103 Ways To Advertise Your Business Locally And Generate Leads
Wondering where to start with local advertising?
If so, this is the blog for you.
As a local business getting your advertising right is crucial and there are so many options.
We have put together a huge list of ways you can advertise in the local community and beyond
So, if you are ready, dive in.
Wait....would you like to access my 14 Day Traffic Generation Course worth over $1000 for FREE. If So Click below.
Contents
Quick Marketing Wins
Before we go onto more advanced marketing and advertising methods for local businesses, we need to look at any quick wins.
This section is about trying to get your business in front of as many people as quickly as you can.
Let's dive in.
Get The Brand Identity Right
Your brand identity is how you present yourself to your customers from colours and shapes to the logo and the name of your company. This gives your company a look and feel, a strong identity will build recognition and loyalty.
So if you create a consistent brand you are more likely to be remembered by people who have seen your branding.
Branding is far more important than you think.
Take Hover boards for example. You remember those devices that were all the rage until they kept catching fire.
Well, no single large brand existed in Hover Boards, and as such they couldn't be trusted. Had Samsung or Apple been involved in Hover boards they might still be huge today......but they didn't.
Branding sends a signal to others that you have invested a lot onto your business, so you won't want to risk your reputation and this speaks to customers on a subconscious level.
So, yes, investing in those signs and your logo really does matter.
Get A Decent Website Built
Having a website is essential.
84% of consumers believe that having a website makes you more credible than just having a social media page.
Getting a website built means that your website will look professional and be responsive (change) in accordance to what device the visitor is using.
It is estimated that 40 percent of British businesses still have no online presence and almost 1 in 3 (30 %) that do have a website are still not completely digital.
These are shocking figures, so by having a website you will certainly start to stand out from the crowd, but remember it is about a 'decent website'.
There is a reason why designers exist, so use them. It is fairly obvious when someone has built and designed their own website.
Only do this if you have zero budget.
Posters
Putting posters up in your local area including supermarket community boards can be really effective. A striking poster can even evoke a feeling and capture the attention of people walking past.
If put up close to your premises and in a busy area it can offer continuous exposure for the business and create an immediate impact on customers with a potentially minimal cost.
Posters are a simple and cost effective way to get attention.
Local Magazines
Local magazines allow you to market to people within your area and unlike digital ads, they do have staying power. For example, your local doctor’s office could keep magazines for a month with countless patients reading them per day.
This can also generate brand recognition and credibility for your company as local magazines are highly valued within the community, a great way to advertise locally.
To find a decent magazine to advertise in, go to your local dentists and physios to see what they have in their waiting area. If you are struggling to find any then go online and search.
You need to be asking questions such as what readership they have, what their incomes are, where they live etc.
Also, when you advertise make sure you put a special offer just for the readers of that magazine. That way you can track results from your advert.
Leafleting
This is the perfect way to announce new services locally, especially if you are door dropping.
Although this has a lower response rate than direct mail, it is significantly cheaper making it more cost-effective.
If you don’t have the time Royal Mail offers a service where they will drop leaflets off to specific postcodes and there are numerous businesses out there that will send leaflets on your behalf.
Advertise Next To Where You Work
Do you carry out work at other locations?
If so, leaflet where you are, place a sandwich board outside the place you are working at.
Get a standing flag and put it outside......basically grab passing eyeballs.
Do you have a business premises?
Use sandwich boards and signs outside the premises or in the area as well.
Advertise In Your Local Newspaper
You can pay for an advertisement or see if they want to write about your business.
Having them write a review of your company may generate far greater credibility.
One option is to create a cause this way it provides them something to write about and allows potential customers to come to visit.
So perhaps you want to 'help 1000 people to get a mortgage for their first house by 2022'.
This type of PR gets attention because it tells stories.
If you can't do it yourself, look for a PR firm with local news connections.
Shop Frontage
Image Courtesy of David Holland MBA
Your storefront is a key part of your advertising.
