Guerrilla Marketing Isn't Just Monkey Business

Turn employees into advocates

Also free is getting staff members to be gung-ho about the company and what it does. Web sites Facebook, Twitter and MySpace have changed the way people reach out to one another. By getting employees involved internally and with customers, "everyone wins," says Buchanan. "Internally, there is more knowledge sharing, personal connections and a positive employee culture. Externally, customer service improves, more sales are generated through word of mouth, and more customer evangelists mean more profitable, loyal customers."

Expertise is marketable

If you have nothing but your experience and career to market, don't be shy to toot your own horn to those other than your family or friends. Becoming the go-to-person a journalist can turn to for insight or a snappy quote about the industry is as guerrilla as you can get. Not only do you get instant credibility for your company, you get free publicity and marketing.

Publicity expert Rick Frishman started with his local Long Island newspaper. He called the editor of the Jericho Tribune to pitch himself and his new book. After sending her a press kit, she called him two days later for a story. The next day, he was front-page news. From that front-page story, he crafted another career, as author of 10 books, including "Guerrilla Publicity" (Adams Media). "Writing a book is probably the best marketing thing that a business person can do," he says. "It makes them the perceived and real expert. You wrote a book so people assume you know what you're talking about."