-Our guest blogger- Jay Conrad Levinson is the author of the best-selling marketing series in history, “Guerrilla Marketing,” plus 30 other books. His books have sold 14 million copies worldwide. His guerrilla concepts have influenced marketing so much that today his books appear in 41 languages and are required reading in many MBA programs worldwide. He was a teacher and sounding board for The Shift Doctors (Tracy Latz, M.D. and Marion Ross, Ph.D.) ; and after many discussions strongly encouraged us to publish a book (soon to be released) designed to assist people who struggle with implementing tools learned in business or entrepreneurial coaching programs due to self-sabotage. For more on Jay Conrad Levinson visit www.gmarketing.com
Fusion Marketing
The key to successful guerrilla marketing is in embracing not the concept of competition, but the beauty and advantage of cooperation. Fuse for fun & profit.
One of the most rewarding, inexpensive, underused, and effective methods of marketing is to tie in your marketing efforts with the efforts of others. In the U.S. this used to be known as “tie-ins.” A recent Business Week cover article referred to it as “Collaborative Marketing,” In Japan and by guerrillas worldwide, this make-everybody-wealthy marketing tactic is called “fusion marketing.”
Fusion marketing is the guerrilla saying, “Hey Sara, if you enclose my brochure in your next mailing, I’ll enclose your brochure in mine.” “Randy, put up a sign for my store in your business; I’ll put up a sign for your business in my store.”
Sara and Randy immediately see the wisdom in the guerrilla’s offer. Their marketing exposure has just been expanded. Their marketing costs have just been reduced. Hey, this is a good idea! Of course it is! Why do you think you’re watching all those McDonald’s commercials which turn into Coca-Cola commercials and end up as Lucasfilm commercials? Why do you think so many members of frequent flier clubs have learned that their airlines have fused with hotel chains, auto rental companies, even cruise lines? Because there’s a whole lot of fusing going on.
It’s happening very visibly among the large businesses, but it’s happening more frequently among small businesses. The gas station fuses with the video store. The restaurant fuses with the clothing store. The sporting goods store fuses with the ski area AND the tennis club AND the golf course. It’s happening all over!
Many organizations that have leads know that other organizations, marketing different things, have the SAME kinds of leads. So what go guerrilla organizations do? They form Leads Clubs. At the end of each month, they trade leads. Who wins? EVERYONE. Who loses? Nobody. That’s why fusion marketing is such a HAPPENING guerrilla marketing tactic. And that’s why you’ll love it so doggone much.
The purpose of a fusion marketing arrangement: Mutual profitability. Glad we’re clear on that one. Realize that almost everyone in your community is a potential fusion marketing partner, that almost all of them will see the wisdom in your suggestion of a tie-in together. So why aren’t they doing it yet, wise guy? Because YOU haven’t suggested it to them.
Once you do, you’ll see the utter simplicity of SPREADING your marketing wings while REDUCING your marketing costs. Okay, go out there and FUSE!
– For more on Jay Conrad Levinson visit www.gmarketing.com
*Check out The Shift Doctors’ books at the Amazon link by clicking here and the Meditation CDs at the digstation link by clicking here
Great article thanks for sharing.