Finding ways to increase your marketing efforts past your local search optimization can seem impossible. The good news is, marketing has existed long before local SEO, so there are plenty of options out there for ways to gain some additional attention in your local market. By following these tips, bringing in more leads to your storefront will be a breeze.
1. Hold a Contest
A good way for any business to gain some extra attention is by holding a contest, either in person or on social media. To some, it may seem like a waste of money, but contests enable both return and potential customers to have the chance to get excited to learn more about your products.
Another good thing about contests is that even though not everyone can win, if the product is enticing enough, they may just purchase it anyways regardless of the contest outcome. So, in the end, you give away a few products, but have the opportunity for more business.
2. Host an Event
Hosting an event, much like holding a contest, is another way for you to garner interest in your business and products/service. There’s no limitation to the kind of event that you can have, so finding one that fits your business perfectly will be simple.
3. Encourage Customers to Leave Online Reviews
Online reviews are a big part of getting found locally. Many online review websites will provide you with promotional material if you ask for it. Posting stickers on your door or near registers that will remind customers to leave online reviews is one way that you can turn your customers into promoters simply by providing excellent customer service.
4. Guest Blogs
If your company has a blog, it may be a good idea to reach out to others in your industry and find a guest blogger every once in awhile. In doing this you’ll be able to get more traffic to your website since it is likely that the guest blogger will also share the piece on their own social media.
You can also reverse this and be a guest blogger for someone else. The same benefits apply to doing it this way as well if you drop links to content of your own into the blog you are guest writing. If you decide to do this, just remember to make it relevant and non-promotional.
5. Mailers
Email marketing is a common way to try and convert leads into customers. However, there is a whole other untapped market of leads that you can reach through good ol’ snail mail. If you opt for advertising through the mail, you can ensure that you will only be marketing to your local area.
Pro Tip: Consumers love discounts. Include some coupons or other incentives on your mailer to increase the likelihood that they will visit your storefront.
6. Promotional Business Cards
It’s always a good idea to carry some business cards around with you. It may seem outdated due to things like LinkedIn, but the best way to share contact information with someone you just met would be through a business card. With business cards, people are able to have a tangible way to remember you by.
7. Magnetic Signs for Employee/Company Cars
Investing in removable magnetic signs to add to company cars or give employees the option to add to their car is a smart, simple marketing move. Keep it simple with just your logo and phone number, and possibly address so that people can quickly digest the information while they are sitting at a stoplight. If you add too much information to the sign, or it is too hard to read, it is not likely that passersby will try to retain it.
8. Attend and Participate in Community Events
Making a name for yourself in the community is probably the best form of advertising that you can get locally (aside from customer referrals). Participate in community cleanups or other events that pull a lot of attention from your local area.
You and your team can wear custom shirts while volunteering or bring along business cards to distribute to connections that you make during the event. But, just being there and establishing yourself as a familiar face is a great start!
9. Referral Programs
The incorporation of referral programs into your marketing strategy makes current happy customers more likely to recommend you to friends and family. When they are getting something out of it as well, consumers have no problem being walking billboards for your business.
10. Participate in Online Forums
Establishing yourself as a subject matter expert in your particular field will make people much more likely to turn to you when they have a need for a certain product or service that you seem to be very knowledgeable about.
Take some time to post on online forums dedicated to conversation about industry topics. If you don’t know where to do this, sites like LinkedIn are always a good start.
11. Social Media Marketing/Presence
Having an active presence on social media is sometimes more effective than local search. When people are able to find your business by browsing social media before they have a need for it you’re able to remain top of mind for them.
Doing this increases the likelihood that when the time comes, they will come to you to solve the problem they have. Once again, make sure that your social media is not overtly promotional, as no one will pay attention to what appears to just be purely promotional spam.
Marketing your business outside of local search is much easier than it seems. Even though we do live in a digital world, if you are a local business you have the advantage of already knowing the general location of your target area. Use this knowledge to your advantage and you’ll be able to increase local traffic tremendously.
Want more information on how you can make the most of your local market? Request a free 15 minute consultation with our local search expert, Vlad Molchadski.