Marketing Analysis

ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE

In their book Guerrilla Marketing Field Guide, the founder of guerrilla marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson, and his wife and business partner, Jeannie Levinson, offer a step-by-step guide to launching a marketing attack that's primed for success. In this edited excerpt, the authors reveal the seven simple things you need to include to make your marketing strategy a success.

Marketing has changed dramatically since the first print ad was published. That ad was probably run in a local newspaper. More than likely, a farmer told the publisher he had an extra cow and wanted to sell it. The publisher said, “Hey! I’ve got a good idea. Let me mention that cow for sale next time I publish my paper.” The copy probably read: “Cow for sale. $50. Contact Farmer Tom.” The ad was run, the cow was sold, and marketing started.

It’s not quite so simple these days. But two things remain the same. The first is that you need a good idea of what you're selling and why and who would be interested in buying.

You also need a marketing strategy. Farmer Tom’s strategy was very simple: Sell one cow by having potential buyers come see him -- and the cow. The benefit offered was a healthy cow at a fair price. The secondary benefit was that a local person was doing the selling. The target audience was other farmers in the community. The marketing weapon used was one ad in one newspaper. The niche the farmer occupied was that of a local farmer with an honest offer. The identity of the advertiser was straightforward and no-nonsense. And his marketing budget was most likely zero. Armed with that strategy, Farmer Tom sold his cow.

Related: The Five Broad Strokes of Marketing

Today, our world is much more complex than Farmer Tom’s, so it may seem like you need a complex marketing strategy. But in reality, your strategy doesn't have to be complex. In fact, such a strategy needs only seven simple sentences:

•The first sentence tells the physical act your...