At this point, you have potential customers right outside, so this is the decision point.
Create a frontage that not only describes what you do but entices the potential customer to know more.
You need to get the attention of the eyes, before you get the body inside the business. This is what people fail to understand, attention is a must.
So if your shop front or business frontage looks dull, doesn't explain what you are doing or doesn't capture attention you are not using one of your most effective weapons.
Sponsor A Roundabout
This small space can have a high impact if the design is done correctly.
The price depends on traffic flow but it is your own exclusive space and endorsed by the local council giving an added mark of quality.
Your business will be seen by a lot of people and this also sends a signals that you can afford to sponsor roundabouts, this tells people you are making money and if you make money you have clients/ customers that are happy.
This logic chain works in our minds at a speed we really don't understand.
Illuminated Sign
These dazzling signs mean that when they are on there is 24/7 visibility which is clear to see.
In addition, customers believe that the quality of your business reflects on the type of signage you use for your business.
You could even use illuminated boxes to display some of your products in so they can be seen at any time of the day.
Pay Others To Have Their Vehicle Wrapped With Your Business
This means that you have moving advertisement all-around your local area.
Billboards
Billboard advertisements can be high impact, a billboard on a busy highway can have a large reach if it has a creative design.
According to research, 58% of people who see a billboard search the web as a direct result of the advertisement and 35% buy a product as a result of an ad.
With its low cost and percentage of purchases, this could be a way for a local business to make an impact in the area.
Branded Items That Make You Appear Everywhere
Branded items are a really clever way to showcase your presence in a variety of locations.
Your business identity can sit on someones desk. Be in their home and even in the car.
Your business can be on the pen they write with and the mug they drink from.
And in this section we are going to look at the ways you can put your branding to work.
Put Your Business Logo On Water Bottles
Everyone drinks water and as such water bottles are a great way to have your business branding seen by everyone. Due to the environment I would suggest that you use a metal water bottle and use strong colours to stand out....we want people to stop and say " I love your water bottle".
You can give each employee their own bottle (add their name onto it as well for an added touch) this means your entire staff will advertise your business for you (give them 2, one for work and one for home).
You can also give them to visitors to the office, people who come for meetings, guests at your hotel, people who come to your gym....you get the idea.
Water bottles are a superb and cost-effective way to get the word out.
Branded Balloons
Everyone loves balloons!
One option is to have your balloons inflated at an event or seminar which would make your stand seem more inviting and lead to increased traffic, leading to sales.
You could also get crafty with your balloons and create a backdrop to take selfies in front of which may be later posted on social media.
Another option is to give them out inflated or flat, children are sure to want to inflate them anyway.
People are always taking pictures at events and it will further advertise to visitors in their home.
Balloons are a cheap, effective and fun way to advertise!
Christmas Cards
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year and is the perfect opportunity to get marketing. Sending your customers (past and present) not only shows that you value them but that you exist without being pushy.
This also creates a psychological debt so if customers know it or not they are more likely to respond to future marketing or give you more weight when considering their options.
Printed Mugs
People often enjoy tea or coffee first thing in the morning.
Do the same as the water bottles, give a mug to your employee to take home and leave plenty in the office.
Feel free to gift them to clients so they are constantly reminded of your brand and not to mention using them around other people.
Calendars
These have a continuous presence in someone’s home, allowing your brand to be in the front of their mind for a full 12 months.
You could even have images of your products incorporated in each month showing their use.
Calendars are clearly a cheap way to have a long-lasting impact on a customer’s mind.
Bumper Stickers
A travelling advertisement!
You are leveraging your current customers to generate new ones.
These stickers allow you to advertise around town and beyond with just the initial cost. A person stuck in traffic means a person is staring at your advert.
A well-designed bumper sticker, even with just your branding and maybe your URL on can pique people’s interest.
Although it is a small space you can get the feel of your company across.
