[.ca] Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from ... (ISBN 0395906253)

Most of What You Need Is Between Your Ears:
I read this book when it was first published in 1984 and recently read the Third Edition, curious to know how relevant Levinson's ideas have remained during the almost 20 years years since then. He has revised and updated the book to accommodate the emergence of the Internet, e-business, and globalization initiatives. To his credit, his Guerrilla principles remain valid and, if anything, are even more relevant and more valuable now than ever before. It is important to keep in mind that, as he explains in Guerrilla Creativity, creative marketing is not something that you do. "Instead, it's something that your prospects get." Guerrilla principles guide and inform initiatives by which to produce desired results, whatever those may be. Perhaps to create or increase demand for what one offers. (I use the word "offers" rather than "sells" because the same principles can also be invaluable, for example, to those seeking charitable contributions to a non-profit organization.) Perhaps to inform a prospect or reassure a client; in terms of a competitor, perhaps to create confusion, discomfort, and even despair. Although the book's subtitle suggests that the "secrets" provided will help to make big profits from a small business, Levinson's principles can (as I have indicated) help to achieve a variety of other desired results which may include but are not limited to profits; moreover, his principles can be as helpful to a multinational corporation as they can to a local family-owned business. The material is carefully organized within five sections: The Guerrilla Approach to Marketing -- Updated, Mini-Media Marketing, Maxi-Media Marketing, Nonmedia Marketing, and finally, Launching Your Guerrilla Marketing Attack. Levinson also provides an especially useful concluding section, "Information Arsenal for Guerrillas" (pages 363-372) which directs the reader to hundreds of resources such as a bibliography as well as information about relevant newsletters, periodicals, audiotapes, and videotapes. I especially appreciate the fact Levinson includes marginal notes throughout his narrative. They make it so much easier to review key points which may not have been highlighted or underlined. Also, his Index is much more extensive than what authors of business books usually provide. This is in all respects a user-friendly volume whose material, if understood and then applied both effectively and (yes) appropriately, can be of substantial value to any decision-maker who seeks to create or increase demand for whatever her or his organization offers. What sets Levinson's various "Guerrilla" books apart from most others is his consistent point of view. It has no doubt been influenced by Sun Tzu and especially by several of Sun Tzu's strategies such as when far away, seem near...or vice versa; when small, seem large...or vice versa; when exhausted, seem vigorous...or vice versa, etc. It was Sun Tzu who explained the importance of thorough preparation by asserting that every battle is won or lost before it is fought. Although we usually think of such strategies as being used only by "Davids," the same strategies (albeit with modifications) can also be used very effectively by "Goliaths." In the first chapter, Levinson identifies 12 differences between Guerrilla marketing and traditional marketing. They are essentially differences of judgment, values, and priorities rather than of resources. I agree with Jason Jennings who suggests that it's not the large that eat the small...it's the fast that eat the slow. Size and speed are not mutually exclusive. Many successful organizations have both. However, Levinson is quite correct when stressing the importance (and benefits) of having an underdog mentality. Differing somewhat with Andrew Grove, I presume to suggest that not all survivors are paranoid...but most are. The Guerrilla mentality takes no one and nothing for granted. Ever. For me, one of Levinson's most interesting ideas involves the Guerrilla's relationship with competition. He goes one step further than the Biblical David who wisely avoided physical contact with Goliath: "Guerrilla marketing asks you to forget about competition temporarily and to scout opportunities to cooperate with other businesses and support each other in a mutual quest for profits." That is to say, rather than facing Goliath in combat, Levinson's David would to go into partnership with those vendors who provide a variety of products and services to the Philistines. Goliath would be hired to handle accounts receivable. Eventually David would buy out his partners, then retain them on an outsource basis to continue servicing the Philistine account while he seeks new business opportunities elsewhere within and beyond the Middle East. Perhaps sell franchises in military provisions while remaining owner/CEO of a parent company which provides various services to its franchisees through subsidiaries such as Rent-a-Camel, Caravan Leasing, Goliath Security Services, Galleys Unlimited, etc. Presumably Levinson agrees with me that it would be a mistake, indeed highly un-Guerrilla-like, to adopt all or even most of the strategies and tactics he offers in this book. First, do a rigorous analysis of your organization's needs and interests, of course, but also or its strengths and especially its weaknesses. (You can be sure your toughest competitors already know where you are most vulnerable. Do you?) Next, set the priorities for action (NOT discussion) and develop a cohesive and comprehensive plan to achieve the most important objectives. Then cherry-pick whichever of Levinson's proffered strategies and tactics will be most helpful to those efforts. There are more of them in this book than you can possibly use at any one time, anyway. However, priorities can change...often because of a competitor's initiatives. (If you did not see them coming, that's your fault. A Guerrilla always sleeps with one eye open.) When circumstances change, different strategies and tactics may be needed. Re-read Levinson's book. You'll probably find whatever you need. Final point: A Guerrilla never trusts only one book for advice on marketing. Nor should you. Check out Levinson's bibliography. There are no glaring omissions other than Sun Tzu's The Art of War (Griffith translation) and Reis and Trout's Positioning. Among the dozens he cites, my own preferences are Beckwith's Selling the Invisible, Cohen's The Marketing Plan, Levitt's The Marketing Imagination, McKenna's Real Time, Reichheld and Teal's The Loyalty Effect, and Schmitt and Simonson's Marketing Aesthetics as well as Schmitt's subsequent Experiential Marketing.

