No matter if your business is located in a large city like Atlanta or a small town in South Dakota, it’s important to stand out in your area. While small businesses are often challenged with differentiating themselves against large corporations and recognizable brands, there are tactics you can take to stand out in your city.
Whether you’re a small fish in a big pond or just want to get more local attention, here are some tips to get your small business noticed.
Start Blogging
If executed correctly, blogging will help your business gain attention both locally and worldwide. There are plenty of topics out there you can blog about, and you can also be a guest contributor on other blogs as well. If you don’t have as much time as you’d like to dedicate to blogging (although we recommend making it a monthly priority), you can ask your employees to contribute or hire a third-party writer.
No matter the best course of action for you, make sure your content is original and high-quality. Don’t be too salesy; start writing on topics that make you a subject-matter expert (see the next point).
Become a Subject-Matter Expert
Building a strong reputation in your industry will help your business be perceived as the “go-to” all the locals will keep in mind. Through blog posts, whitepapers, videos, webinars and other tools, you can demonstrate your knowledge and expertise through your website. A great place to start is by answering common questions your customers have. No matter how you choose to respond to these questions (Facebook Live, FAQs page that links to supporting blog posts, etc.), your clients will look to you for their questions/needs.
Strive for Consistency
A strong brand has mastered the art of consistency, and it does play a role in how you get attention with the locals. Consistency implies that you are a trusting, credible business that has mastered the customer experience. That being said, no matter if your business is conducted only online or a mix of physical and digital, you need to use the same tone and personality throughout your content, website and social media. When you’re consistent across the board, people will remember your brand and know what to expect when doing business with you.
Participate in Local Events
This is probably one of the best ways to start building strong relationships with people in your community. Get involved with a major local event, host a customer appreciation party, or become a sponsor for a local 5K. There are a lot of different opportunities, and they will all allow you to meet new/existing customers where they spend their time. If they feel like they know your business and can put a face to a name, they’ll be more likely to become customers.
Be Willing to Change
Digital marketing was not as important 20 years ago as it was today, and that business that don’t embrace the shifts will see the negative impacts. That’s why it’s important to keep your website, social media and other tools current, and seek help/training for your employees, so they know how to stay on top of technology. Plus, when you embrace what’s current and new, it will show you put pride in your business and want to connect with your client base.
With these tips in mind, you will be a stand-out business in your city and region! If you have any other tips to share, please post them in the comments.
If you want to talk about marketing your small business locally, contact GreenMellen today!