Brand Your Vehicles
Branding your vehicles can create a professional image and familiarity.
This striking form of advertising can catch the attention of people in the areas you provide your product and service.
Wherever your vehicles go there are opportunities to reach out to potential customers.
This is a long term investment that can advertise your business in a variety of locations.
T Shirts
T-shirts can be a walking advertisement for your company.
As a blank canvas, you can add your logo, contact details, website information.
If you are creative with your design it can be a true conversation starter, with people going “I love the shirt”.
If you decide to offer these to clients it can also contribute positively to your brand and further your brand awareness.
Shopping Bags
Being environmentally friendly is a big thing.
So, why not hand out some branded lifetime use shopping bags?
Customers are likely to use these in everyday life, particularly if the location you are in charge for plastic ones. The more you use it the more advertising you get.
It also shows that you care about the environment, which has been shown to sway customers towards a company!
These cheap one-off purchase can have endless opportunities.
Branded Items That People Need
A builder’s merchants? A branded tape measure.
A tea shop? Branded mugs
Accountancy Services? Branded calculators
There is an infinite list of branded items you can purchase.
By gifting an individual something that compliments their product, this will create a positive word of mouth and also remind them of your company.
Lead Generating Partnerships
If you really want to crank up your marketing efforts then working with others is the fast track.
People that already have your ideal customers and even working with your ideal customers.
The list could be endless but we have more than enough ideas in this section to help you out.
Partnerships
Creating a partnership with other businesses could greatly increase the number of referrals you get from third parties. For example, you could work with a group of companies that compliment your services who advertise each other.
For example, if you are a gym you could partner with sports injury physiotherapists, companies that provide gym clothing and supplement providers.
This way you can advertise each other by word of mouth, leaflets on the premises and at events.
This an effective way to grow your customer base, but the partnerships do need to make sense.
Chambers Of Commerce
Me at my local Chambers of Commerce
Help The Community
Working with a charity means that you can be closer to your community.
You could make an annual contribution to a charity or having an offer where a percentage goes to a good cause. It doesn’t have to be financial, it could be helping in an elderly home or providing food to the homeless.
This clearly has an impact on businesses, as 67% of businesses who give to charity reported a positive impact on profitability.
Not only can this make you feel good, but improve employee morale and increase profits!
Affiliate Marketing
A marketing structure where individuals advertise your products and services.
This structure means that the advertisers will gain a commission based on the sales they make.
Therefore you are only paying for confirmed sales rather than leads that have no value.
To start with affiliate marketing understand that all you need to do is to think about what products or services your customers also use and buy.
So, let's say you are a beauty salon. Your customers also have their hair cut at a top salon.
Approach the salon and suggest a scheme where you leave vouchers and if someone comes to you with a voucher, the hair salon get paid 25% of the price of whatever services that customer buys.
Simple.
Street Marketing
Street marketing (or approaching people in the street) allows you to become a familiar face in the community.
If you focus on a specific target market in a certain area you are able to build rapport with the locals.
Use surveys, giveaways etc to make that approach and by doing this on a regular basis you can get the word out quickly about what you do.
Town Centre Leafleting
Seminars
Attending seminars allows you to network with other people and further develop your expert knowledge.
Alternatively, if you attend seminars of which you know a lot about you can demonstrate your expertise when talking to other members.
There is nothing to stop you from setting up your own seminar to demonstrate how you can help your customers.
School Newsletter
Hire A Phone Answering Service
Businesses can often get busy, and missed phone calls can happen.
This means that you are missing a potential sales lead as you are dealing with other customers.
Hiring a telephone answering service can not only take calls when you are closed but it is a lot cheaper than a receptionist!
Sponsorships
Sponsoring a local club or individual can allow you to subtly advertise your products to the audience involved.
For example, if you provide sports equipment clothing to the local hockey team this could be a great advertisement when they are at competitions or walking around in their uniforms before and after practices.
