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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: dlee ()
Date: April 15, 2005 02:21PM

Fairfax Underground is a cool site. Cary's done a great job on it. So maybe it's time for some of the rest of us to get on the ball. I was thinking the other day about this great series of articles on Guerilla Marketing. Granted this was written from the comic industry perspective (yes, i'm a nerd), but I think could apply to this site as well. Here's the first of these articles. The rest are in the 2003 Sept-Oct archives.

My point is to start a discussion on innovative, cost-effective ways to promote the site. I'm talking fun, frenetic ways rather than the typical commercial bullshit. And more than just penciling in "for a good time call fairfaxunderground.com" in local cans. Although maybe that's not such a bad idea.

What about pitching a write up in the local community paper... what's the name of that thing?

Any of you in bands that could give an onstage plug? Any of you work for retailers that would post a flyer in a window - or a stack of flyers on a counter?

Anybody want to pass out stickers at the Vienna metro with that cool Express guy.

Any other suggestions? (I mean aside from suggesting that I'm a fag or something.)

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: asnpcwiz ()
Date: April 15, 2005 02:46PM

dlee, you're not a fag, but a nerd, definitely a nerd...hahahha. I'm with you on that though, I'm nerdy and love my forums too. Anyways, I think it'll be a cool thing to promote this website. I think the problem we have now is content. People like to come to forums to look for advice, shoot the shit, and to find stuff that's usually hard to find. I was thinking about this the other day and here are some of my suggestions for the forum...listen up Cary, hopefully this will make me moderator :) :

- Have a for sale section - People are always looking for things to buy and sell. I mean, I know there's the obvious ebay, but this will help save on shipping costs, transaction fees, sketchiness, etc. And what would people sell? Anything, I got a bunch of Nats tickets I can sell to people when I don't go, or I can easily get my hands on Redskins tickets for example if people want to buy and don't want to pay triple from Ebay. The skies the limit. I saw the other day buried on this forum that some guy was looking to buy a mountain bike, great stuff to put there.

- Have an event section - People can post local or personal events that they are having. Want to get a game of basketball or football going with the weather so nice? Looking for something to do over the weekend? Or maybe if someone is throwing a fund raiser that they want people to attend. I saw the other day that the Herndon high school drumline was doing an event at Baja Fresh, what a great way to advertise by posting on a forum.

- Have a local news section - I know that Fairfax Connection can provide some of this but you can put so much more in Cyberspace. What would you put on there. For instance, once a month my homeowner's association sends out info on our complex, neighboring places, previously sold home prices, etc. All this stuff helps us stay up to date with what's going on here.

- Have an "Advertisement" section - I know this sounds stupid but I was thinking it could be a good thing. Say a new restaurant opens up that is owned by a local and he/she wants to advertise. Or if someone knows of a great deal that they'd like to share with people like Dlee's McD's buy one get one free thing. If done locally, people may find it pretty useful.

I like the sections we already have now, people can go in to the places they belong and see what's going on in their neighborhoods or just shoot the shit with the people around them. I think that word of mouth is also a good way to spread news, but people will only stay if we can provide them with good content. if you can think of ways to advertise dlee, let me know, I'll help anyway I can.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2005 02:48PM by asnpcwiz.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: dlee ()
Date: April 15, 2005 02:52PM

What you're suggesting sounds a lot like Craigslist. And maybe that could be something of a model, seeing as it rocks.

We definitely need a "casual encounters" personals section...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2005 02:55PM by dlee.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: asnpcwiz ()
Date: April 15, 2005 02:54PM

doh, what a way to crush my dreams dlee. I was just hoping that people in Fairfax would be more partial to this seeing how it's for people in Fairfax created by people in Fairfax...you know the whole fore the people by the people thing...

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: dlee ()
Date: April 15, 2005 02:56PM

No, i totally agree with what you posted. I think that it could be geared to be more specific to this site's demographic.

I'm thinking it's the old chicken before the egg thing. Like content is needed to attract ppl but ppl create the content.

But I think you're right that it's a work in progress and thinking on the navigational structure and whatnot, like you've described, is a good plan.

That said, what about a restaurant review section




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2005 03:12PM by dlee.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: asnpcwiz ()
Date: April 15, 2005 03:37PM

Great idea, and while we are at it, can we get some emoticons in here Cary?!?!?!

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: dlee ()
Date: April 15, 2005 03:42PM

I got your emoticon right here
mof_fuck.gif

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: asnpcwiz ()
Date: April 15, 2005 03:45PM

doh...how'd you do that???

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: dlee ()
Date: April 15, 2005 03:55PM

I gots mad html skillz. Basically i linked an image from another site.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: asnpcwiz ()
Date: April 15, 2005 03:59PM

Didn't know you can use html...thanks.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: rstidman ()
Date: April 15, 2005 05:14PM

well this thread is certainly a feel good, you guys going to announce your engagement anytime soon?

:)

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: ben ()
Date: April 15, 2005 05:23PM

Good ideas. Get me some stickers and I'll put them alllll over GMU..

