, you find out what your target audience is interested in and you get involved. This is not difficult for the average small business owner because they usually share the same interests as their customers. (That’s how they got started in the business in the first place.) But it is much more difficult for corporations to do the same thing. Sure they can send representatives, but there’s no continuity over time, so there’s no sense of an authentic (there’s that word again) relationship, and no compelling reason for people to invest in that rep. And we can all spot a paid-to-smile rep a mile away, can’t we? They remind us of flight attendants – big smile but a vacant my-mind’s-elsewhere look in the eye.

Targeted local marketing efforts are known in marketing circles as “grassroots tactics.” Marketing Consultants don’t like them because they require more time and effort than cash. A grassroots approach requires thinking outside the box, collaborating with the client, a customized solution… none of which spells easy money. It’s far easier to simply take out a series of ads in a magazine.

But why spend money doing what everyone else is doing, when you could hire someone to help you execute a series of innovative, fun, memorable stunts instead?