Radio Ads
ontacting your local radio station means you can advertise directly to your local area. There is no worry about a bad camera angle as the visuals are created within the listener’s mind.
It is also a lot cheaper than TV ads and can expand your reach in a cost-effective way as listeners tune in for longer periods of time, unlike print advertising.
You can use a catchy jingle, a hilarious voice or make it touching to make your advertisement memorable.
Attend Networking Events
Get Talking
Talking to people about your business can be tricky, but talking to people can show the problems they are having and also help you build a rapport with the person.
Initially focus on their problem how you can help and why you, most importantly, let them do the talking.
I have met people on trains, on holiday and even at a kids birthday party who ask what you do and then suggest someone you might be able to help.
So, while it might be unfashionable to talk shop, it generally isn't' an issue with strangers.
Enter Business Awards
Business awards have several benefits to any business including local promotion.
The type of award can demonstrate your expertise to people looking at your company, increasing your credibility and trustworthiness.
This has been shown to increase sales and customers as a direct result of entering those awards.
Image courtesy of More Than Just Design
Create Case Studies
Case studies allow you to tell a story of how your business solved a problem for a customer.
These examples of work show how you can help your target audience and demonstrates your ability to deliver.
This can increase your trustworthiness and potential customers’ confidence in your product and service.
We have been created case studies for years for businesses because they make a huge difference to sales.
So get in touch to see how our case study service can help you.
Sandwich Boards
Postcards
Postcards are a tangible product that is less likely to get lost within a long list of e-mails.
These are quick to produce and can be sent to a list of perspective, new and preferred clients.
You can also add an offer onto your postcard, competitors are less likely to know about your offers if you -provide on them compared to radio or billboards so won’t try to undercut you.
Write A Book
Writing a book can build your credibility, nothing says more impressive than saying ‘teacher and author’ positioning yourself as an authority in your field.
This book allows you to introduce yourself and business (let’s face it people will do their research before buying from you).
Amazon and other companies offer a print on demand service which makes it easy for you to keep books in stock without printing huge numbers.
Digital Marketing That Works
Digital marketing presents some of the most cost effective methods to promote your business.
You can easily define and reach your target customer and often at low cost, and in this section we break down some of the best ways to do that.
Digital Advertising Methods
Use Google My Business
Traditional methods are a great way to advertise locally.
But did you know that last year 97% of consumers searched the internet for a local business last year?
A Google listing makes it easy for potential customers to contact you and get a feel for your business.
By adding photos, a description and contact information customers are able to see how you work.
In addition, customers can leave a review of the business and put up photos.
Best of all it is free!
To get started on Google search for Google My Business
Once you sign up you will have a wide range of free tools to use.
Use The Google Maps Platform
Sure, you need to claim your map listing in Google My Business....but the Google Map Platform is so much more.
It can be integrated into your business if you provide services at the customers location.
Check it out to see the wider uses.
Verify Yourself on Yelp And Other Review Sites
Your local business will probably have profiles set up on other platforms, whether you signed up or not. Keeping these profiles up to date is important as it enables you to interact with the reviews put on the site and ensure all contact information is correct!
For example, Yelp automatically creates a page if a customer rates and reviews your business.
There are so many review sites to choose from, decide which are best for you from this list
To claim your Yelp profile click here
Invite People To Review Your Business
Asking people to review your business online is priceless. Whether the review is on Google, Yelp, Facebook or another site these positive reviews can really help your brand.
Positive reviews are a great way to build trust with potential new consumers, in fact, 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses.
If you want to encourage positive reviews offer discounts of 10% for a review there and then.
Add a sign into your menu if you are a restaurant or put a sign on the table.
Another method that I use is to send people my Google my Business link.
I use a service called Whitespark (which is free) to do this.
Use Social Media Icons On your Site
Setting up your social media is important, 33% of consumers identified social media as how they identify new brands products and services.
Make sure it includes a good description with keywords and a link to your website. This means that people can find you through Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms when they search.
