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ADvocate Dec 01, 2021
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These days, small businesses stand out amidst massive corporations, as more and more people are looking to shop local. Personalized service, community connections, and hand-crafted products are just a few reasons demand is shifting.
Local business marketing necessitates a more defined customer pool. According to Loomly Digital Marketing, 85% of small business owners rely on word-of-mouth referrals for their clientele. Even in the digital space, search engines like Google filter search results based on user location.
Local marketing is a method used to narrow advertising based on specific customer radius. This type of marketing is also known as neighborhood, location-based, and local store marketing. Through a niche, geo-specific approach, this marketing style helps promote your business to localized clientele.
If you are looking to increase your local traction, check out these top ten ways to market your business within a ten mile radius.
1. Join local online groups and forums.
Social networking helps you lay the groundwork for real world connections. Resources such as Facebook Groups allow you to tailor your interests to a specific niche or location. This helps ensure you are connecting with the right people.
2. Target existing local customers via social media.
For starters, always keep your business location up to date in your online profiles. Work on sharing relevant local happenings and news on your business pages. As you begin to build your virtual presence, be sure to encourage existing customers to follow your pages. Include your social media links on your website and business cards.
3. Tailor your Google Ads radius.
If you are paying for Google Ads, verify that your campaigns are tailored specifically towards your local area. Provide Google with the specific business locations you want to promote and it will automatically optimize campaigns, bids, and ads to users within the specified radius.
4. Host local events.
Wine and paint night? Local fundraiser? Silent reading hour? Event options are truly limitless and can be a unique avenue to get your business name out there. Think of some fun ways to incorporate the essence of your services into an inclusive community experience.
5. Connect with other local businesses.
Take note of the small businesses in your area, and remember the ones that stand out to you. Connect with local business owners and consider partnering together for an event or sponsorship. Collaborating with other local businesses also allows you to cross-promote your services within a different customer pool.
6. Highlight local community members.
If there are prominent volunteers or valuable citizens in your community, take the time to honor these individuals. Perks such as free gifts or discounts are accessible ways to go the extra mile. Consider also offering discounts for nurses, police officers, and teachers.
7. Get to know your market.
Do some research on the demographics of the people within ten miles of your business. There may be certain populations you are missing within your marketing efforts. Once you know your target market, you can better tailor your strategy.
8. Consider print advertising.
Though digital media is the primary way businesses navigate their networking, print advertisements are not outdated. Purchasing signage or billboards in heavily trafficked areas around town is an excellent means to market to a captive audience (think humans in traffic).
9. Register with business directories.
Make the effort to add your business to local directories. Places such as your local chamber of commerce, the Better Business Bureau, yellow pages, and community listings are ideal for keeping your services at the fingertips of anybody searching these registries.
You can also create a Google My Business account to manage the details of how your company appears in Google business listings. Here you can update your address, phone number, business hours, and more.
10. Connect with local media publications and share your expertise.
Local media outlets serve as an ideal way to broadcast your business to your central community. Reach out to your city’s newspapers, editors, and journals and let them know about your area of expertise. Purchase ad space or create a useful article that will catch the reader’s eye.
