This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Gorilla marketing for bicycles. A side hustle school listeners, thanks for being out there. Today we've got a question from a listener in Colorado. This listener has a passion for bikes and a knack for repair and customization. He wants to start his next side hustle.
Maybe it's his first, I'm not sure. But he's looking to start a side hustle, let's say, serving the big cycling market, cycling community in his area, but he needs to get creative with his marketing on a tight budget. So what is gorilla marketing? It is essentially the original growth hacking. Gorilla marketing tactics are kind of like something unconventional, something different, something that's kind of eye-catching.
Maybe think of it like a viral video, but before viral videos, there was gorilla marketing. So it can be, in some cases, a good way to generate buzz and attract customers. But of course, the key is to come up with the right memorable, shareable idea and not have it backfire. These days, it's harder than ever to get attention because everybody's doing all kinds of stuff. So let's talk about it.
Let's hear from John about his bike repair and customization idea and see what we can do, gorilla marketing or otherwise, in helping him get the word out. His question coming up in just 30 seconds. [Music]
Hey, this is John from Colorado. This state is all about bikes and I've got this idea for a repair and customization service. Money's tight though, so I'm leaning towards gorilla marketing.
What are some out-of-the-box ideas that could get people talking and bring them right to my doorstep? And how do I make sure it's a hit with the local bike community, especially in Denver and Boulder? [Music]
All right, John, I'm gonna take the question at face value and talk about gorilla marketing. Just with that very brief caveat that I mentioned earlier, I don't know that you need to have a wild and crazy idea. It's actually probably better to just have a consistent idea, some means of connecting with people who are interested, like how do you find your target market, your ideal customer?
You've got a question coming up from a social media manager and I think she mentioned something about trends and part of my response there is like, well, trends are good, but if you're trying to serve local small businesses, the main thing that small business needs is to be able to connect with people who are gonna come in and buy from them, right? Who are gonna hire them or purchase from them, whatever the case may be. So leaving that aside, let's take the question at face value. You could host a Pimp My Ride style event. Pimp My Ride, right?
Set up a pop-up booth at popular cycling spots and offer free minor repairs or quick customizations. Think about like colorful spoke beads, maybe some cool handlebar tape, personalized stickers. You know, you just create a fun, engaging atmosphere and that actually kind of meets the qualifier of, you know, you don't have to do something crazy, just do something that actually connects with potential customers. But also create a bike hacks video series, maybe some quick tips and tricks for common bike repairs or customization ideas on social. Use hashtags, whatever is appropriate in your area.
I'm not sure if it's just hashtag Colorado Cycling or Denver Bike Life or something else. You might know that better than me. Perhaps launch a bike hero contest. Encourage people to nominate a fellow cyclist, somebody perhaps who goes above and beyond for the community, somebody who organizes group rides or volunteers at bike clinics. That kind of generates goodwill and also showcases your skills.
Maybe one more idea here, organize a bike scavenger hunt. Hide bike related clues around the city. I actually knew somebody who did this recently in Boulder. It was fun to follow it on social media. So you hide these clues and then you give prizes for people who find the clues.
You know, the grand prize could be a free customization package from your shop. So you wanna connect the gorilla marketing, whatever it is, you wanna make sure you're connecting it to your shop. Not just here's a wild and crazy thing that has nothing to do with what I'm actually selling. Make sure there's a really clear connection. So be community focused, engaging.
And, you know, I know I just said that, but it's so important. Connect the marketing idea to what you're actually selling. John, cheering you on, wishing you well. As always listeners, cheering you on as well. Let me know how I can help.
New episode every day, sidehustleschool.com. Lots of resources, show notes, et cetera. You can always listen wherever you want. It's always completely free. My name's Chris Guillebeau.
This is Side Hustle School. [Music]
From the Onward Project.
