Marketing your business locally is clearly important to your bottom line. Hyperlocal marketing addresses just that. By definition it is focused marketing that targets a community within a local geographic area with the hopes of creating repeat business.

To be successful with this type of marketing it is important to first develop a plan by getting to know your target audience, finding more than one marketing channel that works, and then you can rinse and repeat.

So let’s talk about five hyperlocal options to market your business:

Newspaper/Magazine Advertising

Not only can you advertise in your local publication; you can also use your local paper to participate with your community.

Event announcements, promotions, or anything special in the paper related to your target market can provide you with a way to initiate communications by simply dropping them a note of congratulations.

Event Sponsoring

Whether it’s a charity or a business event, step up and sponsor something. You can do this via the chamber of commerce or a charity, and you won’t regret it. Whether it’s hosting the entire event or buying up one table for your business associates, your name will get out there.

Sponsoring speakers who are not competitors but are in a complimentary business can also be a way for you to have an opportunity to address a live audience of potential clients. I have personally found this a successful model.

Local Networking Groups

Check Meetup.com for local networking groups that consist of your target audience, or local businesses who service your target audience. Then participate fully so that you become a known expert in your niche. Be a presenter. You could even start your own group.

Check out my post on networking.

Personal Networking

Never underestimate the power of personal networking. Call on your friends, family, and community to promote your business every chance you can. Definitely practice gratitude in return, by doing a great job for the clients they recommend, maybe offering a restaurant gift card or just a heartfelt thank you. And if they have a business, maybe you can return the favor.

The Follow-Up

This is something, believe it or not, that many small business owners do very poorly. I see it all the time. They meet people at events, or get a phone call from a contact, and then do not follow up. This is a big mistake. Follow up no matter what. Even if someone turns out not to be a fit for your business, you might be able to connect them with someone else, and they won’t forget you.

Check out my post about following up. 

Another thing to consider is someone else’s rolodex could be an opportunity for you to meet someone that you may not have been able to. You know that seven degrees of separation. If your community is smaller that could be even less.

By putting these hyperlocal marketing resources into practice you’ll increase your business, improve your reputation, and develop a local following that will be loyal and profitable. Believe me I have personally seen this work for my own business as well as others.

Using these local methods in conjunction with blogs, websites, social media and more will keep your business at the top of people’s minds in your local community.

Remember that with any of these methods it’s important to repeat each technique more than once. No marketing works in a one-off manner. All marketing needs to be done multiple times to be effective. It must be repeated, tested, and done again. Always keep testing your methods, do more of what is working, and less of what doesn’t work and stay consistent.

Hyperlocal marketing benefits not only your own business but also your community. By keeping dollars local and business local, tax dollars stay in your area. Not only that – building a local community interested in what you offer just feels great because you’re contributing to the local economy in terms of jobs, taxes, and more.

About Wanda Baader

Wanda Baader is a online marketing and business strategist, speaker and consultant. She is the owner and founder of Strategize Your Success, a full service marketing agency. She enjoys working with entrepreneurs, non-profits and small business owners who need help with their online marketing, social media and Wordpress website development.