A must for Small Business owners and marketers.:
With thousands of books written on marketing and its implementation for all business sizes, this book has created a unique brand name for itself with a series of books all aimed at a particular type of marketing - Guerrilla Marketing. As its name implies, these books are aimed at achieving significant results through non-traditional marketing avenues that have now become fairly established and are probably not Guerrilla tactics anymore (in the strictest sense of the word). This book though originally written in the 1980s has been updated in late 1990s and the update has been driven by the feedback received over 15 years. If you are a small business owner or someone responsible for the marketing division of a small business, you may not have that much money available to run your marketing campaigns professionally and using more traditional channels. Therein lies the appeal to this book that assumes that your only resources are time, energy, and imagination. The book is split into 5 sections - the first section is an introduction to the whole Guerrilla Marketing process all the way from its definition to the thirteen most important marketing secrets and how to develop a Guerrilla Marketing plan. The second section focuses on mini-media marketing which is nothing but the various marketing approaches you can use - canvassing, personal letters, telemarketing (don't be discouraged as the author explains how to do this right and not annoy people), brochures, etc. The third section is about maxi-media marketing which means all the marketing techniques that cost money. But the author has a compelling argument that it is worthwhile if you can benefit from it financially. Newspapers, magazine advertising, radio, television, etc. are addressed one after the other with detailed explanations of what to do and what not to do. The fourth section is nonmedia marketing - free seminars, trade shows, etc. and follows a similar approach of what to do and what to avoid. The author also recommends combining these three types of marketing in a fashion that works for your particular situation. The final section is on actually launching your Guerrilla Marketing attack and how to win! Even large organizations have listened to the author and have started experimenting and successfully implementing Guerrilla Marketing strategies. A marvelous book that convinced me to get a few of the other books in the series with interesting titles like 'Guerrilla P.R. WIRED' that addresses online Guerrilla marketing along with the offline approach. I have several types of marketing books and this set comprises the biggest chunk. I have been experimenting and understanding the various techniques over several months now. Being a small business owner, I like this approach better than most of the others. Bottom line - if you are responsible for marketing your small business goods or services, I recommend at least looking through this book. Good luck!

This is the real thing.:
I read this in 1984 and again in 2004 Levinson is the guy. The real thing. The man. Stay away from Michael Levine - he is a copy cat.

So So Book: For Beginners Only:
If you've got formal training in marketing, avoid this book. It lays down some basic tenets of marketing you probably already understand. What I was looking for in it was some practical advice for small businesses and some innovative ideas. Most of what I found I had already discerned through common sense. There's nothing terribly creative or innovative in his ideas. Here's the summary: learn the basic principles of marketing, use common sense, be persistent and frugal, and work hard. If you haven't had any formal marketing training this might be a place to start, but even then, I'd recommend a basic marketing text first. Learn the "3 C's" and "4 P's" of marketing before you spend your money on Guerilla Marketing.

A Great Book For Small Business Owners:
This book is a great tool for small business owners. For those with a bit of a marketing or advertising background it is a good refresher course. Parts of the book are a little dated (VCR's) however, it isn't hard to apply that knowledge to today's world. I think this book is great...it gets you pumping - you want to start marketing right away! I suggest highlighting parts as you go and taking notes...there is a lot of useful information in here.