If you’re a local business getting ready to launch a marketing campaign, employing a local marketing agency can provide enormous benefits. They understand the demographics of your local customers, where your target audience and competition resides in the local area and what makes your community and company unique. Here are the top reasons why going local is the right choice for your small business.
1. They Know Your Local Area
Someone who is a part of the same local community as your business has the unique advantage of knowing what makes local customers tick, because they are your potential customers! A local marketing expert will stay up to date on local events and market trends, adapting their marketing strategies as needed to increase brand awareness, new customers and conversions for your business.
2. They Know Your Target Audience
Every market is different, often in subtle ways. The ways in which local consumers shop, buy and research the businesses they use can vary not only between neighboring towns, but even between different neighborhoods in the same city. A local direct mail and digital marketing agency specialist will be able to understand the needs and motivations of your local audience (they might even be your neighbor!).
3. They Know What Works
Local marketing companies that are native to your area have seen other local businesses succeed and fail. From local SEO to social media marketing to Google ads (PPC), they’ll weave the best marketing tactics into your campaigns based on historical performance by industry and market. Use this know-how to avoid the mistakes made by the local businesses that came before you.
4. You Can Meet In Person
Technology enables people to communicate over long distances, and this is undoubtedly a good thing. But, it can’t replace the strength of the relationships you can build offline. Those that come from face-to-face meetings with a local marketing partner. They can visit your business, get you referrals and testimonials, interact with your local customers and promote your business via word-of-mouth.
5. They Network for You
Having a local relationship with your marketing specialist or media sales rep comes with great opportunities for networking. They’ll be able to get your business listing on Yelp and other local directories and introduce you to other local business owners, or even potential customers, which can further strengthen your business’s reputation in the local community.
6. They’re More Available
Chances are good that a local marketing agency will have fewer clients than a national agency and more opportunity to develop relationships beyond contact information. Your marketing efforts will be managed by one person (vs. multiple teams) who has the time and energy to work closely with you during every step of your marketing campaign. Dial their phone number and voila, they pick up!
7. You Get Better Pricing
National marketing agencies often have minimum buy sizes or charge separately to create a marketing plan or to research local marketing strategies. A local marketing agency knows the importance of cost-effective advertising solutions as a small business itself. They’ll work with you to determine the best mix of direct mail and online marketing to boost your offline and online presence based on your budget and goals.
8. You’re Shopping Local
When you advertise with a local marketing service provider, you give a job to a local consumer and keep your money in the local community. It’s a win/win! Beyond the financial incentives, when you keep your marketing local like the rest of your business, you bolster the social bonds within your neighborhood, making it a better place for everyone to live.
9. They’ll Patronize Your Business
Local marketing experts live and play in your backyard, which means they can offer you something a far-off marketer never could: the insight that comes from interacting with your business on the same level as your potential customers. They’re able to better understand your needs, as well as the needs of local consumers to help your small business reach its true potential.
Next Steps
Let’s be honest, having your very own local marketing expert is pretty awesome! Not only do they understand how to implement the sort of marketing campaigns that can attract new business, but they also understand the nuances of your local market better than another rep ever could.
Valpak has nearly 140 local marketing agency offices across the U.S. Contact your local office today for direct mail and digital marketing services.
