When B2C companies want to create a buzz, attract media attention or take their messaging viral, they may turn to guerrilla marketing tactics. This generally involves using unconventional methods that evoke surprise, wonder or shock in their target audiences. For example, to promote their paper towel brand, Bounty installed giant “messes” in the form of a giant spilled coffee cup or a melting popsicle in the streets of New York. Toy giant Mattel converted bus stops into Barbie-themed “rooms” and Lego hung huge toy building blocks from construction cranes. But can B2B companies use similar shock-and-awe techniques in their marketing programs?

What Is Guerrilla Marketing?

The term guerrilla marketing was coined in 1984 by marketing expert Jay Conrad Levinson in his book Guerrilla Marketing. He describes it as any promotional tactic that leverages an unconventional, innovative and attention-getting technique to interact with prospects in new and exciting ways. Often, guerrilla marketing prioritizes an immersive or interactive experience that resonates meaningfully with target audiences and leaves a lasting impression.

Guerrilla marketing, even more than other kinds of marketing tactics, does not have a one-size-fits-all roadmap for success due to its innovative nature. Experiences can vary widely and should reflect brand and target market interests. These tactics can be tangible, tactile, experiential, cerebral, visual, social or digital. Think publicity stunts, popups, innovative visual or interactive advertising, viral videos or social media campaigns, user competitions, giveaways or inventive contributions to events. Guerrilla marketing is about thinking outside the box. Its activities aim to generate an emotional response to turn an interesting experience into a powerful brand impression.

Benefits and Challenges of B2B Guerrilla Marketing

When it comes to the B2B space, purchase decisions often require a more detailed and multi-tiered process. Guerrilla marketing may not seem like the obvious choice. By leveraging this unique tactic in ways that align with your organizational goals and brand, your messaging can speak louder and clearer than the competition. In fact, 77 percent of marketers use guerrilla marketing as a core part of their advertising strategy.

When incorporating guerrilla marketing into your B2B strategy consider the following benefits and challenges:

Benefits

• Innovation and an expanded creative license help brands step outside their comfort zones. Guerrilla tactics force businesses to think differently about marketing in general and specifically about their target audiences. By inviting new avenues of connection that prioritize creativity and experience, businesses can discover more about what resonates with their target audiences.

• Experiences amplify the power of word-of-mouth advertising. Thanks to digital connectivity and social media, a single event in one location can have an immediate impact around the globe. Innovative stunts and attention-getting marketing tactics create an experience worth sharing and technology makes that possible. These tactics that are especially groundbreaking, attention-grabbing or controversial have a high potential to go viral.

• Guerrilla marketing is typically budget-friendly and therefore embraces experimentation. Since these tactics tend to be one-time or limited events that leverage shareability rather than widespread availability, costs remain low, generating a high return on investment (ROI). Further, this low cost means marketing teams can feel comfortable experimenting with new and innovative applications.

• Experiences resonate with prospects on an emotional level. Most B2B marketing tactics prioritize communicating expertise, credibility and value. This means they don’t typically elicit ad emotional response from prospects and customers. B2B buyers, however, are people, not processes, and emotions still play a huge role in how they make purchase decisions. Guerrilla marketing prioritizes generating a positive emotional experience in a way that rivals other marketing tactics, taking B2B customer relationships to the next level.

Challenges

• Guerrilla tactics can become time-consuming across ideation and implementation. Their unconventional nature means most steps won’t have a clear framework or model to follow. This makes the process more difficult than traditional marketing techniques. Almost all guerrilla marketing campaigns are crafted from square one, which offers creative freedom, but also a lengthier process of creation and implementation. Similarly, challenges and roadblocks are harder to anticipate and can therefore take more time to problem-solve.

• ROI can be slow to build and difficult to measure. Even a wildly successful experience might not reach the right market on its first run. Shareability and adaptability are key to ensuring guerrilla marketing tactics end up in front of the right audiences to achieve maximum impact. That effect can be difficult to measure at first, but ideally, growth and shareability will compound. Teams must be agile with innovative thinking that reflects and furthers the originality of the campaign.

Invite Innovation

“Guerrilla” might not be the first word that comes to mind when it comes to the B2B marketing space. Yet that’s exactly what makes guerrilla marketing a powerful tool in your marketing toolbox. The benefits and challenges of guerrilla marketing will vary depending on business size, industry, goals and target market. When weighing options, it might seem like following a traditional marketing path is more straightforward. But by actively inviting new marketing avenues that prioritize innovative thinking, marketers can make discoveries and connections with their target market in ways that may never have been considered before. Don’t let known challenges cause you to shy away from innovation. Instead, wield the knowledge of guerrilla marketing’s benefits and challenges to create a campaign that delivers big results.