But here is the trick.
Add your social media icons to your website so they can deep dive into your business.
This means they can read reviews, see your photos and learn more about the personality. If you a bar or restaurant this is amazing, but it also helps to establish your brand even further.
So, perhaps they don't want to buy yet but are in the research phase, this helps them to find more about you and follow you to learn more and look out for special offers.
Engage In Online Communites
Social media and discussion sites are also a key place where you can advertise, as you know the audience within those groups.
For example, a wedding dress company in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area can join “We said yes! Weddings Stoke on Trent” a group where businesses are allowed to advertise to brides within a specific geographical area.
This is a fantastic way to advertise to a specific demographic without paying for advertising costs.
Create An E Book
Well if you have created a book why not expand its reach even further and create it into an E book as well?
An E-book is a one-off investment that can really improve your credibility.
Not only that is can help you spread your message and improve growth.
Click the button below to grab your copy of my 8 ways to double your sales in the next 60 days free e-book today
Use Facebook Marketplace
Selling products in the local area?
Creating a listing of products on the Facebook marketplace might be ideal. This e-commerce platform allows you to create FREE listings!
From retail and e-commerce to renting and selling properties, the marketplace opportunities are endless.
Customers use the search tool to find what they are looking for so make sure to write a good description.
Not only that, but customers can also set a location radius stating how far they are willing to travel, so you will only have people contacting you who are genuinely interested.
Use An Email Autoresponder
These systems send e-mails to customers depending on an action they take, for example, a welcome email when someone signs up to Newsletter, buy a product or sign up for a service.
This form of marketing means that you can send an email to a customer of the past or potentially the future in seconds and for virtually zero cash or little money at all.
I use a free -book and course to get people on my list and use Aweber to deliver emails but there are so many more options out there.
Solo Advertisements
Solo ads are e-mail based advertisement that you buy from other list owners.
These are typically sent as a dedicated email so it is all about your product or service. You often purchase these based on the number of people that receive the e-mail or the number of people that open the ad.
However, it is of note that there is some risk as they may go to spam and you are dealing with the list owner directly so if the promises are too good to be true they probably are. Click here to learn more
Ask For Help
If you genuinely need help, then LinkedIn is full of people that are there for you or are prepared to suggest a solution.
Not only will you get the answer you are looking for you will also add to your connections.
What advice do you need?
Career advice, recurtimnet, technical...anything.
Try it, and you will be shocked at how many replies you end up getting.
LinkedIn even has a find an expert button now that is located when you create a post.
Consider Other Online Marketplaces
Depending on your product or service it may be worth joining online marketplaces.
For example, if you make handmade cards it may be worth you joining Etsy.
With over 1.92 billion people expected to buy something online in 2019, you can always make your local business have international reach! Click here to find a list of other online marketplaces.
Sponsor A Local Website
A longer-term strategy a local sponsorship can take 1-3 months from launch to fulfilment.
Sponsoring a coal website means you can have your company information on a website with its own independent traffic.
This increases your reach, depending on the website’s purpose you could choose one that compliments your services in order to reach the correct target audience.
Sponsor An Industry Blog
The price of sponsorship often depends on the number of page views and comments a blog gets.
It is worth looking to see if people renew sponsorships with the blog.
If you sponsor an industry blog you can have your expertise demonstrated in front of viewers that are interested in that form of product or service, a great way to target.
Add Yourself To Business Directories
There are a variety of business directory sites available online.
This raises awareness for your brand and will gain trust with customers as a directory is considered trustworthy. It does not cost anything to post on many of these directories and may help with SEO.
Start Blogging
Blogging can have such an impact on your digital marketing presence. It can increase trust as you develop as a thought leader, engage customers in a conversation with you and improve your SEO.
70% of people would rather learn about a company through blog articles rather than by seeing an ad, in short, this is a great way to generate traffic to your website and develop an interest in your brand.
