Whether you are just starting out in your community with a brick-and-mortar business or are seeking to boost your bottom line, marketing is going to be the key to success.
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Some things you can personally do to build visibility in your market and other things will take professionals on the job, but in either case, the one thing you should be aware of is the very real difference between local marketing and the oftentimes broader reach of online marketing. And, there are techniques you can use online to reach out to a local audience, which would be totally different than trying to reach potential customers halfway around the globe.
Looking to grow your local business? Try these three surefire ways that have proven to be ultra-successful.
1) Let’s Talk Online Marketing
As mentioned, reaching out to a local audience is completely different to selling your wares online. If you run a local brick-and-mortar establishment such as a dental clinic or day care center, you wouldn’t want to interest someone in Australia or Germany, would you? Therefore, online marketing would take a specialist local SEO company that utilizes such things as Google Local and social networks to capture the largest local audience possible.
2) Capture the Power of Social Media
Have you watched your friends and family lately – we mean really, really watched them? Can you remember one day, or even one hour, when they weren’t furiously texting or posting away on Facebook or Twitter? What about YouTube? Believe it or not, YouTube is classified as a social site and if you are looking to build a local following, show them, literally show them, what you do and who you are on YouTube! This could mean hiring professional videographers to capture the essence of who you are and what you do, but people in your community will begin to recognize you when you are out and about and this presents the perfect opportunity for another surefire way to grow your local business. This brings us to the way in which this visibility will aid you on your quest for an expanding local market.
3) Perfect the Elevator Speech
Never miss an opportunity to take a moment to talk to anyone and everyone about who you are and what you do. When someone recognizes you from social media, this gives you the perfect opening to give your elevator speech, but remember, you only have about 8 to 10 seconds before you lose them if what you have to say doesn’t capture their attention immediately. Once you’ve interested them, you now have time to tell them more. Make it memorable and watch how quickly business booms.
These are three of the most effective and surefire ways to grow a local business so use them wisely. If it takes hiring a professional SEO specialist to market online or a videographer to put together a DIY or How-to for YouTube, then it’s money well-spent. Just remember that not all marketers are equal when it comes to local marketing, so hire specialists at reaching a local audience. Keep it close to home.
