Need to Up Your Companies Local Advertising? 5 Ideas that Can Help

Are you trying to up your business's local advertising?

Yes, online marketing and advertising are a core part of what many businesses spend their marketing budget on. However, for smaller businesses with a storefront, such as a bakery, the local community is equally, if not more, important to keep a business thriving.

So, if you need some ideas to boost local interest in your services, read on for some ideas that won't be expensive, and are proven to get results.

Car or Van Wrap

Most small businesses have a car or a van. Why not use those to boost your local visibility with customers?

Companies like Signman can help design a personalised and targeted van or car wrap, which is similar to a large, clear sticker, which is designed and shaped to fit your company car or van. These are great for companies that have frequent callouts, like plumbers, travelling dog groomers, or in-home hair stylists. Best of all, these are weatherproof and can be a great long-term investment in your business. You can even put a QR code on them, which allows people walking by to scan with a smartphone, taking them straight to your company website.

Use Social Media

OK, so at this point, you may be questioning how social media or digital marketing can be used to help promote your company's local impact.

Well, depending on where your business is located, on platforms like Facebook, there will be local groups that you can advertise to. Aim to tag your local area or local landmarks in any posts you make to such groups or websites. When advertising on Facebook, TikTok or Instagram, there is also the option to have geo-tagging, which will help your business appear in local searches.

Of course, there is also the use of hashtags. This is ideal for posts on Facebook and LinkedIn, as you can use the hashtag of the street your business is on, or the town you are located in, which will help with local SEO.

Community Boards

Most people have seen a community bulletin board, or community board that has been somewhat neglected and looks a bit scruffy.

For obvious reasons, when you are aiming to promote your business, you don't want to be posting on those boards. Instead, go out and have a look around at the local community boards to identify which areas get the highest level of foot traffic before you place the advert or leaflet. This will help you to ensure that your leaflet advertising is seen by the highest number of people.

To make the most impact, you will need to check that your advert is eye-catching, so it is often best to work with a graphic designer to keep the image and wording bold, but also minimalist. If you are aiming to attract new customers, it can be best to opt for visuals like '20% off (whatever your business does) for new customers.'

Oh, and make sure to include your company logo for better brand recognition!

Leaflet Campaigns

When it comes to leaflet campaigns, these are still a great way to promote deals or sales within a set area.

Yes, it could be argued that they are wasteful but, eco-friendly businesses opt to use hand-delivered leaflets, as well as ones printed on recyclable paper, to lower their CO2 emissions. Of course, you have to do a bit of research and look into which neighbourhoods to target with your campaign, but, it is wise to start with homes or other businesses within a 1-mile radius of your storefront.

One way this can be better for small businesses than online marketing is that it allows you to target set zip codes, or demographics, which can help with ROI.

Partner with Other Businesses

The success of partnering with another local company to promote your own will vary based on time of year, and on the company, you choose to partner with.

For example, if you run a hair salon, you could look into partnering with another local company like a nail bar, a spa or a massage parlour. Why? Their customers will likely want to explore your services. It also helps to build trust via association, as when any company is promoted by another local company, it boosts credibility in the eyes of the customer.

As for doing this seasonally, everyone knows that when it comes to business, there are seasons where work or customers tend to somewhat drop off. Thus, it is wise to have an idea of when your business is at its most busy or booked and to aim to pair with other local businesses in the financially leaner spells, to help keep your bills paid and your business ticking over.