Local marketing offers a surprisingly easy way to attract customers.

Don’t believe it?

Let’s skip the fancy intros and get right into it — here are three tactics to drive local traffic to your business.

GET LISTED IN LOCAL DIRECTORIES (AND ACTUALLY USE THEM)

Your customers aren’t driving halfway across the state for products and services. They’re looking around their area and are maybe willing to do a small trip if it’s worth it. So, worry not about trying to be everywhere and instead focus on your town/city.

Local directories, profiles, and platforms you should be on include:

• Google Business Profile
• Facebook
• Yelp

Your local profile is a new touchpoint for locals to discover your business. Most platforms let you build backlinks, advertise, and promote products/services, too. A couple of these listings will have your business popping up when locals search for what you got.

Here’s the other part of all this:

Local directories offer a platform to engage locals. It would be a disservice to your brand to neglect these interactions. From responding to reviews to sharing photos of your business, you should treat directories as an extension of your main site.

You need to keep these directories and local profiles updated as well. No one wants outdated information when they’ve found your local listing. Make it a point that you’re checking local directory listings at least once a week to maximize their value.

(Psst… Don’t have time for weekly check-ins? We can handle it with our listing management service!)

REDISCOVER THE POWER OF PRINT MARKETING

Print media is far from being dead. In fact, print is coming back in a BIG way because we sort of miss it.

Unlike digital, print media is something we can touch and this tangible interaction goes a long way with creating engagement. Many of us are excited to receive mail and some 40% of consumers made a purchase within 3 months of receiving direct mail.

There is a simple three-step process of marketing with print:

1. Source a print materials designer and print shop
2. Develop print materials that include your contact details
3. Distribute your printed items across the town

As for the specifics:

• Make sure to carry business cards to share with others
• Use brochures to highlight products and services during meetings and events
• Send direct mailers to a local leads list or as follow-ups to existing customers
• Post flyers and advertisements on local boards

Try combining print media and digital platforms, too, such as using designs and copy from each format in the other. Or, funneling people through print media to engaging digital landing pages and forms. Scale your efforts and get these print items all over town!

PARTNER WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CROSS-PROMOTE

There are plenty of local businesses that share similar customers. Do your research (and vetting) and you could find a couple willing to cross-promote products and services. This is a super simple way to drive more traffic without spending a lot of money attracting them. This also includes a referral from someone they trust (which almost always converts more).

Try some of these tactics:

• Create complimentary digital marketing campaigns that meld both brand’s products together
• Be active on social media, openly chat with each other, and work together helping users
• Swap print media items and display them in-store or on-hand when interacting with people

Sit down or have a call with a business leader or two in your area. Pitch the idea and kick around some tactics. You’ll be surprised at the idea’s reception especially if they see its value and not as a form of competition.

GET CREATIVE AND AMPLIFY YOUR LOCAL MARKETING

In an age of digital marketing where everyone’s everywhere and stretched thin, local marketing is proving itself super effective.

Local efforts build lasting impressions on your local community. Try one (or all) of the tactics in this post to drive more traffic to your business. Then, once you’ve got them going well, be sure to check out other ways to amplify your efforts!

If you are looking to learn more about local SEO or web consulting for your business, schedule a consultation and let’s talk.