The community surrounding a business is its lifeblood. The problem is, customers tend to stick with the familiar, which is why it’s often hard to get an individual to darken the door of a new business for the first time. That’s why a well-executed local marketing approach is so important to survive in today’s business climate.
According to Justin Brady, owner of Test of Time Design most businesses fail to listen when it comes to local marketing.
“They set up social pages, do coupon promotions, but fail to listen to the audience they are trying to serve,” he says. “When they fail to listen to customer feedback, fail to adapt and fail to snatch up local social chatter, they look no different than the big box stores.”
Here are six great tips to consider when planning an effective local marketing campaign.
1: Local ad targeting: When you’re marketing for a local business, there's little point in showing ads more than a 30 minute transit away from the location(s). Sure there are some markets in which people are willing to make a long trek to reach you, but in most cases people are searching for convenience. “Most ad platforms go as deep as zip code level targeting for ads. Use it,” says Matthew Sommer, COO of Brolik. “Or consider Facebook’s new ‘Local Awareness’ ad objective.” Also, consider scaling outwards. Start with the smallest possible area right around your business, once that is saturated, widen to 10 miles. This will help you use your ad spend more efficiently, and get extra mileage out of ad creative before suffering from ad rot.
2: Listen to the pulse: Listening to your community is so important. Running jokes, local news, community events and local sports teams can really aid in your perception of the local market and how to speak to it. “Just being involved open ups huge insights,” Brady says. “A local business owner’s best approach of all is to know his or her community and know it well.”
3. Use Maps: Sommer is a big proponent of using Google or Apple maps as a way to appeal to the local community. “If I’m looking for a beer as I walk around Philly, the first thing I do is type ‘beer’ or ‘bar’ into my smartphone maps program,” he says. “Make sure you’re listed properly and optimized for what people are looking for. A few positive reviews on Google+ can also go a long way towards making your location stand out from the competition on Google maps.”
4: Trace the customer path: Many small businesses focus on only one element of the local marketing strategy and that’s getting customers in the door. It’s what happens once they are inside that will prove its success. “A bad experience, poor decor, awful lighting, limited payment options or poorly trained employees can kill the entire experience,” Brady says. “Smart small business owners trace the customers path all the way from first marketing touch point, first arrival, isle perusal, check out, and as they drive off the lot.”
5: Consider Local SEO: If you’re using Google’s national search numbers, or Moz’s keyword ranking tool for your local campaign, then you’re looking at a distorted picture. Sommer says Google has very effectively customized its search results based on your location, among other things. Use the Moz Bar’s search profiles or a local SEO tool like Whitespark to make sure that your seeing things correctly.
6: Become a Blogger: Nowadays, setting up a blog is as easy as clicking on a few buttons. Create a blog surrounding your business and fill it with local happenings so people in the community will come back again and again. Link it to other local businesses and you’ll soon have a network of people in your area visiting your site.
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