from an email tip by Jay Levinson
When guerrillas think of economizing, they don’t necessarily think of trying to save money. What they do think of is getting the absolute most from any money they’ve invested in marketing. They realize there are two kinds of marketing — expensive and inexpensive — and they know that expensive marketing is the kind that doesn’t cover the investment they’ve made in it, while inexpensive marketing pays rich rewards for their investment. Guerrillas have the insight to know that economizing has nothing to do with cost; it has everything to do with results.
To be sure, guerrillas adopt a philosophy of frugality and thrift. They know well the difference between investing in something disposable such as paper and accounting services — and investing in something that’s truly an investment, such as a telephone system or customer-tracking software — items they’d use on a daily basis.
There’s a big difference in these two expenses, so you won’t be surprised to learn that guerrillas rarely waste their time and effort on relatively low cost disposable purchases, but are willing to expend the time and energy to enjoy a large savings on a an expense that’s really an investment in disguise.
A key to economizing is to think not in terms of purchasing, but in terms of acquiring. That means you open your mind to trading, sharing, renting, modifying an existing item or borrowing it. It means possibly learning a few skills so that you can do rather than hire. Desktop publishing software enables you to save a ton of money usually paid to pros.
Guerrillas are also keenly aware of when it makes sense to hire a pro, knowing that amateur-looking marketing is an invitation to disaster. They might hire a highly-paid professional designer to give their marketing items a powerful visual format, then use their own staff members or themselves to continue generating marketing materials that follow this same format. They learn from any consultant they hire.
By understanding that economizing does not mean saving money, but investing it wisely, guerrillas test their investments on a small scale before plunging headlong into any kind of marketing. They have no fear of failure, providing the failures are small ones and knowing that even one success in ten tries means discovering a path to wealth and profitability. They know in their hearts that money is not the key to happiness or success, but that enough of it enables them to have a key made. Real frugality is more about priorities and results than just saving money.
Jay Levinson
The Father of Guerrilla Marketing
Author, “Guerrilla Marketing” series of books
Note from us: Jay knows the value of his email newsletter is enhanced by the viral effect it can have by recipients. This “repost” is an example of how his reach is extended when readers like us republish (with links and attribution). We recommend his books, his website, and membership in the Guerrilla Marketing Association.
