Many local businesses make the mistake of using marketing approaches identical to those employed by large national and international companies. And though there are certain bulletproof techniques that work for businesses of any type and size, local businesses also have to use different, unique marketing strategies to better suit the local community.
Content Marketing
There was a time when content marketing was a privilege of big corporations only. But nowadays content marketing is so widespread that everybody is doing it. And small local businesses are no exception. There are several different ways to use content marketing for promoting locally. For example, you can rework your website to make it more appealing for the local crowd.
Or better yet, create blog posts for your local store where you would tell people more about your work. Did you know that small businesses with blogs generate 126% more lead than those without it? That’s right. So taking the time to blog a little bit about your business is definitely worth your while.
In many ways, writing blog posts is something you can do yourself, so don’t be afraid to give it a go before you hire a professional. After all, who can know more about your business than you? Just don’t forget to make your blog posts more personal and adapted to the local community by mentioning local streets, businesses or important landmarks.
Advertise at local transportation hubs
Even in a small town, people have to travel. They travel to work, to the mall and many other places. Many people today use public transportation – buses, trains, or the subway, which is why they visit local transportation hubs on a daily basis. A local transport hub is a great place to post an ad for your local business, as it will help you reach your target audience directly. Since most people spend a certain amount of time waiting for their transport, they are very likely to see your ad and memorise what your business has to offer.
Social media pages
Social media pages have the advantage of being completely free and easy to use. So it’s a form of advertising that you can do by yourself without spending any money on it. More than 77% of US internet users have at least one social media profile, and most of them check out various social media pages on a daily basis.
That’s why social media channels are great for reaching new clients. You can use small quizzes and giveaways for reaching your audience. Use social media to promote new products and inform your followers about upcoming sales. Sometimes a great social media profile is all you need to promote your local business.
Hosting local events
Hosting a local event will help you increase brand visibility and bring new clients to your business, especially if it’s charity related. Charity-related local events are likely to draw attention of the media, giving you plenty of free publicity. Also, hosting a local event will help you get to know your customers, which will enable you to tailor your marketing campaigns toward their specific needs. Planning a local event yourself, however, can be a little bit too much to handle for a local business owner, which is why it’s advisable to hire a professional event planner, who will make sure that your event runs as smoothly as planned.
Send direct mail
Promoting your local business via direct mail can have many beneficial effects on your local business. You can use direct mail to send coupons, deals, gift cards and other things that are easily used in the local environment. Direct mail might be even more suitable for advertising your business locally than nationally, since visiting a local pizza shop to get that two-for-one deal won’t be as much of a hassle for the customers.
Send targeted emails
Although sending direct mail has many advantages for advertising locally, that doesn’t mean you should give up the idea of sending your mail online as well. You can use email marketing in the same way you use direct mail – to send coupons, gift cards and so on. But you can also use email marketing to send periodical newsletters. Newsletters are a great way to stay top of mind in the local community and notify your potential customers about great deals.
74% of marketers agree that personalised campaigns increase engagement, so make sure to personalise your emails. Local marketing offers a lot of options for personalisation since it can include places, stories and even problems that are well known in the local community.
In an unstable economy, sustaining a local business can be tough. But if you offer a great service and employ some of these marketing techniques, we’re certain that your local business is going to be a huge success.