7 Reasons why we shouldn’t ignore people flyering (Guerrilla marketing)

Guerrilla marketing is everywhere. They’re on transportations, on walls, people’s hands, at your nearby parks, you’ll never miss it. Even political protests, homeless people holding up a sign, children selling lemonade in the summer time with a call to action poster are considered guerrilla marketing too.  Yes, some may cost more than the other, such as a bus ad or any other ads on transportations. However, a majority of the executions are free.

Flyering is certainly one of the methods of guerrilla advertising and is an effective strategy to create brand awareness. Not only is it cost effective, it also allows consumers to get educated with the brand hands on with the brand ambassador.

Let’s say we’re out in public and we come across a few people approaching us and handing a flyer about a product or a service, how would we react? Unfortunately, through witness and careful research, many people that are executing the flyering technique of guerrilla marketing are often ignored and treated as if they’re invisible. Below are reasons why we shouldn’t avoid or ignore this method.

1. It may benefit us.

What they’re handing out might be coupons or ways we can save from a service or  product. The brand ambassadors that approach us know the target market they seek. To them, we are their target audience. Why else would they approach us if they think it won’t benefit us? Disclaimer: yes, not everything will be suitable for us. But it doesn’t hurt to try.

2. They are human beings, treat them as one.

They’re simply doing their jobs. They have a passion in informing people, like us, about their brand, announcement, or service that might be beneficial to us. At times, some of us don’t let them do their job because we perceive these people as annoying and wanting to take our time away, when really most of us just don’t feel like talking to them. Let’s change that perception, shall we?

3. We’re in public, expect it.

We’re exposed to advertisements. Anywhere we walk, we’d see walls of posters or flyers, signs at restaurants, salons, grocery stores, etc. Ads are everywhere. Guerrilla advertising is everywhere. If we want to avoid it, we can stay home and cuddle up to a blanket.

4. Take it as a human or social interaction. It’s important for our mental health. 

Yes, human interaction is important, folks. Our mental health will thank us! It can boost confidence and improve our overall communication. If we’re not interested in what these brand ambassadors have to offer us, just simply say “no, thank you. I have to be somewhere” or “no, thank you. I am in a hurry” and move on about our day. Ignoring, unfortunately, will not make us very nice. Flyering is analogous to strangers trying to open up a conversation. A conversation about informing a brand. Are we going to ignore and act like they didn’t approach us in the first place? It is also similar to strangers asking for help of directions. Are we going to ignore them? No, because when we were children, our parents taught us how to be polite to people (I hope).

5. Support local businesses

If we can support the Kardashians’ and Kanye’s new product line, why can’t we support the people that are running the local businesses or people who want to inform us about their products and services. Obviously, this does not only apply to guerrilla marketing but also to all advertising or marketing platforms.

6. They don’t cause any harm.

They’re not going to bite. They’ll be okay if we tell them we’re in a hurry and that we don’t have time to talk. It’s certainly not the end of the world for them. Their job is to talk with hundreds of people a day, depending on their goals, but they won’t be crushed if we tell them nicely that we’re going to pass on.

7. They won’t take much of our time.

They appreciate our time. If anything, they will be straight to the point and inform us about the best things that their product can offer us, while simultaneously handing us a flyer.

I hope these factors can change our attitudes about people using the flyering method of guerrilla marketing. We have to accept, somehow, that we cannot avoid guerrilla advertising. If you’re one of those people that actually appreciate these brand ambassadors utilizing the flyering technique, or generally are kind and accepting of what they do, then bravo to you! If you’re not, I hope these 7 reasons can alter your attitude and perception about this certain method of guerrilla advertising.