You may have recently started a small online business to serve local customers. But then, you might not be experiencing the kind of traffic and sales that you had planned at the time of its launch. Fortunately, there are several local marketing strategies available that you can plan to implement to promote your small business to overcome competition. These strategies, when correctly done, can help enhance your engagement you locally-based potential customers.
Local marketing ideas for small businesses to implement
Strategies when carefully developed can market your services or products within your targeted community. It is quite commonly used by bars, restaurants, bank branches, grocery stores, clothing stores, and others seeking local clients. Through such marketing strategies, you get to inform your potential local customers about new services and products being launched. You also get to promote your current products/services, along with discounts and sales offers.
1. Use Google Alerts to monitor your business:
With Google Alerts, you can identify people commenting about your organization online. Simply establish a Google Alert using relevant keywords or your local business name. You will receive email reports as someone publishes something using those keywords or your local business name. You also get to know about the latest published reviews, blog posts, articles, or news concerning your industry. You may share the same on your newsfeeds as well as react immediately to negative reviews. Do implement such local marketing strategies for success.
2. Establish a free Google listing:
Surveys conducted globally have revealed that 90% of shoppers prefer buying from local businesses while 33% perform it regularly. Online reviews are read by approximately 82% of potential shoppers while 97% of them go through business responses to such reviews. With Google listing, customers can easily identify your local business by using appropriate search terms. The free listing is to include the following:
- Contact details like email address & phone number
- Physical address
- Store Directions
- Operational hours
- Images of products and stores
- Website URL
3. Developing social media presence:
These days, people have become more addicted to different social media platforms. You may establish a profile on a couple of them that is relevant to your customers and business. LinkedIn Pages will be a great choice if you have plans to hire locally or engage with other local businesses. Instagram profile can make your products visually appealing and help you sell them fast. Twitter can be used to share valuable content, ideas, tips, and thought leadership. These are efficient local marketing strategies for success. You should, however, post content regularly. Try to engage with followers, offer valuable advice, and share discounts, special offers, and events, including new launches.
4. Verify Yelp profile:
You should list your local business on another popular review site like Yelp. About 92% of consumers tend to purchase a product or service after going through a local business on Yelp. To set up your Yelp business profile, verify all crucial information. It should include business contact details, address, email address, hours of operation, and website.
5. Published Newsletter or Blog:
This is one of the most successful Local Marketing Strategies to implement for your small business. Promote content marketing by emphasizing local SEO. It is sure to make your business visible to your targeted audience. Also, share your expertise gained over the years with customers and prospects. Newsletters and blogs work wonders to attract more site traffic, leads, and Twitter followers. It also helps create a strong and large loyal reader base for your business.
There are several local marketing ideas for small businesses that you may choose to implement based on your specific business needs.
