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According to Fundera, about 99% of employers operate local businesses in the U.S. Small-medium businesses in the U.S provide employment opportunities to over 58.9 million
people. About 25% of local companies in the U.S close their doors due to fewer local
customers, leading to decreased sales and declined return on investments (R.O.I.s).
The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has hit hard local businesses in the U.S because many consumers opt for online shopping.
Research shows that over 50% of local businesses closed worldwide due to decreased sales. That's why local businesses need to employ effective strategies to get customers, increase sales, and survive during the pandemic.
A recent report highlights that over 82% of consumers say they would support local businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic by purchasing their products or services.
According to Small Biz Trends, about 5% of consumers purchased products from local
companies in 2020, which is not a good sign for local companies.
Knowing your customers is crucial for your business endeavor. When you understand your customers' needs, you can produce a better product-market fit and attract more local customers, leading to trust, increased sales, and boosted R.O.I.s.
The question now becomes: how do you get more local customers?
In today's article, we will give ten practical ways every business can bring in new local customers.
1. Customer service is #1
Customer service is essential to your local business. Not only does reliable customer service retains your existing customers, but it also attracts potential buyers, allowing for more leads, conversions, and sales.
When you provide excellent customer service, you can recoup your customer acquisition
costs and improve your business following. Remember, customer service is a top-notch
way to retain customers, encouraging them to do word-of-mouth marketing for your local business or company.
Research shows that over 73% of customers stay loyal to businesses because of the
excellent customer service. Besides, when your customers are satisfied and happy, they
will spread positivity about your band to family, friends, and coworkers. That way, you can
attract more local customers.
A recent report on customer experience states that 72% of customers share a positive
brand experience with their family members and friends when they are happier with the
customer service.
Here are a few practical ways to improve your customer service:
Define your local business mission
Develop S.M.A.R.T goals and objectives
Implement strategies to get feedback from your customers
Employ tools to respond quickly to your customers (use social media)
Provide education and valuable content to your customers via blogs/social media
Create a referral program and offer incentives to your local customers
Provide training to your front-line staff
2. Have a Great Offer
Everyone likes free stuff and offers. When you provide free products to consumers, they will know more about your brand, and you can show them your products' quality, leading to boosted loyalty and future customers' acquisition.
For instance, when you start a new restaurant in your local area, you want something
compelling to kick start your business. In that case, you can offer free burgers or wine to
the first 60 people who will visit your restaurant.
After eating the burger or drinking the wine, people will return to your restaurant or bar if
they found it delicious, tastier, and fresh than other restaurants in your locality. As a result,
these people will share this fantastic experience with their family members, friends, and
colleagues' in-person and on social media, allowing you to get more local customers.
Moreover, you can also create discounts and deals to attract customers to your local business. It is an excellent and cost-effective way to drive more customers to your business.
Everyone gets excited when they see a 50% discount on their favorite products or services. As a result, they won't resist purchasing your products.
3. Verify your business on Yelp & Google
Yelp is a popular online business review platform that enables local customers to connect with businesses. When you claim and verify your business on Yelp, it helps you respond to customers' reviews quickly and solve their problems.
Similarly, Yelp has over 130 million visitors every month, meaning when you update your
business information on the platform, more and more people will know about your
business. According to Marketing Charts, about 44% of Yelp users visit a local company,
business, or shop after viewing their page on the platform.
Not only is Yelp an excellent platform for local businesses, but it also streamlines searches
across Google, Yahoo, and other search engines with local business listings and reviews.
Therefore, it is crucial to verify your business on Yelp.
According to Chat Meter's research study, 46% of users use Google for local searches to
find products and services. Bear in mind that people who perform local intent searches are
more likely to purchase products, leading to increased conversion rates for local
businesses.
Because Google is the most popular search engine with over one billion active users, you
must verify and edit your local business listing in Google. Besides, Google offers "Google
My Business," a sophisticated platform for local businesses to update their info and enables
local customers to search for the information they need effectively, conveniently, and
quickly.
4. Give back to those who give you
Giving back to your community is an excellent way to support people who helped your
business. Although nonprofit organizations and volunteer groups make substantial efforts
to invest in local communities, you must also do the same to streamline your business
operations.
That way, you can promote your business and let your potential customers know about
your products or services. Besides, when you give enough to your local community, you
will use the charitable deduction on the income tax.
