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How to Promote Your Small Business Locally: 10 Practical Ideas

info • Jun 12, 2020

How to Promote Your Small Business Locally: 10 Practical Ideas

According to this survey , 26% of young adults in the US have significantly increased their purchases of local products and services as a response to the coronavirus pandemic. With the sudden increase, now is the time to market your business to the local community.

Lockdown orders might keep us isolated, but they also show the importance of supporting each other. Learn how to promote your small business locally with these tips!

Building a strong local presence breaks down into two stages: earning recognition and maintaining reputation. Those who find a way to reach their customers effectively and gain their trust are likely to become local celebs.

With this list of ideas, you can create a plan that helps you get in front of the audience and keeps you flush with traffic to your store.

1. Make Your Service and Delivery Perfect

Before you decide how to market a local business, make sure you “deliver” on customer service. Word-of-mouth is a powerful referral source for your small business — and you can drive it with stellar service and delivery to your existing customers.

If you want to increase the chance of repeat customers, ensure a quick and smooth delivery. They are likely to recommend your business to their friends and family after a positive experience. Another way to impress customers — offer free delivery for orders over a certain subtotal, for example, for orders over $100.

Another way to deliver top service is to show you care about your customers’ safety. Explain on your website how you are minimizing contact during the pandemic (moving from cash to online payments, using gloves when delivering products, etc.)

Learn more: How to Set Up Curbside Pickup and Local Delivery for Your Business

Wowing shoppers with perfect service and delivery is a way to show that you’re honored to have them as a customer and that you value each and every one of them. Consider going above and beyond for your audience.

2. Develop Recognizable Branding

With a recognizable logo and consistent branding, your local business can gain a foothold within the local marketplace and shoppers’ minds. Think of brands you know well. They’re simple, timeless, and easy to recognize — that’s what you’re striving for.

Be sure that you’re reinforcing your company brand in all the right places, such as:

- Your store’s sign
- Your website
- Social media
- Packaging
- Invoices
- Email
- Handouts/marketing materials
- Ads
- Store assets, like windows, rugs, etc.

Also: Business Names Ideas: How to Choose the Best Store Name

3. Create a Mobile-Responsive Website

The number of mobile users has already surpassed desktop — and this trend is only growing. With this in mind, it’s more important than ever to have a mobile-responsive website as part of your promotion (and sales) strategy when reaching a local audience.

VIV offers an Instant Site that’s a simple, one-page home for your online store that’s completely mobile-friendly. There’s a built-in shopping cart for all of these sites.

4. Get a Google Business Listing

If you wonder how to promote a business without money, focus on generating organic traffic from search engines. Many people search out local businesses through Google, so having a complete business listing here makes it easier for customers to find you.

When people search for businesses like yours, you’ll come up both as a search result and within Google Maps. Showcase your business hours, phone number, ratings, and get smartphone users quickly routed to your store with directions.

It’s a good idea to update information in your listing that’s changed as a result of COVID-19, as people turn to Google to verify open businesses.

5. Be Part of Local Online Directories

Chances are your city has local business directories. Those are websites you can get your small business listed to get in front of more shoppers.

First, make a list of available directories. Then ask around to see which of these your current customers look at to find which would be the most relevant for you. You may find that some are more worthwhile than others.

You’ll likely want to consider directories like:

- Local Chamber of Commerce
- Merchant Circle
- YellowPages
- Aside from these more common local online directories, you may also see if there is a local newspaper or magazine that does special industry directories during the year, too.

6. Get Listed on Yelp

Getting your local business listed on Yelp means potential customers can find you more easily through this site’s directory.

You can add your address, contact details, and a short description of your business to attract new shoppers. Customers will have the opportunity to post photos and leave reviews of their own. If you want your small business to appear at the top of the listings on Yelp, you can also consider buying ad space.

7. Work with Micro-Influencers on Instagram

If you’re looking for ways to promote your business on social media — partner with micro-influencers. They have a semi-large following, we’re not talking Kim Kardashian level here. They are cheaper, but their audiences are usually very active.

To get started, look for local influencers who have a following of 5,000-50,000 followers (some of them might already be your own followers!) and see if they’re open to working together for a social media collaboration.

8. Leverage Foursquare City Guide

Some customers like using discovery apps as Foursquare City Guide to find new stores to visit, so having a presence here allows you to tap into this demographic of shoppers.

Foursquare City Guide identifies a user’s location and recommends nearby businesses. Recommendations are sourced from other users who have visited and left a good rating or review.

You can also use a business listing on Foursquare City Guide to share special deals, keep customers up to date, and add links to your website or social media.

9. Use an Email List

Email helps you continue the conversation with local customers you’ve met in-store. Start gathering subscribers at your local business (at the checkout counter is a good idea).

In your VIV store, you can collect emails at the checkout if you use Next-gen Storefront. To switch to it, go to Settings → What’s New. If you don’t see “Next-gen Storefront” there, that’s great — it means it’s already enabled in your store.

As you build your email list, keep in touch with customers and share engaging emails about upcoming events, sales, new item releases, and more.

10. Offer In-Store Pickup

For nearby shoppers who don’t want to pay for unnecessary shipping costs, you should consider adding an in-store pickup option that also drives foot traffic to your local business.

While we’re waiting for the pandemic to end, offer carry-out to let your customers order online and safely pick up from their vehicle. A curbside pickup option allows businesses to minimize person-to-person contact.

By Austin Hoffman 09 May, 2024
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