Customer Reviews

The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I read this book before I read the book that started this whole series (Guerrilla Marketing- Highly Reccomended), and I can say that it definitely has a lot of "tricks of the trade" to save a small business money on advertising.

The problem I felt with this book, was that it was more of a product showcase then a real resource. It basically told you about certain things you could do to save lots of money on marketing and advertising, and then listed a certain company in conjunction with that service. While it was informative, I felt sometimes that I was trying to be sold on certain products.

I offer this suggestion: Read this book after you read Guerrilla Marketing. I think it best serves as companion to that book.

Jay Levinson's book is, like the others, filled with user-friendly directions on marketing YOUR business. His style is fun and friendly, like he is sitting in the room with you. The material is explained clearly, with examples, and represents techniques that work in business for you, the reader. If you put only a few of these valuable techniques to work, the book will be worth thousands of dollars in revenues for you.

This book by Jay lenvinson & Seth Godin, two gurus of marketing, is an essential tool for all small businesses who dream of becoming market leaders. Packed with practical examples of marketing that delivers results, this book will become a repeat reader for any one who cares about market share. I have rarely come across any other books that can claim to be so simply written on a difficult subject and at the same time so effective.

This books allowed me, the owner of a technical company, to evaluate the pros and cons of different media sources for marketing purposes. It saved me hundreds of hours and most likely, also tens of thousands of dollars.

The beauty of this book is that most of the tactics inside it are as relevant and useful today as they were 20 years ago. I first got this book when my professor (a highly succesful multi-millionaire) recommended it to me. He said it was as good as any Marketing degree. Well I have my Marketing degree and would have to agree with him. The best promotional campaign is the one that costs the least but gets the most results. That is what you have here. This is especially helpful for small niche businesses. Those types of businesses can really take advantage of this book.

It is admittedly weak on the web side of things but I have never really found that to be a very useful avenue for anyone but the major players that can afford to buy costly advertising. No this is for small businesses that do most of their deals face to face.

This 300+ page large size (8.5 by 11) marketing handbook is a must-have if you have already made the commitment to use Guerrilla marketing methods in your business. Read the author's best selling 'Guerrilla Marketing' for the whole scoop on this type of marketing.

The book is divided into 7 sections - traditional advertising, mini-media, targeted media, promotion, telephone, non-media, and resources (this last section is the appendix). As I mention in the subject of this review, the only thing missing is a section on web marketing but the Internet was just born at the time of this book's publication. At the very beginning of the book, a few pages are devoted to explaining a seven step process to come up with a marketing plan. This simple process is good enough for most small businesses.

Marketing plan in hand, you are ready to start with the rest of the book. The information is very clear, makes sense, and easy to implement. Here's an example of what you can expect to find on any given page of the book - in the traditional advertising section, there is a sub-section on tips for ads in newspapers and magazines. It starts out with the golden rule of repetition and addresses the topic of designing the ad, the best days to run the ad, 13 tips for doing a successful ad, and headline tips! The sub-section then moves on to magazine ads.

The only downside to this book is the lack of a section addressing the world of the Internet. At the time of publication, the Internet was just being formed so we can't blame the book. I am hoping that the author will release an updated version with at least a third of the book dedicated to websites and web marketing.

With small business budgets, we are stuck doing some of these crucial business activities ourselves. This handbook just like the other books in the Guerrilla Marketing series by the author is extremely useful and carries a small business price! As always, successful Guerrilla marketing is a lot of work and requires a lot of thought. So don't wait - just get started! Good luck with your Guerrilla marketing campaigns!

This book really helped me out with some great marketing ideas. The information could be updated a little. Some of the companies listed are no longer in business but other than that it was a great read! The book encourages you to make a marketing plan and walks you through it step by step. A must read!

The authors' use of the term "guerilla marketing" is completely inaccurate. This book is about TRADITIONAL media -- guerilla marketing is the complete opposite. It was also written in 1994, before the advent of the commercialized Internet, so it's a very very very old school approach to advertising. It has some good information about traditional advertising for small businesses, but most of the reference information is way out of date. If you're looking for subversive, alternative approaches to marketing, read "Under The Radar" by Bond & Kirshenbaum instead.

Keep in mind that this book was published in 1995. Since it recommneds resources related to each section, some of the info is outdated. However, the basic advice and guerrilla philosophy is alive and well in this fat volume of marketing tips. Seth Godin wasn't nearly as well known in 1995, but his edgy attitude runs throughout this guide. In fact, I liked the book so much, it inspired me to name by own book the "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook: 201 Self-Promotion Ideas for Songwriters, Musicians and Bands." -Bob Baker

This book has never been more relevant! Given the economic challenges the past 18 months have thrown at us, the ideas in this book will revitalize your marketing plans. You'll feel a renewed enthusiasm for what you do, and how you do it. I highly recommend this book for any marcom person who's feeling the pinch of tighter budgets and seeking new and innovative ideas (that aren't really new or innovative!).