ORLANDO, Fla. -- Money isnt the key to successful marketing, guerrilla marketing coach Al Lautenslager told attendees at a UMA Motorcoach Expo seminar here.

"Time, energy and imagination are the primary investments of a guerrilla marketer," said Lautenslager, who went on to give examples of marketing campaigns that didnt cost a lot of money:

The owner of a plumbing service company had the bottom half of a man sitting on a toilet painted on the drivers door of his truck, so it appeared the driver was on the john.

Sonic drive-in restaurants made cups that would stick to an automobile, making it look like the driver had accidentally left his Sonic drink on the roof or truck.

Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants give a free burrito to anyone who comes to the restaurant on Halloween dressed like a burrito.

"Guerrilla marketing is achieving conventional goals through unconventional means," said Lautenslager.

He said he has fashioned himself as an advertising expert, making himself available to the press to analyze the Super Bowl ads each year. The co-author of Guerrilla Marketing in 30 Days encouraged motorcoach operators to do the same, to sell themselves as experts in their field.

Be an expert!?

What kinds of experts can motorcoach operators bill themselves as?

Try event expert; inauguration expert; vacation excursion expert; airport shuttle expert; luxury motorcoach expert, or transportation expert, he said.

As an expert, you can offer advice. Look at writing (an article): "Seven mistakes people make when choosing a commercial bus service," for example. Or, "12 things to do to make bus transportation for your event more efficient and pleasing."

Whether its the inauguration, fuel costs, airport shuttles or school district and public transit issues, Lautenslager advises you put yourself out there as an expert.

"Guerrilla marketing is common sense but its not common practice, is what I find," he said.

You have to decide what your "call to action" is, he said. Do you want prospects to call, log on, enter a contest or visit your business?

Whos your customer?

Another tip he gave is that you need to focus on who your ideal client is. And no, its not everyone, he said. And the best prospect is a current customer.

Tailor your message through your tagline, the Chicagoan said. For example, there is a plumbing company in Chicago that says: "We never close." Its the first plumbing company you think of when you need one at 3 a.m. "Taglines increase revenue," he said.

Lautenslager said there is a difference between features and benefits. "Features tell. Benefits sell." Features are things like: a self-cleaning oven, 24/7 operators, and being in business for 110 years. Benefits include: reliability, convenience, immediate response.

Your benefits may not be obvious, he said. So, ask your customers.

His co-author drives 25 miles to his favorite bookstore. Why? The carrot cake.

Be clear about your market. "Dog toys arent designed for dogs," he said. "Theyre designed for people who buy dog toys for dogs."

Fusion marketing is an easy way to sell yourself by selling others. For example, he saw a pizza place that displayed coupons for a dry-cleaning store in the same shopping center. And the dry-cleaning store did the same for the pizza shop.

Be careful networking

On networking, he warned against trying to sell your service at networking events. Instead, make it your goal to build relationships. And: "Arrive early, leave late. Help at registration. Act like a host, not a guest." Meet 10 new people, he said. Receive eight business cards; write a follow-up note to five; and call three to meet them.

On direct mail, Lautenslager favors postcards theyre cheaper to print and mail. And its more effective to send a postcard to 1,000 people five times rather than 5,000 people one time.

On public relations, he advised attendees to think about the editor and reader, or the producer and listener/viewer. "Editors speak their own language. Editors love news, hate promotion. You wont get a flood of business from your name in the paper, but youll put your name out."

A press release can focus on a new service, awards, promotions, reorganization, new employees, celebrations or survey results. "Pick one or two things youre comfortable with," he said.