Doing more with less: Guerrilla Marketing in B2B
19th June 2024 •
19th June 2024 •
In the challenging landscape of B2B marketing, managers are increasingly faced with a daunting challenge: maximising impact while navigating tighter budgets. In one of our recent articles, we explored the ways of how revenue-focused marketers can squeeze the most of their B2B marketing and media budget – but how does guerrilla marketing fit into this?
As we push forward into 2024, the need for innovative and cost-effective marketing strategies becomes more critical than ever. Amidst such constraints, guerrilla marketing emerges as a beacon of opportunity – a strategic approach that leverages creativity and surprise rather than hefty advertising budgets to captivate an audience.
In this article we will explore how B2B companies can employ guerrilla marketing tactics to not only survive but thrive in a competitive market landscape. We’ll explore the essence of guerrilla marketing in the B2B context, share actionable strategies, case studies, and guide you through implementing these tactics effectively.
Guerrilla marketing, a term coined in the 1980s, refers to the use of unconventional and innovative tactics, designed to achieve maximum exposure and impact from minimal resources.
Traditionally seen as the playground for B2C adventurers, it’s rightfully finding its place in the B2B realm. Advocated mostly by start-ups and tech companies, this unconventional method can generate significant attention and engagement while keeping costs low.
This approach is characterised by surprise, creativity, and irregular strategies that break away from traditional marketing norms. In the B2B sphere, guerrilla marketing is not merely about generating buzz – it’s about creating valuable connections and impressions that lead to lasting business relationships.
While both B2B and B2C markets can benefit from guerrilla marketing, the tactics differ significantly in their execution and objectives.
B2C campaigns often focus on broad, emotional engagement and instant gratification to drive consumer actions. In contrast, B2B guerrilla marketing strategies are more about forming meaningful partnerships, demonstrating industry leadership, and engaging a narrower, more targeted audience with tailored messages that resonate on a professional level.
In today’s economic environment, where every marketing dollar needs to work harder, B2B companies particularly feel the pressure to deliver more with less. The high costs of traditional advertising and the saturation of digital ad spaces make guerrilla marketing an attractive alternative. This approach allows B2B marketers to bypass expensive media buys and instead focus on creating impactful, memorable interactions that foster business relationships and drive lead generation.
Guerrilla marketing thrives on creativity and agility – qualities that are indispensable in a turbulent market. By adopting these tactics, companies not only manage to cut costs but also differentiate themselves from competitors who might stick to more conventional methods.
Guerrilla marketing strategies are all about creativity and connection. They’re designed to make your B2B marketing more impactful, memorable – and yes, even a little fun – all without requiring a blockbuster budget.
So how you can get your B2B brand noticed?
Tactic #1: High-impact, low-cost content strategies
Tactic #2: Creative digital moves to outsmart your competitors
While mostly used by start-ups and small companies, guerrilla marketing can be easily applied to global B2B enterprise marketing strategies.
Here are some examples of how to cleverly use your B2B marketing budget to create a marketing campaign that stands out:
If you are a huge social media enthusiast (like me), there’s a good chance you’ve come across Andy Lambert, a founding member of the social media scheduling tool, ContentCal (now part of Adobe).
Andy has built a strong personal brand and decided to enhance it further by publishing his own book – Social 3.0. Although the printed publication achieved significant success, Andy decided to elevate his digital presence by releasing the book as a GPT.
With a free, GPT version of his book, Andy enabled his followers to access it freely, ask questions, and learn key insights on building a B2B brand on social media. This approach not only provided users with a preview of the book’s content but also showcased Andy’s unique expertise, further accelerating his digital footprint.
Remember that guerrilla marketing thrives on the element of surprise. By catching your target audience off guard with unconventional tactics (such as a GPT version of your knowledge), you can create memorable experiences that set you apart.
Now regarded as one of the biggest CRM solutions on the market, Salesforce was a pioneer of guerrilla marketing back in 2000 – all thanks to their ‘End of Software’ demo which declared that enterprise software was a thing of the past. The central message was that the future of CRM, and business software in general, lay in cloud computing, which offered greater flexibility, lower costs, and easier updates compared to traditional software.
Salesforce’s bold strategy involved staging a mock protest during the Siebel Systems’ user conference, a major event for one of the leading CRM providers at the time. Salesforce hired actors to pose as protesters, who then demonstrated outside the conference venue carrying signs and chanting slogans like “The End of Software.” These protestors held up large placards with anti-software messages, making a direct and audacious statement against the traditional software model and advocating for Salesforce’s innovative cloud approach.
The “End of Software” campaign helped Salesforce rapidly build brand awareness and credibility in the CRM market. It showcased the company’s willingness to challenge the status quo and positioned them as a forward-thinking and disruptive force in the industry.
Full disclaimer – this campaign was delivered by our super talented team at Torpedo!
AND Digital, a digital development consultancy, held a ‘town hall’ meeting at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester to celebrate their staff. With over 1,300 ‘ANDis’ arriving from around the UK and Benelux region, the company wanted to make a big splash.
At Torpedo, we created a series of eye-catching, OOH (Out of Home) adverts around Manchester to build expectations for arriving attendees as they journeyed to the event. Our key objectives were to celebrate ANDis and make them feel like the whole city was gearing up to welcome them.
We ran six digital billboards with brightly coloured creative ads, depicting people ‘working together to close the digital skills gap’. The precise ad messaging had an overarching mission statement appealing to all ANDis, while also enticing new clients and inspiring future employees.
The placement of the ads was critical. Our goal was to line the routes to the venue. While we placed large billboards at strategic locations – we also needed an alternative way to engage pedestrians. We achieved this with over 30 striking adverts that were power-washed through stencils into pavements around Manchester, creating a ‘reverse graffiti’ effect. Our two designs included the company’s logo and website URL with messaging welcoming staff to the city. This cost-effective method was also environmentally friendly, disappearing naturally over time.
Aladdin Knowledge Systems, now part of SafeNet, executed a highly inventive guerrilla marketing campaign aimed at engaging financial professionals and bankers, a key segment for their IT security solutions.
Aladdin sent out remote control toy Hummers to their target audience. The packaging was transparent, allowing recipients to see the toy, which sparked immediate interest and curiosity. But there was a catch; the remote control needed to operate the toy was deliberately excluded from the package. To obtain it, recipients had to schedule a meeting with Aladdin’s business development team, ensuring direct engagement with potential leads.
The result? The campaign provided Aladdin Knowledge Systems with meetings with 35% of the recipients, showcasing a high engagement rate for a B2B marketing effort. The overall cost per lead was kept under $20, making it an economical strategy with high potential for return on investment.
In a market where traditional methods are becoming less effective and budgets are under pressure, guerrilla marketing presents a valuable opportunity for B2B enterprises. By thinking outside the box and embracing creativity, you can make a significant impact without breaking the bank. Remember, it’s not about how much you spend, but how creatively you can engage and surprise your audience.
Implementing guerrilla marketing strategies can help you stand out, build lasting connections, and achieve your marketing goals even in the toughest of times. If you’re looking to revolutionise your marketing approach and maximise your budget, our full-service B2B marketing agency is here to help. We specialise in creating innovative and cost-effective B2B marketing campaigns that drive real results. Get in touch with me today to learn more about how we can support your business.
