Unlike its look-at-me cousin The Stunt, grassroots marketing is, like the name implies, under the surface. It is an effort that is seeded, nurtured and grown. And if cared for, it spreads roots throughout your target community that will endure for years.
A good example of a successful grassroots program is Boston’s Harpoon Brewery. Every Wednesday night during the summer, Harpoon sponsors a mountain bike ride. Very simply, the brewer reaches out to mountain bikers through bike shops and local clubs. They post the schedule in the local dirt rags, burrito shops and coffee joints. And every Wednesday, without fail, they greet riders at the end of the dusty trail with cold, frothing mugs of Harpoon Ale. And there’s nothing like creating brand loyalty like the well-timed ale.
The result? In their most important market, Harpoon enjoys a fierce loyalty of 20-something, adventurous outdoor types…and perhaps more importantly, those that want others the think if them as adventurous, outdoor types. In short, premium beer drinkers.
As simple as Harpoon’s grassroots program is, it is effective because they follow the Three Laws of Successful Grassroots Marketing:
1. Keep It Simple: Grassroots programs need longevity. The best are ones that can be gently nudged from the nest, and then take flight on their own. If it’s too complicated, chances are it won’t catch on.
2. Appeal to What Is Important to Your Customer, Not You: Grassroots isn’t about a sales pitch. Don’t push yourself too hard. Trust me, people will make the connection to your wares. Instead, provide something of true value, even entertainment, to your customers. If it isn’t real, it will never work.
3. Muster the Courage to Believe in What You Do: You need to really believe in your grassroots efforts for a couple of reasons. First, authenticity. If you don’t believe in it, people will sniff you out like a dog smells fear. Your program will reek of half-baked intentions, and you’ll do more harm than good. And just as important: you need to believe in the program, because metrics are hard to come by. For Harpoon, it’s difficult to tell how many beers they sold because of their Wednesday rides. Sure, they could ask for folks to complete a survey, but talk about breaking the mood. Instead, they believed in their beer and their beer drinkers. And the rest seemed to take care of itself.
Be patient. Like a fine crafted beer, you can’t rush it. Grassroots programs need time to ferment, to come together. And just like that cold one at the end of a long, hard ride, all the work is well worth the results.
Speaking of a cold one, it’s just about 5:30 …
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