What is a Guerrilla Certificate? It can be a certificate from any other business. I know of a music store owner who ran an ad and said he would take anyone’s gift certificates. When the customers came, many of whom were not current customers, he would gladly honor the gift certificate. He was able to introduce the new customers to his store, and also accumulate contact information. When someone uses a $25 gift certificate, since it is not like spending cash, they are more likely to increase their purchase than someone who just spent the same amount in cash. By taking other businesses’ gift certificates, he was able to expand his customer base, accumulate contact information, and increase the dollar value of each transaction. When they follow-up with the “new customers” and turn them into “repeat customers,” it doesn’t take long to figure out how valuable those certificates really are.

So what did they do with the gift certificates they took in? They used them, in some cases to buy supplies like from Wal-Mart. If you look at this from an analytical standpoint, it looks like you actually lose money, which you do. If you look at it from the lifetime value of a customer standpoint, then you see how effective this can be.

Would taking “guerrilla gift certificates” work in your business?