Kicking off this blog with a question, how do you market your business to the local community? The key is, to get creative. A lot of people think that marketing only applies to large businesses but for any company or individual to succeed they need attention and awareness from their target audience. This can be done by using traditional methods such as word-of-mouth advertising, sales calls, newspaper ads, or direct mail campaigns. However, it is also possible for smaller companies and individuals to promote themselves through social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
Getting in front of potential customers is a great way to grow your brand. To do this, you should attend local community events such as charity runs or festivals if they’re relevant to your business. Here are some benefits: networking and helping the community will improve trust with others while also allowing people to see that it's not just all about profits for you, but rather making an impact locally too.
Everyone has a smartphone and uses it to search for products, services, etc. You need SEO (Local Search Engine Optimization) so when someone searches "widgets" your town will show up at the top of results with higher rankings. The key is, creating content that Google indexes favorably to be ranked high on certain keywords or phrases related to widgets; like the price range that you offer, as well as where they are located, hours open, etc.
The opportunity to sell products or services at local pop-up markets and events can be a great idea. The opportunities are ideal for networking and building connections with neighbors, as well as showcasing your brand in the community through banners, giveaways, etc. To have an attractive portable "storefront" for these events you need acrylic or glass display cases that emphasize your product(s). Having a presence within communities will boost sales of your business while also growing awareness about it among potential customers nearby.
No matter your industry, social media is a great equalizer. Anyone can have a good presence online. All it takes is dedication and creativity to build momentum on our page and you can use these tools to draw more people in. Make sure that we keep posting relevant content that's interesting & engaging by answering any questions or comments from followers quickly. Also, highlight positive reviews as well as negative ones when they happen so that all of our customers stay happy with us. It's important for locals who follow pages like ours because then they get their daily information about what happens around them, which helps everyone out overall.
People love doing anything to win something. This can be used by running regular contests that not only get people interested in your brand but encourage them to do some marketing for you as well. For instance, since you are a local business and have many locations throughout the city/county/etc; locals should take selfies at these locations with their friends or family members (if they want). Run a draw for anyone who takes photos of themselves at any location within your store's vicinity. There are also other contests that may include free products from stores, such as gift cards or discounts, etc. Whatever is deemed suitable will surely attract followers through participation like never before.
Online directories help people find you when they search for things related to your business. You should have your business name, address, website, and other contact information on these directories. They usually have a function for consumers to provide reviews and ratings so that you can get an idea of how your business is viewed in the community. Much like with social media platforms, make sure to respond to negatively received reviews or turn unhappy customers into loyal ones.
Want to target a specific group? Digital ads give you the opportunity to do that. Let's say there is an event taking place in your town and people who are likely interested in buying what you're selling will attend. Now is the time they'll be on their phones checking social media. You can have digital ads show up at this exact time frame for these types of groups; which means more sales with less hassle.
Having a small or local business doesn’t mean that you have to bow down to the big guys. You can compete and be very successful in marketing to your local community. With these tips, you can build your customer base and reach your goals.
Get connected to a large collection of business directories with our services at pinbuz.com. We can help keep your business up to date and work on other ways to increase web search listings.