Pay For A Celebrity Endorsement
Although this can seem to be expensive, paying for a celebrity endorsement can get your message out to the wider audience and helps people remember advertisements.
It doesn’t have to be an A list celebrity to be effective, look into your local celebrities that can make an impact in your local area!
Set Up Google Alerts
Yet another free tool… thank you, Google!
Setting up Google alerts allows you to see who is mentioning your company, product and personnel mentions in real-time.
This means you get to share positive feedback or respond to negative comments as they happen rather than finding out about them a week later!
Send Customers Gifts
Customers love to be appreciated and they also love to talk about being appreciated.
If you send them gifts they will often post online and then this gets shared and people comment.
Give it a try.
Use Google Adwords
A paid advertising program is a very effective way to get your website listed on search engines for specific search terms. You can set a maximum monthly budget to limit the cost as the cost per click can vary on the term.
You can also target specific people through age, location and a number of other parameters:
This is an effective way to advertise as you can really be specific with your target market.
Use Facebook Ads
Facebook ads are a cheap way to target people within your target audience. From defining your ideal customer’s interests to their geographic location you can make your marketing budget.
Creating striking images and videos can really catch the attention of users. Currently, 80% of all internet users use Facebook, when you can target people from such a wide dataset you cannot only increase your website traffic it is the cheap and fast option.
Use LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn advertisement is key if you want to target the corporate world. With decision-makers being on this site you can advertise directly to the people that matter.
With the option to advertise geographically, by job title and others you really be specific with your target audience. Plus by setting your budget for price per click allows you to get the most out of your money.
Leverage YouTube
YouTube videos will stay on the site forever, and there is a huge amount of traffic on the site. In fact, over 4 billion video views a day.
By creating videos and posting them on YouTube it will help you rank on Google and gives your potential customers more ways to consume information, this is important as 65% of people are visual learners.
Discount In Return For Exposure
For your current customers, you can offer a discount or money off for mentions online.
This means that all the people connected with that customer will see the post and therefore your branding. In addition, it also gives you some great content to share.
You could offer £5 off a £15 purchase if they mention you online with an image of them at your premises. This would not only encourage a repeat purchase but increase brand awareness!
Create Digital Products
There are so many benefits to selling digital products including lower overheads and a larger market.
Why don’t you make your physical product into a digital one too!
This means you have two revenue streams from that particular product you offer.
An example of this is if you offer cooking classes. Why not record yourself instructing and sell them as an online course!
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
Think about what you want to rank for on Google, but don’t just go for industry-specific terms, but geographic ones as well.
By optimising your website you can tell search engines what locations you are targeting and what industry, increasing the likelihood you rank for those keywords.
If you need help with this then please get in touch. Or click below to co on my FREE SEO COURSE
Re-purpose Old Content
You spend hours creating the perfect blog post? Don’t stick it on the web and let it get lost forever.
Take the information and change it into different formats; info graphics, social media posts, case studies, memes and webinars, the possibilities are endless.
Then that one blog post you spend hours on has created weeks of content.
Gary Vaynerchuk lists some amazing ways to do this within this article.
Update Old Content
Industries change all the time, it is the nature of development right?
Well if you have written a blog ages ago on the latest statistics why not update it or create a comparison piece comparing between then and now.
This allows you to reshare your content and also appear up to date with the latest industry trends.
After all, 78% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles over ads so make use of it!
Create A Strong Call To Action On Your Website
A call to action is a prompt on a website that tells the user to take a specific action.
These are typically written as a command or action.
These are important as it enables the user to move down the sales funnel (ps, I use a free 30 minute digital strategy session as mine).
Your call to action can't be weak and it must be some kind of offer, otherwise your visitor will just be left not sure what the next step is.
Don't Spam
OK, we needed to add this in here as a warning.
Spamming your customers is never good, and approximately 84% of email messages are seen as spam there is clearly a fine line.
Spamming your customers can lead to people not even bothering to opening your emails.