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: MrDoctor ()
Date: April 15, 2005 05:28PM

if we advertise too much this forum will be full of crap in no time. and then the true flame wars will begin

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: Cary ()
Date: April 15, 2005 06:12PM

Hahaha rstidman, you always know how to ruin a good thing :)

Anyway, couple responses in the order they were brought up.
As far as "guerrilla marketing" I have been doing some on and off with printed FAIRFAX UNDERGROUND .COM signs posted at major intersections. Right now there's two at the intersection of 123/50 in Fairfax City by the Denny's and everything. These are nice because they're easy to put where tons of people will see them, but who knows how many people will actually remember the website once they get home, or to work, or whatever. Someone passing out flyers or something would be very beneficial, but a lot of work. I was thinking about putting a bumper sticker on my car, but that leads to the same problem as the signs on the side of the road, and it's ugly.

As far as individual boards for specific topics, they're coming, but not until this site gets bigger. Right now everything and anything can go in general so it's easily viewed by everybody.

Emoticons. I hate emoticons. Almost as much as I hate avatars. I like this software because it's very discussion-oriented instead of focusing on crazy things like emoticons and avatars. You want emoticons? :) :( ;) ;( :)~ :/ :P
No, but in all honesty this forum does has some ugly-ass built-in emoticons. You can view them here: http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/smileys
None of them are enabled yet except :-X as a test (I have to define the text that gets replaced with the emoticon) but if you guys really want them I'll turn some on. Also, if anyone has a better set of emoticons let me have em'
- Cary

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: Cary ()
Date: April 15, 2005 06:14PM

Yeah if it gets too big it'll be ugly.
I'll tap some mods at that point.
I'll ban IP addresses if I have to.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: rstidman ()
Date: April 15, 2005 06:22PM

Hey hey hey,

I secretly place a "favorite" for the site on the pc of every fairfax resident I do an install for. I mention to every person I know, for that matter. Obviously I could use some time out on the town to meet more people but that's beside the point.

I think that is a great tactic... if you work at a place with computers (most places fit that script), then make it the homepage.

A nice networm to make it a person's start page may be in order, just need to find some naked pics of some hottie to disguise it.

And if spray painting "careez awesum sight @ www.fairfaxunderground.com" on the side of every building in my hood isn't website user pride, I dunno what's what.

I totally showed the site to my 75-year-old, very wealthy customer (he lives on the top floor of Montibello Apts in Alex.) the other day. He was smoking hash in front of me and didn't give a fuck, was acting like he was eating ice cream. It took all my restraint not to ask for a hit, so I showed him some cool sites instead. I could not believe a dude that old and rich, and a known washington philanthropist to boot, was getting high off primo shit. I hope you read this, Ed. we want ice cream at your house.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: MrDoctor ()
Date: April 15, 2005 06:59PM

damn i want some of that ice cream please Edward
i havent had hash in like damn, 6 years

you asked and you receieved
http://www.emoticons4u.com/

mine doesnt work or its not enabled, but maybe a notification of new private messages , not email somthn on the forum index

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: dlee ()
Date: April 20, 2005 09:19AM

rstidman funny. We're planning a trip to Vermont this weekend all forum members are invited.

But seriously, yeah, I'm not an expert on these kind of things but I think these sorts of forums are self-limiting. Like only a certain type/number of ppl will genuinely be interested. Particularly given certain content. That being said . . . where all the white women at?!

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: Astroturfer ()
Date: March 21, 2009 12:43AM

I have yet to see any guerilla marketing.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: FUNdamental ()
Date: March 22, 2009 02:44PM

Here is an idea; we can all take shifts to hand out flyers for Fairfax Underground to people leaving the Fairfax ADC.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: HooLeo ()
Date: March 22, 2009 02:53PM

I've been promoting the FFxU for quite some time by telling my neighbors
about it and e-mailing the address to others who live in Fairfax. I was
surprised at a HOA meeting when several people asked how I became aware
of some of the issues in the County and nobody had ever heard of this
site before. They have now. Occasionally, I promote the Black Velvet Bruce
Li blog http://www.bvbl.net/ too and that one seems to be fairly popular
although its mostly about Prince William County issues. Its the illegal
immigration discussion that seems to get their attention the best.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Date: March 22, 2009 03:04PM

Astroturfer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have yet to see any guerilla marketing.


large_pix-1219ChristmasGorilla.jpg

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: saf ()
Date: March 22, 2009 03:13PM

good onE!

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: Hash-eesh ()
Date: July 07, 2010 06:39PM

bump.
Attachments:
bump.gif

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: How about ()
Date: July 07, 2010 08:19PM

How about getting the guy with the Primerica is a Ripoff truck to put big Fairfax Underground graphics all over his truck?

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­
Posted by: chuckhoffmann ()
Date: July 07, 2010 08:31PM

­



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2013 01:41AM by chuckhoffmann.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: Powerful_Crab ()
Date: July 08, 2010 06:32PM

HAHA

Get someone well known with twitter, and make em post a tweet with the fairfax underground website on it... who knows how fast people will click that link... they are all online anyways.......

just an idea....


Meh, if you don't like it, i dont like it.

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Re: guerilla marketing for fairfaxundergound
Posted by: robonscanner1 ()
Date: July 09, 2010 07:08PM


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