by Guest Blogger: Sonya Schweitzer, Boss Chick, Wave Marketing

Does your business sell products that will appeal to a broad, perhaps national audience? Or are you a consultant whose services might be appealing to a global audience? Have you ever tried to market to that mass audience? Unless you have a large marketing budget, or a large sales force, trying to reach the ‘masses’ nationally or globally, can be all but a pipe dream for most businesses. 

Focusing locally allows businesses to refine their messaging to a more targeted audience.  There a number of methods to market locally – both online and offline. Print, TV, and radio are still reliable methods to reach a local audience. People still watch TV, and listen to the radio, and newspapers are still being printed and distributed. Companies like Pilot Media (who own a number of local news publications) will be in attendance at LMX to discuss how they are adapting and evolving to keep their audiences as more and more readers are relying on online news sites to deliver their news. I, for one, am really excited to hear about the innovative solutions they will be presenting.

 Other offline marketing channels include direct mail, retail, signage, billboards etc. These channels still have a place in many marketing plans. They are also evolving, and if the ROI of these channels make sense, enhance your offline campaigns by adding online elements. You will see better response!

There are a number of online marketing tactics that can be used to support a local marketing campaign. One of the easier, and perhaps most effective, is SEO or “Search Marketing”. Fortunately for us novices, there is a panel of experts that will be discussing ‘search’ at LMX. Local search marketing allows a business to compete for keywords against a much smaller number of businesses, vs. a broader geographic campaign.

Email marketing, social media marketing and other online marketing tactics can also be highly effective in developing and then maintaining lasting relationships with your potential customers on a local level. Develop a strategic marketing plan that incorporates these tactics, and you will find your local marketing efforts should be more effective.

Taking a look at the speaker list for the LMX expo, we are very fortunate to have such an amazingly talented bunch sharing their knowledge with us! I, for one, am really excited and grateful to the LMX team for bringing such a wonderful event to Hampton Roads. 

Sonya will be speaking on e-mail marketing at Local Marketing Expo.