Taking It To the Streets: Street Team Marketing

Today, it's common to use street teams as part of the mix of a marketing campaign. But just a few years ago, the music industry was practically the only industry using street teams. Record labels would recruit fans and volunteers to help promote their artists' music at the "street level", that is to say, directly to the consumer. The street teams would be dispatched to clubs and public events to hand out fliers, hang posters and talk up the artist.

Steet team members could be easily identified by the t-shirts and hats they wore, which were provided by the record labels and usually emblazoned with the artist's name, the name of the album and the label's name. In exchange for their work, the street teams were gifted with label merchandise and music, free tickets and access to label-sponsored events. Although you couldn't pay the bills being a member of a street team, for the diehard fan, being a part of a street team was a dream come true. Today lables expect more from street teams. And they're getting more. Steet teams post on message boards, manage websites, write reviews, and call radio stations to request songs.

Street teams are now used by a wide variety of industries. They are hired to promote events, products and services; demonstrate new technology, create atmosphere, or basically anything a creative marketing or advertising plan calls for. They are also favored by small business owners and other savvy entreprenuers not only because of the wide range of prices, but they create grassroots buzz.

The growing popularity of street teams has resulted in the emergence of street team companies, and the professionalization of the street team model. When hiring a street team company, they will identify your target and assemble the right team for your project. You can expect to work with a team leader or captain who will develop a plan/strategy, an advertising buget and work with third party service providers (printers, ad agencies, etc.)--most companies will try to secure as much free advertising as possible.

Some street team companies function more like special event or advertising companies. They can produce elaborate outdoor events, light shows, they'll handle logistics, drive vehicles wrapped with your customized advertisment or digital message, you name it, all while team members are passing out your samples and talking up your company. I even know of one company whose street team members wear t-shirts embedded with small flat screen televisions promoting the client's business.

It's easy to be wowed by the many creative things that today's street teams can do. Just remember, the glitz and technology are great additions, but the most important thing is to hire people that are friendly, energetic and genuinely like working with the public.