In ancient Athens, the Agora was an exciting marketplace where merchants displayed and sold their goods. It was also where ideas were exchanged and attracted people to hear philosophers, such as Socrates, speak. Excitement, creativity, and commerce are still a feature of our modern physical and virtual marketplaces.
Do you want to reach out to your local customers? If you’re looking for new ways to promote a business, take a look at this expert advice.
Website Wizardry
People search the web even when shopping in their locality. Using your website is how to promote your business locally. Making some simple changes to your website content could increase your Google rankings.
Think about what local customers might put into their Google search. A local customer may put a location into the search as well as the product or service they are looking for. Introduce these keywords and phrases into your website to reflect the local area to increase your Google rankings.
Build Contacts
Build a list of local contacts with email addresses. Stay in contact with people, especially if they have been a customer. Asking people to sign up for an email or newsletter helps create a community you can promote to.
Make sure the content is engaging and provides local marketing value. Promote local events, seasonal activities, and your latest offers. Short case studies about your business help potential customers see how you may be able to meet their needs.
Form collaborative relationships to promote local business. Do joint promotion to leverage each other’s network. Use the local resource guide Clever Neighbor to find local contacts.
Get Reviewed and Shout About It
Ask customers for feedback. If they are critical, it will help you learn how to improve your business. If they are positive, then use them to promote your business.
Did you know that people trust online reviews? In fact, 84% of customers trust online reviews equally as much as if they were a recommendation from a friend. It’s well worth getting your positive customer reviews out there in the public domain by posting reviews on your website and on social media.
Reward Referrals
People like to do their friends a favor, especially if it means their doing themselves one too. Offer a discount or coupon to customers who refer a friend and give them a coupon to pass on too. This way you are leveraging their network, and they do the work for you.
Give a Little
Giving something back to the community helps position you as a part of the community. Do some talks for community groups or schools. Don’t use it simply to talk about your business but don’t miss the opportunity to do a short commercial either.
Being more actively involved in your community could involve active charity work. Organize a fun run for a local charity. Sponsor a different local charitable organization each year.
You want your brand to be identified with the local area. It’s not a cynical move. The local community should be necessary for a local business, and you can feel that you’re making a difference and putting something back.
Now You Know How to Promote a Business
A little knowledge is all you need to get started. Pick a couple of these ideas and make some progress. Measure the results and pick a couple more ideas.
To learn more about how to promote a business, click here.