#5 Ways to Make Your Marketing Strategy Hyperlocal Businesses interested in leveraging the local community to generate revenue, have to partake in community discourse in order to initiate and build loyal relationships eventually

The term "hyper-local marketing' emerged as a buzz word sometime during 2009. Hyper-local marketing is comparatively a new catchphrase, though the model is as old as business itself. Someone posting a banner on the street corner and hawking their merchandise is actually making use of hyper-local marketing. Things have gone a bit more complex than shouting the loudest: customers today look for businesses on the digital space, find their way to the store with mobile apps, and rely on reviews before making purchases.

What is hyperlocal marketing?

Hyperlocal means a very definite area close to home. The people within walking or driving distance to a particular destination, or, those united in one identifiable community are included in the ambit of hyperlocal.

Originally hyperlocal marketing was about a great deal of noise: traders shouting while peddling wares in the neighbourhood, fairs or festivals. Word of mouth advertising continues to remain an effective yet underrated marketing tool. What can be more hyperlocal than neighbours talking over the fence, sharing information about local stores, realtors, and service providers?

Hyper-local marketing is actually managing the message, info, and review that get your customers walk down the street and through your door. How can you ensure that while someone searches for "coffee-shop with wifi," your store will pop up on their map? What are the steps to guarantee that your online repute goes with the first-rate services you essentially provide?

Most businesses that serve consumers could benefit from hyperlocal marketing strategies. The approach to hyper-local marketing varies from simple to complex, but this guide will help you get started with the fundamentals for your small business.

Your Marketing Should Feel Local

Being a local business, your marketing should have a local feel. Making use of local stereotypes could help personalize your marketing operation while addressing the challenges that you'll need to factor into your campaign planning. Does your area receive a lot of rain? Create a campaign around that challenge and offer customers a "rain day special." Take note of the local events that could be relevant to your campaign, or look for local partnerships that could endow with shared benefits. In order to build a loyal local customer base, it's important to be accepted as a part of the community. Hyperlocal advertising is an efficient way to accomplish this kind of bearing.

Amalgamate your store into the communities you serve

Customers' needs vary from region to region and hence calls for a region-specific social account and marketing strategies. Integrating your store into the various communities helps you build tremendous brand loyalty and trust. And it starts with a solid and concurrent strategic marketing plan. The plan can include social media, direct mail, mobile messaging and/or automated marketing campaigns.

Direct Emails Create Engaging and Nurturing Customer Relationship

Begin with sending a direct-mail invitation to local residents to the opening celebration of your store. The invitation can include information including company's mission, services and coupons for free merchandise. Direct mail is often considered a vital element of successful marketing campaigns as it is the least intrusive form of advertising, and most people go through their mail on a daily basis. Besides, email engages the readers and directs them to download your app, or visit your website or your store. With the content of the mail being pertinent and personal, the chances of engaging and nurturing a relationship, and building brand loyalty increase manifold. Including social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, are other options to reach out to area residents.

Relevant Content

Entrepreneurs need to construct their marketing strategies based on outcomes they are looking for. Businesses interested in leveraging the local community to generate revenue, have to partake in community discourse in order to initiate and build loyal relationships eventually. The focus should, however, must be on the customer, and not on the network. Newsletters featuring seasonal deals, in-season produce and store coupons can be of great help. You can also use newsletters to send reminders on special in-store events and coupons through a programmed marketing process.

Unique Customer Experiences

Coupons are great but entrepreneurs should not trust on them to build brand loyalty. It is always better to create an experience so good that your customers do not require discounts or promotions. Through local community brand building exercises you can build your own community of followers within the society you cater to. Doing this well, makes your business becomes a part of your customer's life story. For the customer, it becomes more interesting to be part of that story than the target of your advertising.