Basic Marketing Tips for Local Businesses

Local businesses have the best chances of success if they engage with their customers and communities both online and offline. A web presence is now essential for all types of businesses, but a new business owner will also build long-term customer loyalty with traditional ways of networking and marketing. After using available local resources for starting a business, an entrepreneur can leverage community involvement, local directory listings and social media campaigns as effective marketing strategies.
Research Local Business Resources
Many new entrepreneurs are unaware of how many resources are available to help them plan, organize and implement a new business venture. The US Small Business Administration is one of the most recognizable organizations that can assist local businesses, and the SBA has chapters in a large number of communities. Representatives can offer consultations about writing a good business plan, preparing financial budgets for a new venture, understanding legal requirements and recruiting the best employees.
The SBA and similar organizations also offer financial assistance for new business start-ups. Entrepreneurs who meet certain application criteria can secure grants or low-interest loans to help them offset expenses, such as office rental deposits, computers and beginning product inventory. First-time business owners often feel overwhelmed at the large volume of information to organize for a new start-up, so SBA counselors are available to help them with each step of the process. These types of entrepreneurial training sessions often carry little or no cost as well.
Invest in the Local Community
Once a new business is up and running, the next important step is to become an invested part of the community. Some business owners feel this investment needs to be financial in the form of donations, and they are unable to do so before they begin turning bigger profits. Other methods of investing in the local community do not need to be financial at all. They can include mentoring local students who are interested in a business’s niche, offering unpaid internships or speaking at local high schools and colleges about what is involved in being a business owner.
Use Local Listing Directories
Promoting, advertising and marketing a local business are key areas of focus, and they are critical to bringing in steady customer numbers. Establishing an online presence is now an essential component of these efforts, and the first recommended step is to sign up for several local business directories. Some of the most recognizable ones are Yelp, Manta, Yahoo Local, Google Places and Yellow Pages. Business owners can submit their company names, street addresses, phone numbers and website links to a local directory for potential customers to find when searching for specific products or services.
Submitting a business’s basic information to these directories is one of the simplest first steps to building the necessary web presence. Many first-time business owners are unsure if they need to have a complete company website before submitting to local directories. While a complete website is ideal, a new business owner can decide to have just the basic website created before submitting to local directories. The sooner a company’s contact information is online, the better the potential for attracting higher customer numbers. A new business’s website can always be expanded and updated after local directory submission.
Learn about Social Media Campaigns
After signing up with local directories and launching a company website, a local business has higher chances of profitability if the owner interacts with customers through social media. This marketing strategy helps a business owner learn details about his or her customer base, such as preferences and needs that the company can meet with products or services. Essential parts of a successful social media presence include a Facebook business page, a Twitter account and a LinkedIn profile. Some savvy entrepreneurs also spend time talking to their core customers about which other social sites they use on a regular basis. This tactic will help with strategies for expanding a local business’s social media influence.
Local directories and social media profiles are two means of attracting online attention from potential customers. The number of social sites and associated information may seem large to business owners who are new to social networking, so many start-up consultants recommend beginning with smaller and simpler strategies in this case. Combining online marketing with community participation will make a difference in a local business’s long-term profitability.