Guerrilla Marketing Handbook Review
"The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook" by Jay Levinson and Seth Godin is a very practical marketing book packed with good advice on using marketing tools.
It is very different from the main "Guerrilla Marketing" book now in its 4th edition (see my 5 star review of this outstanding book) aimed at small businesses who don't have big marketing budgets to waste.
How To Use The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook
The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook can be used as a standalone marketing book to help you to implement popular marketing techniques and tactics.
However I believe you will get more benefit from understanding the thinking that lies behind Guerrilla Marketing by also reading the main Guerrilla Marketing book or the Startup Guide To Guerrilla Marketing.
The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook is the kind of book that you pick up and read the relevant section when you are about to start a new campaign.
It doesn't matter whether you want a new direct mail letter, a telemarketing campaign or a Yellow Pages advert. You just go to the relevant pages and find top notch practical tips on how to make sure that you design a winning marketing campaign.
What Is Included In The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook?
This book is split into main sections and then subsections:
- Advertising - newspapers & magazines, remnant space and per enquiry, classified ads, yellow pages, radio and TV advertising, infomercials, billboards and signs and even some tips on saving money by using bartering.
- Mini-media - business cards, brochures, videos, posters, newsletters, circulars, gift certificates and order forms.
- Target media - post cards, inserts, direct mail, catalogues.
- Promotions - contests, jingles and slogans, point of purchase items, gifts and trade shows.
- Telephone selling.
- Non-media - pricing, business names, distribution, logos, affinity marketing, word of mouth, speed and service.
It's an impressive list but did you notice what was missing?
The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook Excludes Internet Marketing
There is nothing about email marketing, websites, blogs, webinars or teleseminars and that's because unlike the main Guerrilla Marketing book, The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook hasn't been updated since it was published in 1994.
That cost then book 0.5 of a star but you can get specialist books about online marketing (for example see my review of the "Success Secrets of the Online Marketing Superstars" by Mitch Meyerson.)
Marketing Advice Is Very Good
Internet marketing is an omission but the information on offer in the Guerrilla Marketing Handbook remains very pertinent for all the other importance marketing weapons but then in Seth Godin and Jay Levinson, it is written by two of the leading marketing thinkers in the world.
While the Internet and email are important, there are few bricks and mortar businesses that don't rely on traditional marketing tools, although Guerrilla Marketers may use them in non traditional ways.
Helpful References Are Out of Date
The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook nearly lost another half star until I came to my senses.
In each section, the book provides some suggested specialist service providers with names, addresses and telephone numbers.
I realised that while the book when it was published in 1994 gained by including these sources, it shouldn't lose in 2007 just because they are now out of date.
Overall Assessment of The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook
The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook is not a book to read from start to finish.
I read a lot of business books because I enjoy them but this book doesn't work like that.
It's too practical and dry but it is ideal to pick up and remind yourself exactly what you should do with a particular marketing tool.
I rate the Guerrilla Marketing Handbook as a 4 star book, a recommended buy but not essential.
You can order this book from Amazon Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
What Do You Think About The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook?
Have you read and used The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook? Do you agree with my review?
I would be interested to read your comments.
Guerrilla Marketing Association
If you are interested in Guerrilla Marketing and want to keep bang up-to-date with all the developments in marketing a small business, then the best resource that I have found is the Guerrilla Marketing Association.
This is Jay Conrad Levinson's membership site and a subscription is chargeable but for new members there is a 30 day FREE trial period for you to review the site. You get access to a massive resource of past recordings so I recommend that you sign up and give it a try.
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