3 Original Guerrilla Marketing Ideas

Guerrilla marketing works for organizations of all sizes. From small startups to large companies that are looking to minimize their marketing budgets, guerrilla marketing is easy to execute and it requires little to no budgeting. If your organization is ready to show off its creative side, try one of these guerrilla marketing ideas:

Create a Community Garden

Community gardens add green space to urban environments and produce healthy, organic food for the people who live in the community. Gardens also offer unique opportunities to teach children, are good for your health and have even been linked to a decline in urban crime. By planting a community garden in your neighborhood, you're doing more than just planting seeds into the ground; you're growing customers and branching out to new clientele, all while bettering the community.

The American Community Gardening Association (AGCA) cites that sponsors, including schools, churches, recreation departments and private businesses, can all help support a community garden. For example, a garden can raise money by selling space to its sponsors. Each plot can have a sign posted into the ground that lists the business and the contribution given. One collective of city gardens in New York grew 11,000 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables. After the food was harvested, nearly 50 percent of it was donated to local food pantries and soup kitchens.

This type of marketing plan is great for schools, non-profits and parks looking to connect with the community. And they are a great way to show the philanthropic side of your organization.

Flash Mobs

Flash mobs can be a great way to create buzz, express your organization's creative side and garner social media reach. Social media plays a big part in flash mobs because organizers use the platforms to distribute information about the event like the date, time and location. But before you start sharing on social, you need to put some forethought into the event.

If you're planning a flash mob that requires everyone to sing and dance, the fun-loving marketing experts at HubSpot recommend practicing the moves with your fellow coworkers ahead of time so your marketing ploy doesn't fall flat. They also recommend capturing the moment with photos and video so that after it's all over, you can share and promote the stunt online. HubSpot attempted their own flash mob by dressing up in fun costumes and dancing around a local food court to Michael Jackson's Thriller on Halloween. Other organizations including T-Mobile and the TV series "Glee" have participated in flash mobs, too. If you need costume theme ideas, check out MorphSuits.com.

Most importantly, remember to keep your flash mob a secret. You don't want the location to be tipped off because the element of surprise adds to the fun and excitement.

Treasure Hunts

If your company has a great product or a new service to promote, consider hosting a treasure hunt. The online advertising service Word Stream suggests that organizations begin by posting clues online via social channels or a blog about the hidden items.

You don't have to use your own products for the scavenger hunt, either. In 2013, Eastern Bank hid six GoPro cameras throughout Boston as part of a promotion to get people to sign up for checking accounts. The bank partnered with a local marketing company to promote the treasure hunt on their popular social media channels to spread the word. Through the campaign, Eastern Bank was able to reach 25,000 people from its target market.

Andrew Ravens, vice president and director of public relations and social media at Eastern Bank, said Guerrilla marketing is fun and it works.

Need help? Contact KrissArt Marketing Design.