Guerrilla marketing can increase a retail shop's exposure to potential customers.
Guerrilla marketing is about generating positive buzz to gain exposure for a company, product, service or event. Its objective is to push a company's brand in front of its target market. In lieu of big budgets spent on traditional marketing efforts, guerrilla marketing is fueled more by creative promotions and direct customer contact. It is characterized by unconventional techniques, risk-taking and the tendency to move beyond the boundaries of traditional advertising and potentially take the company's communication viral.
QR Code
The Quick Response Code, or QR Code, is a matrix bar code synced to smart phones and can be generated free through a number of websites. A clothing store retailer can develop a QR Code that links to its website or an online video advertisement. The QR Code can be reproduced on an unlimited number of products. For example, print postcards that include the QR Code and mail them to your customer mailing list. The code can also be included in your e-mail marketing campaigns.
Flash Mob
A flash mob involves gathering individuals at a moment's notice at a defined location for a specific purpose, typically using social mobile technologies. A clothing retailer can gather like-minded customers around micro-events using social networking platforms and social mobile technologies like Foursquare, Google Latitude and Loopt.
A clothing store that specializes in baby clothing might organize a flash mob of new parents with children for an impromptu picnic lunch in a park -- you provide the blankets. Have your videographer on hand and your media release forms ready because the flash mob video footage should be used for social media promotions on the store's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Sponsorship
A retail clothing store should tailor its sponsorship efforts to its target market. Sponsorship can be a passive or active marketing effort. For example, a sports apparel retail store might gain more exposure for sponsoring a local sporting event if it has a presence at the event. If you sell clothing for bikers, at the next sponsored bicycling event, include arrangements with the organizers to maximize signage placement. If you are able to have a sponsor booth, organize a contest for participants that gives you an opportunity to capture contact information and promote specific products through giveaways.
Feed the Media
In all the special events you develop for your shop, use press releases and blogs to generate additional buzz. For example, send a press release and blog the event on social network platforms to promote an in-store styling tips session with a fashion designer or stylist to the stars. This also works well for a contest that gives customers an opportunity to win clothing, say a $250 shopping spree. Additionally, maximize the interest of in-store marketing events by scheduling them to coincide with holidays or back-to-school calendars.
Tags: clothing store, Guerrilla marketing, mobile technologies, social mobile, social mobile technologies, target market, that gives