Let’s suppose you have a business that serves local customers. It makes sense to create a local business marketing strategy. And, be able to attract all the available customers from your local area.
Now let’s suppose you’re looking to dominate local marketing. In that case, you will want to take advantage of the following eight ways to get more local customers.
You can implement these eight local business marketing strategies and see the difference it makes to your revenue.
You don’t have to take action on all eight today, choose one and do it right. Then you can add more of the strategies when you have mastered each one.
What you will find is your market share will grow whilst your competitors will shrink.
Some of the strategies will cost money, and some will cost time. However, all of the strategies should be considered an investment in your business growth.
So, let’s get into my top eight marketing strategies for local businesses.
1. Local SEO
Local SEO (search engine optimisation) is a great place to start and is a local business marketing strategy “time” investment.
Let’s say you are a chiropractor. It makes sense that your customers would be local. And when they search for a chiropractor, they will type in phrases like:
- Chiropractor near me
- “town name” chiropractor
- Local chiropractor
- find a local chiropractor
And so on.
You will want to appear on the front page of the search for those terms (and preferably the first place position).
The way to achieve this is to create single or multiple web pages, blog posts or articles using those search terms. Specifically, using the search terms in the URL’s (web address; your website.com/search term), page titles and content of the page.
You have just increased your chance of getting more business from a local customer search.
Google My Business Listing Local Business Marketing Strategy
The other area to dominate in local SEO is Google my business listings and Google maps listings.
This type of listing is also a local business marketing strategy “time” investment.
When a customer uses a local search term, Google delivers organic listings (Local SEO above). Google also shows a box with local businesses registered on “Google my business and Google maps”.
So, by claiming and creating your listing, you could get your business shown twice on the first page of search.
I have written a guide on how to claim and create your Google my business listing here. How To Get To The Top Of Google My Business Listings
2. Local Business Development
Local business development is a “time” investment in your business. It’s about connecting with local businesses and individuals.
There are several ways to increase your business locally by using this strategy:
- Flyers and business card exchange
- Local business group speaking.
- Local customer referral
Flyer And Business Card Exchange
This strategy is a “money” investment. Get some flyers, and business cards printed and visit local businesses that your ideal customers use.
Ask if you could leave some of each on display on their premises. The secret is also to supply the stands for your marketing material.
In exchange, you can offer to do the same for them on your premises.
Side note: the flyer or business card should have a free offer for the customer when they present it.
So, for instance, using the chiropractor again; A free consultation with this leaflet. Or, a free taster session (reduced time). This strategy works on the basis that each customer will have several paid sessions to sort their problem.
Local Business Group Speaking
This strategy is also a “time” investment.
Contact a local business networking or chamber group and offer to do a talk. The talk will be about the specific benefits of your type of product or service. And will emphasise the problems that it will solve.
Side note: Having joined lots of local and national business networking groups in my early days of business.
I can tell you I am not a fan.
The ROI (return on investment) is usually very low. Those meetings rarely cover the cost of the membership, let alone the time you spend at them.
The simple reason is every person in those meetings wants business from you.
Using Local Customer Referral As A Local Business Marketing Strategy
This strategy is a “time” investment. Every time you provide a product or service locally, there are several things to factor in before the customer leaves.
- Can they give you a testimonial on yelp, google etc.?
- Will they introduce you to someone who would benefit from your product or service?
- Can they give your flyer or card to someone who would benefit?
If the customer is happy with you, they won’t mind “doing you a favour.”
3. Facebook Ads
Facebook ads is a “time and money” strategy. The cost of Facebook ads has increased over the years. However, it is still a fabulous way to reach new and existing customers at a low price.
The great thing about FB ads is how narrow you can niche the delivery of each advert. From Sex, age, profession, area and even the type of films or literature that the audience is interested in reading.
Whatever advert you create should always have an A/B test. Then the job is to get the lowest-performing advert to beat the highest performance advert.
It may be changing the headline, content, image etc. that makes the difference.
Once you have hit an acceptable conversion rate, it usually means the more money you put in the adverts budget, the more conversions you will get.
I’ve written a beginners guide to paid advertising here: How To Start Using Paid Advertising (A Beginners Guide)
4. Facebook Group
Another “time” strategy is Facebook groups. Facebook organic reach through your profile or business page is pretty dismal due to their business model being paid advertising.
However, there is an easier way to get better engagement and reach by creating a Facebook group.
Facebook groups can have a high engagement rate based on the fact that the user has actively joined the group.
As part of customer onboarding, you can drive the user to a Facebook closed group page. This group page is an area that only members of the group will receive specific information or benefits.
You are also creating an environment of like-minded people who can help each other in a community.
5. Email Marketing
Email marketing is a “time and money” strategy. And, still one of the marketing strategies with the highest ROI (return on investment).
Every business should have an email marketing strategy. Email marketing is a great way to capture customer data and deliver automated campaigns that build know, like and trust.
I have written a beginners guide to Email marketing campaigns here: How to Create And Send Email Marketing Campaigns
6. Customer Reviews
Generating customer reviews is a “time” strategy. One of the things that a lot of local businesses get wrong is assuming customers are happy with them.
This thought process also gives small businesses the belief that their customers will recommend them.
Meanwhile, the business has no “social proof” of happy customers to use in their marketing.
There is an old saying that ” telling people how good you are is only 10% as effective as customers telling people how good you are.
So, collecting customer testimonials and reviews are crucial to creating online word of mouth social proof.
To do this, you have to focus on urging happy customers to put it in writing. Either through sites like trust pilot, yelp, google local or even an email.
Using those testimonials and reviews on your website can create more trust for new customers.
7. Video Marketing
Video marketing is a “time” strategy if you are prepared to learn everything yourself. It can also be a “money” strategy if you employ someone else to do it for you.
Video marketing has the most significant growth of any marketing today. Data shows that 85% of all content consumed soon will be video.
Like a lot of content marketing, it takes time to create an audience. So, it makes sense to get started sooner rather than later.
You can ask customers if they can give you a video testimonial. Video allows you to showcase your product or service, delivering value and benefits.
Video also allows you to show the human side of your business. Remember people buy from people they like.
Video can also allow you to highlight problems your product and services have solved. Using Video marketing as part of local marketing can also be achieved.
Using local knowledge in your videos can show you are part of the community.
8. Messenger List Local Business Marketing Strategy
The final “time” strategy is Messenger lists. Messenger lists are not new; however, the platform is getting used more as it matures.
Imagine having a sale and being able to send a message instantly to your customers. That’s the beauty of Messenger lists.
How messenger marketing works is by growing a list of people on Facebook interacting with your Facebook ads or with your Facebook group.
Over 89% of messenger users view their messages on their smartphone. And, the smartphone pings them with a sound or badge when they receive a notification. So the open rate is high.
Local Business Marketing Strategies Summary
This post should give you the confidence to know that you can easily compete with national businesses on a local level. After all, you have a better understanding of the area and community.
And, using this list of Local business marketing strategies can help grow your business. Bookmark this post in your browser so you can visit it as you master each technique.
If you want to watch my YouTube videos rather than read the posts click the links below:
Google my business listings | getting to the top
How To Start Using Paid Advertising | A Beginners Guide
How to Create And Send Email Marketing Campaigns | A Beginners Guide