If you ensure that your email is hyper-relevant, helpful and is honest they can be a perfect cheap way to advertise to people on your e-mail list.
Cross Promote On Social Media
Are you featured in a newspaper, have just released a great blog, or even had a great review on Facebook.
Well, don’t forget to promote these across your website or other social media so it is shown across the different users of different media outlets.
One great way is to take screen shots of your Tweets and add them to Instagram and Facebook.
Free Content
Offering free content means that your audience knows what to expect from your company, and often positioning you as an expert in their minds.
This free content is also another opportunity to create opportunities to direct web traffic, convert leads, start conversations and so much more.
This content that is a few hours’ of work can open doors and be cross-posted and potentially re purposed as well.
Events And Products That Generate Business
Events and products can actually generate business and leads for your company.
You might think that running your own events is expensive.
Well this section will show you exactly how you can easily set up an event that generates leads.
Have A Stand At A Local Event
Whether it is a craft, wedding or local fair in your surrounding areas see who has attended in the past and if you would meet existing and potential customers.
You need to be prepared but also make sure you do your research to see if it is the right fit.
(The above eye catching design by More Than Just Design was designed to get people thinking about marketing differently...the thing that draws people in of course is the lemons and lemonade)
Teach Classes
Teaching your expertise (what you offer as a service) can actually really help a sale!
With this type of training potential clients from your area are coming to you to learn, if you get them to register you can contact them afterward to see if they need any further support.
Plus it gives people the feeling you apply this knowledge on a daily basis and instils confidence which could create a snowball effect with a growing following.
Organise An Activity
Holding community-based activities not only allows you to connect better with the locals but can generate a buzz, lead to increased word of mouth and potentially increase revenue.
For example, a florist could hold a wreath making session with a small entry fee.
This could not only increase the number of people aware of your business but people often will pay to partake in a fun activity (they won’t want to come alone either!). Put some pretty Christmas bouquets and baskets around too that would make great Christmas gifts!
Run A Competition
These are a great way build a base online, if you run a competition based on like comment share it can shy rocket your online presence and significantly increase your awareness.
These competition can also start conversations with your audience and generates a large interest list.
There are a lot of competition tools out there and a popular one is Gleam.
Create A Raffle
An in-store raffle is a great way to get the contact information of customers or people purchasing a raffle ticket.
This information means that you can contact them later on; what you give away is up to you including a voucher or a selection of your products.
Photo Contest
This may require you having an online presence already but you could have a photo contest, asking people to take pictures with your products and share on social media with a tag.
You can choose at random whom a winner will be, ensuring they follow your page you can keep track of them all, increasing your engagement and awareness online with the local community.
Create A Gift Package
Create a gift package to send to your current customers, it could be Christmas, a year since they started working with you or thank you for an order.
This kind of gesture not only makes a customer feel valued but will also get you talked about.
Donate A Prize To A Local Fundraiser
Donating to a fundraiser not only is good for tax deductions but also google PR for the business.
While the prize is being announced the company will be mentioned and in addition it will also generate positive word of mouth.
This will also allow you to connect with the local community especially if it is for a local cause.
Pop Up Market Stall
If you are based out of town you may want to consider setting up a market stall as these are often based in towns. This is a great place to interact with the local community and develop a rapport.
This means that you can develop an invaluable re-population within the community, and generate positive word of mouth.
Meet And Greet
Meeting customers before starting the hard sell is sometimes the better approach, despite the growing presence of digital marketing.
Setting up a meet and greet can build a trusted network and gives the sales process a personal touch.
You don't need to make this overt, you could run a Meet Up group for your target audience. So, I could run a bloggers meet up or a hair dresser could run a ladies meet up and so on.
Demonstrations
Providing product demonstrations gives you a unique opportunity to show interested parties how your product works, Make sure you know your product, go slow and ask if there are any questions. This can allow your audience who have attended to fully understand and potentially recommend your products to people of interest.
