Achieving success as a local business has never been easy. With the advent of the Internet, it has only become more difficult. An increasing number of people would rather order something online instead of visiting a local store to purchase the product. Yet local businesses have a lot to offer customers. When you spend money at a local business, that money stays in the community and makes it a better place to live in. If you regularly visit a local business, the employees will get to know your name, and it will be a pleasure to interact with them. Every local business provides jobs to the people in your community. When you support a local business, you support the friends and neighbors who work behind the counter.
If you are a business owner you already know how important local businesses are to the community. Yet you may wonder how you can increase your chances of success in today’s world. Below are some tips that you should consider.
Be Smart About Marketing
Every business needs to market its products and services if it wants to be successful. Yet before you spend any money on marketing, make sure you think through your strategy. Where and how will you advertise? What type of audience are you trying to reach? For many local businesses, local magazines and newspapers are ideal places to advertise. Depending on your business, though, it might be a better idea to run advertisements on television.
If you don’t have a large budget for marketing, you need to get creative with your strategy. For example, if your business is on a street with many other local businesses, hold a block party with food and games. People will come out for the party and walk into your store. You can also attend local events with a lot of foot traffic and hand out advertisements with coupons. There are many inexpensive marketing opportunities available—you just have to do some thinking!
Develop a Strong Brand
Have you ever thought about your business’ brand? Successful businesses have strong brands that define them and attract customers. If you don’t define your brand to yourself and by extension to your customers, you won’t stand out in the competitive business landscape. Your brand should come through in customer interactions, the products you sell, and the values of the business itself. A strong brand helps customers remember the business, trust it, and recommend it to others.
Having an online presence is an essential part of having a brand. Many customers will search about your business online before visiting the store. If they can’t find any information about you, they may be hesitant to visit in-person. A website provides customers with information about store hours, products, and special events. You can even encourage customers to write reviews which help strengthen your brand and attract even more customers. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter present advertising opportunities as well as an easy way to interact with customers.
Give Back to the Community
Every local business should be involved in the community in some manner. Yes, it helps potential customers get to know what you do, but being involved in the community is more important than just advertising. If you show community members that you care about them, they will care about you in return. Giving back to the community shows customers that you have good values. It increases trust, and it makes people root for you to succeed.
Before you give back to the community, take the time to think about the best way that you can make an impact. The event or organization that you support should relate to your business in some way. For instance, a pizza shop should support organizations like food banks and soup kitchens. A bookstore should donate books or encourage employees to volunteer at the library or local school as readers. It makes sense to stick to what you know. You’ll be able to make the biggest impact in a familiar area.
Never Stop Networking or Being Afraid to Reach Out
This tip is especially important for new business owners. When you open your first business, you will face a lot of challenges, and you won’t be able to solve all of them on your own. Reach out to other local business owners to get their advice. Other businesses may be your competition, but they are also a part of your community. If another business owner is willing to give you advice, you can help him or her out in the future. Businesses that band together to host events, like the above-mentioned block party, increase their strength and chances of success.
You never know what type of opportunities networking will lead to. At networking events, you might find new employees, partners, or even ideas. Networking increases your visibility in the local business community and helps you learn what is important to other business owners. Even if you are an established business owner, it’s important to continue to network. You might encounter new business owners who need a mentor. If you have found success, then you can give back to your community by offering free advice to others.