Therefore, it is wise to attend and support charity events in your local community to
increase your network. Not only does this helps you attract more customers, but you will
also meet other business owners and build relationships.
Here are a few ways to give back to those who give you:
Sponsor a sports team of young individuals
Decorate the town at Holidays, Christmas, Easter, etc.
Make arrangements for a local function or donate a delivery vehicle
Offer your services at a local event without charging money
Donate to a blood bank and food distribution companies
Sell tickets for a charitable event at your local area
Donate a portion of your business sales to a local church
5. Create Valuable Content Writing Blogs
Content marketing is a sophisticated method to know about your customers and provide them with compelling and relevant information about your products or service. The
purpose is to grow your business by streamlining your funnel and increasing your sales.
Blogging is a core component of your overall digital marketing strategy. According to Bill
Gates, content is king! It means well-produced, compelling, and engaging content makes
a positive impression on your potential customers.
Bear in mind that a minor reader today can be the best customer tomorrow. Therefore, it
is crucial to create a significant impact on your potential customers through engaging
content. According to Hubspot, about 40% of businesses in the U.S use blogs for marketing
their products and services. Local B2C companies get 88% more leads per month with
blogging.
Here are a few tips on how to create effective blogs:
Frequency Matters
The frequency of publishing articles on your local business website matters a lot.
Businesses that post 15-20 blog posts per month drive 2x more traffic than companies that
publish 4-5 blogs per month.
The Keyword Post
Choosing the right keywords is essential for your blog. Make sure you select keywords that
perfectly align with your local business, products, or services. What is the most important
keyword that you have not used yet? Take that keyword and write a compelling article
about it. Blogging is an excellent way to drive organic traffic from Google and other search
engines, meaning you should take advantage of it.
Optimize Your Posts
If you want to drive more traffic through Google, you need to optimize your blog posts. For
instance, you will have to use keywords in the titles, Meta description, content, alt-tags,
H2/H3/H4 headings to ensure search engines recognize the content and rank your articles.
Solve Problems
Analyze the most significant problems your existing customers face. Write a detailed, in-
depth, and solution-based blog post to provide your customers with practical information.
Remember, solving your local customers' problems with content retain trust and loyalty.
Earn People's Trust
According to Hubspot, about 71% of customers say that blog posts and social media
significantly affect their buying decisions. Use your blog to showcase your expertise on a
specific subject to build thought leadership. We recommend injecting your knowledge of
the business niche into your articles, leading to a clear difference between your company
and local competitors.
Focus on Call-to-Actions (C.T.A.s)
Place call-to-actions (C.T.A.s) within each blog post, particularly at the beginning, middle,
or end of the post. Make sure you create contextual C.T.A.s by hyperlinking keywords to
your products or services.
6. Loyalty Program- Reward Your Customers
Does a loyalty program work? The answer is, "Yes." Customers will continue to return to your business when you gift them for their loyalty. Your local customers will remain loyal if you offer rewarding or creative ways to garner their visits.
A satisfied customer always patron your business and serve as your brand ambassadors. After they show commitment to your loyalty program and analyze its benefits, they will spread the word and let their friends, family, and colleagues know about your business.
Here are a few examples of loyalty programs:
Hair Salon: Do your customers love professional hairstyling? If yes,
reward them with a free haircut after five visits.
Nail Salon: Offer one free nail service, such as manicure or pedicure, on
the 7th visit to your salon
Eye Clinic: Reward your local customers with 40% off sunglasses or R.X.
glasses
Skincare Clinic: 15% off on any skincare treatment on their 5th visit
Yoga Studio: Offer a free yoga session or class for every seven classes
purchased
Tips for Winning your Local Customers' Loyalty:
Make sure your marketing materials are visible in your store or establishment.
Install or place some posters and tent card in high traffic areas of your store
Set up a blog or newsletters to communicate with your loyal customers
Highlight new products and special offers in the newsletter
Use social media networking sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to boost engagement
Make sure you include a link to your website on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, etc.
Change up your rewards to let your local customers know about seasonal products
Keep an eye on customers likes, comments, and shares on social media
7. Promote on Social Media
Social media tactics from a marketing perspective can help extend your marketing reach, increase brand awareness in your locality, drive more traffic to your website, and personalize your customer service.
