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Read More »How Can I Promote My Business in the Local Area? (Free plan)
Running a business requires that you wear many hats, including that of a marketer.
Competing for local customers with other local brands is tough, making it necessary for entrepreneurs to relate directly with their customers and implement strategies that make their business stand out from other competitors.
How Can I Promote My Business in the Local Area?
A local business should combine in-person and digital promotion strategies, including:
- Guerilla marketing
- Customer relationship management
- Getting to know the local media
- Website marketing
- Digital advertising
- Optimizing for Google
- Direct mail marketing
Let's now review specific promotion strategies that you can use in the local area.
How to Promote your Business in the Local Area
Unfortunately, for the vast majority of businesses, there are no single, straightforward strategies that can get your local business noticed.
Success usually comes from the combination of many organized marketing strategies and tactics. Combine the following tactics for best results;
1. Blogging
Most people assume that blogging only suits ecommerce stores and businesses that cover a wide geographic area. However, blogging is an effective marketing strategy that can drive traffic to your website and reach local clientele. Remember that blogging goes beyond creating interesting articles about topics searched by your target audience.
To see tangible results, you should conduct proper keyword research and have a proven search engine optimization strategy. For instance, if you run a car rental company in Austin, Texas, you should find locally searched terms used by people looking for car rental companies within your locality. Use various free tools for your keyword research.
2. Work on social media marketing
Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, provide an easy way of interacting with your target customers. Local customers also use social platforms to search for local businesses and expect businesses to be active. The following statistics show the importance of marketing through social media;
- 55% of customers discovered new brands on social media
- 68% of customers agree that social platforms provide direct opportunities for them to interact with companies
- 43% of customers used social media more to discover new products and services
- 78% of customers can buy willingly from companies after having a positive experience on social media.
Based on these figures, the benefits of using social media cannot be ignored. Use your platforms to run contests, advertise events, offer seasonal promotions, and more. The key to success in social media marketing is ensuring that you post relevant content that resonates with your target local market.
3. Promote loyalty programs
Loyalty programs are a good way of building customer loyalty and securing repeat businesses. Local customers will most likely purchase and frequent your business if they are sure of receiving perks every time they purchase. That said, you can provide discounts on specific purchases or offer complementary products as incentives. For instance, if you run a convenience store, you can create loyalty cards where members get redeemable stamps or points every time they purchase.
4. Run locally-targeted ads
The success of online ads is in their ability to reach your specific local audience. Locally targeted ads allow you to reach a local audience you might not reach through other means. You can implement locally targeted ads by curating your search engine marketing. This involves creating ads that display among the first local search engine results. With this, you can choose specific ad terms, ensuring that your business ad is displayed at the top of local search listings.
Still on the car rental business example, you can pay for targeted ads that show your business at the top of search results every time users search for “car rentals in Austin, Texas. You can also roll out pay-per-click and cost-per-click ads. Apart from Google, targeted ads also perform better on Facebook and Yelp.
How can I promote my business and become famous locally?
Becoming famous within your region or locality can earn you respect and authority in your niche. This becomes necessary if a good percentage of your business clients are from your local area. Fortunately, becoming locally famous isn’t difficult. Like other marketing strategies, it requires a lot of commitment and consistency. That said, below are tips for becoming locally famous;
1. Use Guerilla marketing
Guerilla marketing is a little-known marketing strategy that uses the element of surprise and other unconventional strategies to promote a business, product, or service. Unlike traditional marketing, guerilla marketing requires a small budget, focuses on small groups, and requires extensive interpersonal interactions.
This marketing strategy relies on face-to-face promotions through word of mouth or viral marketing. Main types of guerilla marketing include;
- Indoor guerilla marketing – marketing in indoor environments, such as shops, train stations, or campus buildings.
- Outdoor guerilla marketing – it is done outdoors and involves displaying your products in pre-existing urban environments. For instance, you can display your artwork on the street or hand a removable item on a statue.
- Event ambush guerilla marketing – involves marketing to an audience of another ongoing event, such as sports or concert, mostly without permission from the organizers.
- Experiential guerilla marketing – describes any of the guerilla marketing methods mentioned above, only that its execution requires public participation. Here, the audience should interact with the products or services.
2. Get your face and personality out there
Unlike before, you cannot market your business using products and services alone. Modern marketing includes brand story and personality.
This resembles the old days when store attendants had personal interactions and relationships with every customer. While it shouldn’t necessarily be face to face, ensure that you build a strong relationship with your customers.
For instance, if you have authored a book, show your sense of compassion, humor, expertise, and other aspects that people don’t know about you. Have book signing sessions if possible and offer additional benefits for every purchase.
3. Sponsor charity events
Sponsoring charity events is an excellent way of improving your local fame. By sponsoring sporting events, fashion shows, business Bootcamps, and other local events, you will be doing good to the society, while increasing your fame. Toms Shoes is a good example of a local brand that became famous through charitable events. The owner, Blake Mycoskie, committed to donating a pair to the needy for every pair sold.
Famous Example Explains: How Can I Promote My Business in the Local Area
A great way to promote a business in the local area is to leverage the power of word-of-mouth.
Starbucks, for example, has been able to successfully leverage this strategy to become a household name.
First, Starbucks creates an inviting experience for customers by providing great customer service and a unique in-store atmosphere.
They also offer high-quality products that people enjoy, and make sure that their customer service is always up to par. This encourages customers to come back again and tell their friends about their great experiences.
Second, Starbucks actively engages with the local community.
They participate in local events and sponsor charities, as well as promote their products through local radio and television. This helps to create a positive relationship with the local area and encourages customers to seek out their stores.
Third, Starbucks utilizes digital marketing techniques to reach a wider audience.
They have a strong presence on social media and utilize local SEO techniques to ensure their products are easily found online. This increases their visibility and allows potential customers to easily find their locations.
Finally, Starbucks offers unique promotions and discounts to customers in the local area. This helps to build loyalty and encourages customers to come back again and tell their friends.
By leveraging the power of word-of-mouth, Starbucks has been able to successfully market their brand in the local area. By creating an inviting atmosphere, engaging with the local community, utilizing digital marketing strategies, and offering discounts, they are able to reach a wide audience and encourage customers to come back again and again.
There are many more ways to promote your business locally, but these will get you in motion.
You can also promote your business in the local area by working with local influencers, starting a referral program, signing up for a local directory, and participating in community projects. Brainstorming and developing your marketing plan and tactics is part of the fun of being a marketing professional!
The best thing about these strategies is they are very affordable.
This suits startups and small businesses with limited marketing budgets. Start with the basics, such as volunteering, referral programs, and claiming your business on the local directory, and you will soon be making progress faster than you ever thought possible.
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