Running a local business is never easy. Not only do you need to provide a solid product and/or service, but you also need to tackle local marketing with due care. Seeing that people often struggle with the second part, we are going to take a closer look at some of the marketing strategies that can save your local business.
Understanding Local Marketing
If you are inexperienced in marketing, you may think that it is simple enough to make a Facebook page and post your business information on it. But, upon a closer look, you will find out that there is much more to it than meets the eye. In order to implement marketing strategies that can save your local business, you first need to be aware of how local marketing functions. So, to properly assist you, we are first going to cover the basics of local marketing.
How To Engage The Local Market
In order to gain as much online traffic as possible, most companies will opt for online marketing. This includes social media marketing, proper SEO management, and extensive content marketing. But, if you want to market your business locally, you don't need to deal with all of these aspects. Each of these marketing strategies is expensive, which is why you need to pick one that suits your business and stick with it. Trying to engage the local market in multiple ways simultaneously is usually not cost-effective. Especially if you consider that most local markets have a preferred way of finding businesses.
Any long-term marketing strategies that can save your local business will include SEO optimization.
Finding your target audience
If your local business is struggling, it may be because you simply haven't found your target audience. Having a solid product and/or service that can beat your local competitors is important. However, being able to find and address your target audience is vital. So, your main goal in local marketing should be to first outline the target demographic and then engage them in the best possible way.
Online vs offline marketing
An important thing to keep in mind is that, while online marketing offers a lot of possibilities, it is not the only way that you can engage your local market. Offline marketing can be quite effective, even when it is simple promotional items like t-shirts or caps. Furthermore, if you manage to think outside the box and find a creative way to engage your nearby market, you can easily double your revenue.
Some Marketing Strategies That Can Save Your Local Business
The strategies that we will outline are merely suggestions in which you can alter your marketing efforts in order to save your business. With this in mind, the last thing you should do is to try all of them in the hope that some will work. Instead, we advise you to take a careful look at your local market and figure out which strategy is best suited. To properly implement any of these strategies, you will need to dedicate all your efforts into one. So, do yourself a favor and don't spread yourself too thin, at least for the time being.
Focus on one marketing strategy before you implement others.
Ensure that you have a decent online presence
The first thing you want to look into is having a decent online presence. This includes having a well designed, intuitive website and having profiles on social media. If you manage to establish your brand, you will have an easier time marketing your business both locally and on a larger scale, but doing so can take time. So, for starters, try to have an informative website where people can easily engage you and find the necessary information. Later on, you can pick the long-term online marketing strategies that you want to use. Keep in mind that there are digital marketing solutions specially designed for movers, as there are for sports companies and any other type of business, so you need to develop your strategy gradually.
New offer
There are many reasons why a local business might be struggling. Sometimes it's due to hard economic times like we are experiencing now due to COVID-19. But sometimes, it's simply because their offer has become stale. A locally-run business doesn't have much incentive to change. This can easily lead to it becoming outdated and overall boring. If this sounds anything like your business, then you might need to implement a new offer.
A properly timed offer can turn your business around overnight.
A new refreshing offer can be just the thing you need to reinvigorate the local interest in your business. This offer can either be a product or a service, depending on what kind of business you are running. Ideally, it will be an aspect of your business that you can easily market, and that will be in decent demand. So, try to listen to your local community in order to develop the right offer.
Co-promotion
Sometimes the best thing to do is to affiliate your marketing with another local company. There are plenty of marketing strategies that can help you promote your local business which include you working with another company. Try to find a reliable company that is willing to work with you. Ideally, this should be a company that has a natural connection with your business. To give you a couple of examples:
- Running a food business - a partnership with a beverage company.
- Running a local moving company - local real estate agents.
- Operating a local gym - sport goods manufacturers.
All in all, you want to find a reliable, trustworthy company and combine your marketing efforts as naturally as possible.
Host an event
Sometimes, you simply need to make a splash in order to bring your business out of a rut. If that is the case, we advise you to host an event. A well organized even can be all you need to bring local interest to your business. This can either be a community event where you organize some music and refreshments for your neighbors - a grand reopening of sorts. Or, it can be a promotion for your new product. All in all, don't shy away from making some noise.
