How Can Local Businesses in Plymouth Market Themselves?

Sarah Parker
Authored by Sarah Parker
Posted: Tuesday, April 30, 2019 - 17:49

One of the most important components of a successful local business is its marketing strategy. Marketing is very important for any business, but local businesses that cater to local people need to put even more care and thought into their marketing than most. Businesses that operate online and who serve a global or national audience have a much larger potential market than local businesses.

Because of this, local businesses need to capture a much larger percentage of their available market if they are going to survive. Marketing themselves effectively is the key to achieving this. Whether you are considering opening a business in Plymouth in the near future, or you are already managing one, the following tips will help you to devise a killer marketing strategy that will propel your business to heights that your rivals can only dream of.

Get on Google

Like it or not, Google is a vital part of the online ecosystem. If your business isn’t visible in Google searches, you will be throwing away potential customers. Google is how most of us find new businesses; just think of how many businesses, products, and websites you would be unaware of if you hadn’t found them on Google.

Word of mouth is important for local businesses, and there are a variety of other marketing mediums that they can utilize to increase awareness and build their brand. However, the internet is the most important marketing arena for any modern business. Not only is this how new customers will find your business’ details, but it is also where people will look for reviews and opinions about your business.

Make sure that you get your business listed on Google’s business directory, so that it will be viewable in Google Maps and more visible across Google’s services. If you can do this, and also focus on improving your website SEO so that you are more prominent in SERPs, you will be (quite literally) on your way to the top.

Start Blogging

Adding a blog to your business’s website offers a number of benefits. It is an excellent way of increasing traffic and potentially earning some extra income. Of course, in order for your blog to be effective, you will need to write it with care.

A blog is a relatively simple way of enhancing your website’s SEO score, therefore, making your website much more visible. As long as you can write decent articles that are relevant to the industry you work in, your traffic and SEO will increase organically. Remember, there are a number of ways that you can convert web traffic into money, and if you can generate enough traffic then your website can become another revenue stream for your business.

Publishing new blog posts will also make it clear to anyone that visits your website that your business is still active and trading. If you write blog posts to outline any major events or announcements relevant to your business, visitors to your website will be able to see these when they land on your page, which is great for customers who haven’t shopped with you in a while.

Market Creatively

Local businesses don’t have the same money to put into their marketing campaigns as their biggest competitors do. Where local businesses can’t compete in terms of the amount of money they spend, they will instead need to focus on how they spend it. If you prioritise your marketing appropriately and you are willing to consider new ideas, you can find plenty of creative and innovative ways to market your business without having to spend a significant amount of money.

The first thing you should do is work out exactly how much money you have available to spend on your marketing campaign. The funds you have available to you will determine what kind of marketing techniques you can use and how effectively you can use them. Check out the RHC website for some creative marketing ideas that you can use for your own business. The more creative you can be with the marketing techniques you use, the more you can get out of them. You might want to consider engaging the services of a business like RHC if you think they can manage your marketing better than you can.

Get Involved in the Community

Keep an eye out for any local events and other goings-on in the Plymouth area. Look beyond Plymouth itself and include the surrounding area in your searches. The more active you are in the community the better your business’s local reputation will be. The ultimate goal of your marketing efforts is to enhance your business’s reputation and brand recognition.

You can engage in the community in a number of different ways; it all depends on the kind of business you run. Offering your services to local people at a discounted rate is usually an effective tactic for raising your profile and creating a good impression with the locals.

Whenever you come across local charities or other causes in the Plymouth area, you should consider making a donation. Associating yourself with local charities will ensure that your name gets around and will also demonstrate that you are engaged with the local community, there really are no downsides to getting involved with charity work.

Run Contests

Contests and giveaways are a fantastic way of drumming up more interest in your business. Whether you are giving away a product, a service or even an experience, giveaways are simple to set up and can encourage people to try out your business who would otherwise have stayed away.

It’s usually easier to run a contest through an online platform, whether it’s your website or your social media page. However, if there is a local event on around Plymouth that you think is relevant to your business, why not see if you can donate a prize?

Marketing a local business effectively can sometimes present a challenge. You need to compete with your national or even multinational competitors, competitors who can afford to spend a lot more than you can on marketing. The key to successfully marketing a local business lies in being creative with your marketing. If in doubt, call in some professional help.