Street Smarts

You're no dope. After all, you're smart enough to read Direct. But that doesn't mean you can't learn something new, especially when it comes to finding out ways to stretch your marketing budget.

“The Complete Idiot's Guide to Guerrilla Marketing,” by Susan Drake and Colleen Wells (Alpha Books), offers insight on cost-effective ways to promote a business, including how to create both local and national word of mouth; the ins and outs of online tools like viral ads, e-mail and streaming video; and ways to gain product placement in the media.

Of course, the more chatter you encourage about your brand, the more you need to keep tabs on what's being said.

“Take time to read comment cards, browse message boards and read blogs,” the authors write. “If you can identify a potentially sticky spot early on, you can act quickly to prevent it from becoming a bad-buzz feeding frenzy.”

Drake is the founder and president of Spellbinders Inc., a marketing firm that's worked with companies such as FedEx, Hilton Hotels and Coca-Cola. Wells manages the development of e-tools and other communications media for the Memphis-based firm.