==== ==== Please check out The Local Marketing Institute for great tips on Local Marketing for Profit. www.bestlocalmarketingpractices.com ==== ====
Starting a local business is one avenue towards financial freedom. Most people dream of owning a business, but very few actually get it done. A local business like a restaurant, bakery, bookstore or any other type of store or service will usually start off small, but the owner's expectations will generally be huge. Many local business marketing techniques must be employed in order to achieve growth. An often overlooked local marketing technique involves the actual store and its display banners. A hair salon may have a neon sign that reads "Hair Salon" and nothing else. We all know what services are provided by hair salons, but listing these services along with prices will get more people through the door. Adding a full color banner with nice haircuts and brand logos like Wella, Clairol, Bosley and others will not only add color, but credibility as well. One of the most effective, yet least used, local marketing methods is flyers. A good flyer will include a discount or promotion of some kind that can only be redeemed by presenting the flyer. Including a promotional end date like "good through Jan 30" is a good idea and adds value to the flyer. The distribution of flyers is inexpensive and can be done just about anywhere: door to door, at the mall, on a busy sidewalk and even throwing flyers from airplanes. Marketing a local business means finding ways to stand out from the crowd. In an effort to draw attention and get new potential customers through the door, some business owners will go as far as hiring clowns or dress up employees in silly costumes. Large balloons are often employed and are proven to be highly effective in drawing attention. Of course, for the long-term, a business needs to attract customers who may not find themselves in the vicinity of the store. An ad in the local phone book is a must, but the high cost can be prohibiting. An alternative is search engine marketing. Nowadays, more people turn to the old search engines before picking up the telephone book. Someone looking for a local party store may type in "party store in Atlanta." Chances are this person is actually looking to find a local party store. The one or few local party stores that show up are likely to pick up a new customer, today. There are many other ways to promote a local business. Specific trade shows and local events like fairs and flea markets can help to spread the word. Marketing is very important for any business. In fact, most businesses devote at least 30% of their budget towards marketing. In time, people are likely to stumble upon the store, with good marketing people will actually look for that store.
Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information about local business marketing, please visit
http://www.local-marketing.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_T_Jones
==== ==== Please check out The Local Marketing Institute for great tips on Local Marketing for Profit. www.bestlocalmarketingpractices.com ==== ====