Having a sophisticated social media strategy can make a huge difference, leading to your
business's marketing success. Remember, your plan will evolve and change according to
the circumstances as you learn what works best for your local business.
Here's how to create a good social media strategy:
Conduct your research
Define your goals and metrics
Develop a strategic message and method
Focus on budget and proper training/policies
Learn how social media tools work
Always respond professionally even if you receive negative comments
Always stay authentic, consistent, and transparent in your communication
Create a content posting schedule to streamline your marketing efforts
Create high-quality content and remain consistent with your brand message on all social networking platforms
Avoid spamming and refrain from blatant business promotions and product selling
Avoid reacting emotionally to negative comments about your local business or products
8. Go Mobile with a Mobile App
According to Statista, over 4.28 billion people use smartphones to browse the internet and look for small businesses in local areas. It means around 90% of people worldwide use mobile devices to use the internet.
If you want to avoid losing your business impact on local customers, consider creating a mobile application. It is an excellent way to engage customers with your brand, leading to
increased retention and widen market reach.
Make sure you provide a personalized experience to your customers through your mobile app. With a smartphone app for your local business, you can engage your customers in real-time, leading to stronger relationships with your customers.
For instance, you can remind your customers about your products or service through push
notifications. Besides, easy access to your products or services is an excellent way to
improve customer loyalty and retention rates. It also helps you make connections with
potential customers.
A mobile app is a reliable and cost-effective way to offer your customers rewards through
your loyalty program. Many research studies have proven the efficacy of this promotional
strategy, especially when a local business offer coupons or cash-back to customers who use
mobile apps for a long time.
9. Create an Email List
Proper email list creation and management are essential for your overall digital marketing success. When you build digital relationships with local customers through email marketing, you can grow lists to reach more local customers, achieve marketing goals, and improve program participation. The purpose is to boost customer satisfaction.
Here's how to create a good Email Marketing strategy:
Establish clear goals and objectives for list growth
Follow opt-in and opt-out rules and best practices
Add new local customers, especially those who want to hear from you
Keep it short and avoid self-promotional content
Link to your website when sending emails to local customers
Grab customers' attention with great subject lines
Keep content timely and relevant
Make it easy for your customers to subscribe and unsubscribe
Only ask for an email address from your local customers
Place a "Subscribe" Box on your business website's homepage
10. Attract Local Influencers
Local influencers play a crucial role in promoting your brand awareness on social media because they have many followers and use innovative ways to increase engagement cost-
effectively. Not only can local influencers create fresh content, but they can also reinforce customers' loyalty. In short, by having an influencer promote your business, you already gain that person's followers trust.
Local influencers who use social media can persuade or encourage their followers to
support your business. Their influence on social media stems from establishing positive
relationships with their followers, demonstrating knowledge about a specific product/service, and creating authority.
Here are a few tips for finding local influencers:
Find people you will follow online
Review and prioritize your list
Research your influencers
Make the most of the investment
Give them valuable content
Manage expectations and disregard surprises
Always follow up to streamline your marketing strategy
*Bonus* 11. Local SEO
Search engine optimization is a long-term investment with stable ROIs. Local SEO is a cost-effective method to land your local business in organic search results and beat your
competitors to rank higher on Google and other search engines.
Local SEO is an essential part of your overall digital marketing strategy, allowing you to
increase Google traffic based on map placement for geographic keywords. Get immediate
visibility by verifying your business on Yelp, Bing Local, Google+ local, and Yahoo local.
Do it yourself local SEO tips:
Add and update business content
Build manual citations every month based on competitor analysis
Email your local customers and request them for reviews
Keep an eye on social media pages to monitor negative content
Launch mobile-optimized and responsive websites
Incorporate relatable keywords in your website
Final Words
Local businesses play a crucial role in strengthening the local economy, creating more jobs, lowering taxes, reducing environmental impact, and improving the overall business
climate. But in many areas with high competition like in Brooklyn, New York, many small business owners may struggle to attract local customers at first.
Having the right guide and tips to follow can greatly impact your future businesses success.
Therefore, it is essential to focus on the most innovative and practical tips and tricks given
above to attract more local customers, increase engagement, and boost overall ROIs.
If needed, you can also hire a digital marketing agency like us, who helps small business owners like you improve their digital presence, and most of all achieve their business goals.
You may also schedule a free 15 minute consultation here to learn more about our digital marketing services and how we can help you attract more local customers.