If you make handmade soaps, for example, let people touch, smell and try as well as talking about what makes your product so unique to make it truly memorable.
Get people to register so you have their contact information and leave plenty of company literature around that people can take home!
Business For Breakfast Meetings
Attending these regular breakfast meetings where business owners and representatives all gather together can be a great way to advertise locally.
Talking about your business you may find members that are interested in your services, but the members can also become an extension of your marketing team by discussing you with their clients and people they know potentially creating referrals.
Video Cards
Start giving away video cards with examples of your products and services on, this gives the potential customer something tangible to look at when they get home.
It also gives them something to pass around their friends.
So, whats a video card? Well it's a lot like a business card but it has a video inside and a screen that plays.....they are very powerful.
Beginner Course/ Training
Set Up At A Festival
Check the audience and the reputation of the local festivals and see if it fits with your brand story.
If it matches this could be the perfect time to have a large number of potential customers be exposed to your business!
Sponsor An Event
This may be a little expensive depending on the size of your company or the type of event.
However, you could sponsor an event in your industry or complementary to your products.
For example, if you are a martial arts teacher you could sponsor a child safety or self-defense event.
This would increase your brand visibility and build a positive image online and within the community.
Host A Business Event
A business hosting an event, even with a small budget and guest list can help a business grow and advertise.
These events can build brand recognition and develop word of mouth from the attendees. Furthermore, you can learn about your potential and existing customers.
Not only that but it does give you the option to sell to the people visiting your business.
Pricing Strategies To Increase Income
Using the right pricing strategies can add huge volumes to your bottom line.
And there are a wide variety or pricing strategies that you can use to great success.
In this section we address several that could have huge im0plications for your business.
Dive in.
Free Trial
Offering a free trial or limited access to content may demonstrate to customers how your product works and they feel as if your company can be trusted.
Most people also use free trials to get as much use out of them as possible, so it creates a routine and therefore a necessity out of them.
Create Welcome Offer
This could be a discount on individuals’ first purchase if you only allow these offers to be available for a short time it may make a customer purchase now instead of later!
Free Start-Up Gift
Joining new clubs and hobbies can be daunting, especially if there are things to purchase upfront.
Free equipment when starting a club and signing up for so many weeks could reduce the risk to a point where people are willing to join.
You could also offer a free item of clothing with company branding on which is an incentive to them and a marketing opportunity for you.
Upsell/ Value Ladders
You may find that offering a discount doesn’t work, try another angle.
You could try using a value ladder/ upsell.
This is a process where you offer additional products or services that compliment the original customer purchase.
Think of McDonalds "do you want fries with that?"
Do you sell BBQ's? People need fuel, lighters, tools, utensils, patio chairs...... the list is endless.
What product or service will make your first sale better?
Bundle Pricing
Combine different products to create a bundle and then sell it at a discounted price, this means that you can upsell a customer but also they are trying a variety of products meaning they might repurchase one of them.
Set Up A Loyalty Program
Setting up a loyalty program leads to a long-term customer-brand relationship.
According to research, existing customers spend 67% more than new ones, so ensuring customers stay loyal is of the utmost importance.
One option is to offer a free product after so many purchases.
Loyalty schemes often mean customers are more likely to become brand advocates. This method has high retention and can positively impact customer lifetime value.
Reverse Customer Risk
Offering a money-back guarantee or a warranty on a product can improve a customer’s security.
They are more likely to purchase if they know there are zero risks.
Offer Cash Back Incentives
Offering cashback or a discount for a longer-term purchase such as £50 off if you buy a year’s subscription can be very beneficial.
As you are offering discounted price customers have more an incentive and showing you value your customers.
Although you are selling your product at a lesser price you have increased the customer lifetime value and minimise your customer acquisition cost.
Conclusion
So, there you have it.
Our huge guide on ways to advertise your business locally.
Did you find it useful?
Have we missed any methods out?
Comment below to let us know.