Posts Tagged ‘Guerilla Marketing’

Found a nifty contest site…

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

SO, I was trolling around the internet for contest sites that I could submit our latest free give-away to (free pair of Biker Rain Chaps)…  And the vast majority of them mandate that you link back to their site, from your contest page, just to get listed on their site.

I find that to be a load of bull poop.  I mean, it’s their site, they can do what they want, but I find it hard to believe that Fortune 1000 companies will allow a link back from their site or pay the cheesy prices that these sites mandate…

None the less, I found a very cute little site with a kick-ass domain name which is totally free…  It’s http://www.contestguide.com.  Kudos on the domain name!!

Very simple…  But it works.  Seems as though their revenue comes from a tiny little Google Ads banner on the top…  Very tasteful compared to the other sites which beat you about the head and neck with the ads…

Anyway, like I said, check them out and, if you know of one, submit a contest.

- Ray

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Posted in Internal Communications, Rants | 1 Comment »

Hopefully we get published!!!

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Yesterday, I did three things.

First off, I sent a product “announcement” to Cyril Huze, you’ve heard me talk of him before… I am hoping he publishes it to his readership…

Second, I got a call from American Cycler and American Bagger magazines (they are both owned by the same company…). They wanted to publish a product review.

I dutifully sent them both what they requested and all necessary images for their publications.

What I did next was go viral and Guerrilla… I sent an e-mail to my entire database of people who have bought Biker Rain Chaps and asked them to send unmoderated, real product reviews to these publications.

Sure, I’m going out on a limb. Sure, some one could have a bad review… But, if the trend holds, I’ve not had an unhappy customer. People seem to really dig the product once they try it.

Honestly, I think the two largest problems impeding adoption at this point are (1) awareness of need and (2) the sizing requirements. People tend to think that they either just ride wet or they use their rain gear… They don’t realize or choose not to recognize that there is a better solution out there. That’s the “awareness of need” issue. This will solve itself over time…

The second issue is a bit stickier to address… That’s the fact that you need to know your thigh circumference. If you’re buying them for yourself, you can always get out a tape measure and wrap it around the thickest part of your thigh… However, that’s creating a necessary action between you desire to buy a pair and you actually executing the purchase. Not good.

Second, what if you’re buying a pair for your spouse/friend/lover/riding mates? That measurement is a bit hard to guess… :)

While I haven’t figured out a good way to solve the sizing issue (part of the magic of Biker Rain Chaps is that they fit soooo well), I have figured out a solution to the buying for others issue… Very, very soon, we’re going to offer Gift Certificates on the web site… That way, if you want to get some one a pair, just get them a gift certificate, which includes shipping, and they will be good to go!

Wow. That’s a bit of a rant…

Morale of the story… We’re trying a marketing tactic to help us get published in trade magazines… If you’ve got a blog, web site, or a newsletter and would like to help us out, just holler at me and I’ll (most expeditiously) get you anything you need!

Keep ridding happy!

- Ray
BikerRainChaps.com

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Posted in Biker Rain Chaps, Products | 1 Comment »

In search of Jay…

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

So I’ve set my sites on another target.  Jay Leno!

I want to get a pair of these into his hands, but I can’t figure out how to get in touch with him.  Can anyone out there help me?  If so, drop me an e-mail.  I think he could be a huge advocate.

Thinking of other folks…  What about John Travolta?  The lead singer from Motley Crue?  Who else?  Who else do you think would make a good “maven” in the sense of Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point”?

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Hey Governor, are you listening???

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

So, I sent Governor Schwarzenegger an e-mail today.  Unfortunately, I had to do it via his gubernatorial site since I can’t find his e-mail address anywhere.  Since I’m sure it will be hard to get his attention, I’ll probably repost it a few times over the next couple of weeks.

Who knows, perhaps it will trickle upstream to him and he’ll ping me for more info.

Here’s the e-mail I sent:

—

Governor Schwarzenegger,

I’m sorry for using this venue to reach out to you, but I thought I might have a product you’d be interested in considering you are an avid motorcycle rider.

The product is Biker Rain Chaps (http://www.bikerrainchaps.com).  They are a great first line of defense against the elements.  Not only are they great for recreational riders like yourself, I believe they could have a very active role in keeping your motorcycle police force warm, dry and clean while on duty.  They are easy on, easy off, compact, comfortable and inexpensive.  While they are not a replacement for full rain gear, they meet the need in a vast majority of situations that motorcycle riders experience and they are MUCH easier to pack and use.

Please take a moment to check out the site (http://www.bikerrainchaps.com) and let me know your thoughts.  If you send me your thigh circumference and inseam length, I’d be happy to send you a pair, for free, to try out.

Have a look at the site and feel free to contact me with any comments or questions.

Thanks!

– Ray Crawford
Ray@bikerrainchaps.com
(859) 468-5313

—

What are your thoughts?  Did I make a compelling argument?  I’d be dancin’ a little jig if he picked these up as standard biker equipment for all of the cops in the state of California!!!

Later,

- Ray

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So, I’m going Guerilla

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

Needless to say, I really believe in this product.  Every person who’s hands I’ve put it in has loved it.  Literally.  I’ve only gotten a hand full of “it would be better if”s or “I don’t need it because”s.  Most of those, I’ve been able to turn around.

Net, I believe our problem is not trying to market a bad product (let me know if you think otherwise…  I’m always open for feedback).  I do, on the other hand, believe it’s a case of product awareness and need recognition.  Put simply, I think our product serves a great need but most people don’t realize that there is a product to meet that need so they don’t go looking.  Second, I don’t think enough people know about our product.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the third, larger, problem.  We don’t have a lot of cash to spend on marketing.

Net, I’m going Guerilla.  I’m going to Guerilla Market these things and you all get to come along for the ride.

Perhaps we’ll both learn a little something.  You ready?

Give me your thoughts about what celebrities you’d like to see our chaps on.  What sites should I be posting to to get the best traction?  What could I do to the presentation of the product on http://www.bikerrainchaps.com to make it more of a slam dunk?

Lead me and I’ll lead you. :)

Let the fun begin.

- Ray

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