Finding and keeping customers is one of the challenges for SMEs and often they make it more complicated than it needs to be. Have you tried to look for your audience in your local vicinity? Did you know that nearly 90% of mobile searches for local stores or businesses end with a call or a visit to the store within 24 hours? Therefore it seems logical to ensure you are easy to find for this market. Let’s look at seven ways to build your neighbourhood marketing.
1. Improve your local SEO
Ensure the title tags and metadata for your images are up to date. You can share details which are relevant to your brand and location on your title tags for photographs. For your metadata, it may not help with your SEO but it is data which customers see and can encourage them to click through or not.
2. Build a mobile-friendly website
Many people use their mobile devices to search for places near to them for what they need. If they struggle to navigate your website on their mobile devices then they will move on to your competitor. You should also ensure you have a landing page for each of your stores with a Google Map so that your customers can get information quickly.
3. Network locally
Look for local events which will be of interest to your target audience or join a small business networking group. This will help you to build relationships with local businesses whom you may be able to collaborate with or get leads for potential clients.
4. Sponsor a local community event
Find a school or sports event to sponsor that is in line with your brand. This will help you to build rapport in your community and show that you are interested in building the community. You will also get in-person visibility, logo and brand exposure, media mentions and potential access to the customer’s mailing list.
5. Secure your Google My Business listing
By having a completed Google My Business listing, your business will be easy to find when your customer enters a search with “near me” in it. You will also be listed when someone searches for a business similar to yours.
6. Secure a booth at local trade shows
Trade shows are the ideal platform to meet new potential leads and build rapport with the other players in your trade. You could see who you would like to collaborate with or what your competition is doing which you could adopt or adapt. Going to trade shows also gives you an opportunity to remain up to date about the advances being made in your industry.
7. Encourage positive reviews
Reviews are often the deciding factor if someone will choose you. Not only what the review says but how you replied to disgruntled customers. It is important to react to your reviews and to offer the disgruntled customer a platform away from the public eye to settle their dispute with you. Everyone will look at the reviews and your replies to decide whether they want to do business with you or not.
By developing a stronghold in your neighbourhood, you will be able to grow from there. You will have a foundation which will make it easier to grow to a national and international level.
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