Posted by Jason on September 19, 2008
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7 Ways To Target Local Customers
For most brick and mortar businesses, the brink of success and failure depends on local traffic. This is especially true if the organization doesn’t have a website that is used for any kind of monetization or cash flow into the business.
Below are seven ways that will help you target local customers in your business endeavors:
- Learn how to get the best results out of LOCAL online advertising - such as online magazines, local pay per click programs, and community portals.
- Know your target customer - In order to be effective in any marketing effort, you have to know who you are trying to reach. The days of mass marketing and the budgets that accompanied those programs are long gone.
- Focus on increasing sales - You want a long term, repeat customer. Focus on your conversion rates, not just your traffic. For every 100 people that walk in you store or find their way to your site, figure out how many actually spend money?
- Analyze the publishers - make sure your advertising channel is one that fits your target market. You aren’t going to find many 18 year old, newspaper readers. Instead, do some radio advertising or some pay per click programs that target that demographic.
- Use third party ad services - whether the third party advertising services is comprised of a marketing team or a solutions provider like us here at Tech Solution, use someone else to do your ad blitz. It helps promote creativity and allows for better penetration in a market. In other words, most businesses are in so deep, they don’t realize what their customers want. They know only what they have to offer.
- Use landing pages - I can’t stress this enough. Especially on the Internet, you have to show people where to go based on navigational elements. If you let someone wander around your site, they will take no action, leaving you with an empty wallet.
- Use rich media - Don’t be afraid of flash and video. Both can be dynamic additions to your web presence and your advertising campaign. They help spur sales and conversion rates because they are a dramatic media. Don’t get gaudy though!
Some people will try to get you to sign up for banner ad networks and billboard ads, but resist the temptation. In terms of overall return on investment, these two areas are weak at best. If you follow at least a couple of the above posted points, I guarantee you an increase in conversion and brand recognition among your local community.
[via iMediaConnection]
