We see a lot of interest from local businesses in expanding their digital footprint - understandably so! While we believe online marketing is important - it’s important to get in place a good website & presence on reviews platforms, for example - we still see plenty of low-hanging fruit in offline marketing for most local merchants.
Local marketing is a strategy in which businesses market to customers within a specific & constrained geography.
Note that geography is the defining filter; all else is secondary. This might be because the business itself is geographically constrained (for example, a dental practice which realistically only serves patients within an hour driving distance) or a promotional campaign has relevance only to certain locales.
That said, geo boundaries can be defined liberally - and can be as large as a city or group of cities, or down to a particular neighborhood - it’s all about your business & campaign goals.
Turn to local marketing & advertising when you want to capture a particular geography. You may want to be the top roofing installer or sandwich shop in XYZ town, for example - that means you need to figure out how to capture & convert the majority of roofing / sandwich customers in XYZ. To do so, you’ll need to figure out what those specific customers care about, what messaging or content to push, and how best to reach them.
Many businesses have gotten to this point on their own; however, we often see those businesses struggling with the third piece (channel strategy) – often looking prematurely or too aggressively towards online options. We’ve experienced greater impact & see more opportunity in traditional and often overlooked channels for local campaigns.
Let’s start with why online channels are not always the best option. Digital channels (ads, social media, email, etc.) are fantastic for relatively cheap, broad visibility. Put a little bit of money behind your tonic of choice and presto: you’re magically available across the interwebs.
Therein lies the issue - because it’s so easy & affordable to launch a campaign online, more folks are drawn to the prospect. That influx generates a ton of noise, making it particularly difficult to stand out online.
The corollary is online marketing can be seen as cheap (and even untrustworthy) by consumers, particularly if a brand or business is only marketing online.
Local businesses thrive on trust & personal connection. Online channels don’t promote those sentiments at best; and can be detrimental to those feelings at worst.
Email hits spam filters. Consumers scroll past or skip digital ads. Digital campaigns are easy to flip past - hence why conversion tends to be so low.
Offline tactics by contrast get more focused attention. Consumers tend to take stock of local billboards or flyers because the message & medium can be more relevant to their particular environment. This tends to drive more valuable impressions and stronger conversion than online.
An added benefit with offline tactics can be longevity. A prospect might hang onto a flyer from a local pizza shop for the coupons, or a dentist’s patients may put appointment reminder cards up on the fridge, for example - meaning your brand sticks around and builds familiarity.
Offline marketing tends to be more effortful and tangible; that physical brand presence allows businesses to deepen connection with customers.
This is even more the case when you have the chance to deliver a personal experience - think running an in-person event or sending a personalized handwritten card. That’s an advantage which local businesses have & can leverage in building a trustworthy brand.
Many local businesses are interested in more ‘tactical’ advertising. Offline channels are excellent at bringing immediate impact.
Local retailers can drive foot traffic with the right signage or well-placed billboards. Real estate agents can drum up interest for an open house by blanketing the right developments with flyers. The neighborhood non-profit might solicit donations or volunteers via well-timed mail.
Because offline marketing often reaches us where we are, it can create a sense of immediacy and lead to direct customer engagement.
Offline marketing channels give businesses finer control over targeting specific geographies. Whether via billboards in a target neighborhood, airtime on local radio, flyering local campuses, or sending handwritten mail to key developments - your campaigns focus on the areas & customers you care about.
PenPals helps businesses run personalized handwritten outreach. We handle strategy, production, and mailing - complete with genuine ballpoint pen & ink, branded stationery, and first-class postage. Our integrated campaigns include landing pages & offer you the tracking / insights of digital campaigns. Get in touch to see how we can help you include handwritten mail in your marketing strategy.