Supporting local has become a huge thing among many South African brands – Some take off with immediate effect, while others need a little push in the right direction.
To create a successful local marketing strategy, you need to understand your customer and keep up with the latest market trends.
So, by marketing your local brand, you are much more likely to be successful than if you don’t.
Until recently, companies were eager to purchase highly sought-after radio and TV advertisements. A brand’s success was largely determined by the number of newspapers and magazines their ads appeared in.
Nowadays, targeted advertising and personalisation are prevalent with a move towards digital marketing. This includes emails, online ads, social, and SEO.
In addition to this, local purchases are now associated with ethical purchases. Conscious consumerism has played a huge role in people desiring authentic, locally and sustainably-made products that benefit the local economy.
Besides these major changes, the fundamentals of growing your brand through marketing have remained the same. Here’s what you need to do to win some local love 😉
Know your target audience
A solid understanding of your consumers will enable you to build a brand they can easily relate to. You should know what entertainment they enjoy, the social networks they use, but most importantly – what motivates them to buy.
The first step to understanding your target market is to know their age, gender, location, education, and income levels.
Here’s an interesting titbit to consider: Over 70% of brand managers believe that building an audience is more important than closing sales.
By knowing your target audience, marketing to them becomes that much easier.
Build relationships with your community
Since public opinion is what makes or breaks your company, gaining their trust is vital to the overall success of your business.
A business that is seen as community-focused, promotes goodwill among potential local customers while supporting community growth.
By listening to their suggestions, responding to messages and inquiries, tackling complaints as fast as possible, and resolving issues, you help deliver excellent customer service (and this is really what keeps your brand alive).
Utilising social media
Social media marketing is a powerful tool that has many benefits for your business.
It’s an ongoing process that should be incorporated into your overall marketing strategy.
As an evolving brand, it’s important to remain creative, keep up with trends, and ultimately show off who you are.
Social media is one of the best ways to connect with current and potential customers.
Promoting your brand through different social media platforms can be extremely beneficial as it gives them an understanding of it and shows off its different and unique aspects.
Develop a local SEO presence
There is no denying that SEO is one of the most important tools in a brand’s marketing campaign. It generates new leads and builds brand awareness.
Today, 89% of searches performed on smartphones are location-based, meaning they are looking for a nearby business to meet their immediate needs. Ideally, your brand should appear in the search results, ready to assist.
Be consistent
Every day your brand is shaped by the little things your customers see and experience.
Whether it’s face-to-face interaction with one of your employees, a Facebook post on your company page, or something as simple as a piece of direct mail.
Marketing a local brand isn’t as hard as you might think, and these tips are just a little something to keep in mind while building the brand’s success.
If you’re still a bit unsure of the ins and outs of marketing a local brand or need a little inside information, we’ve got you! So don’t hesitate to reach out and chat to us about the digital marketing strategy services that we can offer you.
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