Local marketing still deploys traditional in-person marketing approaches alongside new online approaches. This sequence of posts explores these more traditional approaches, what they can achieve and some pointers to how to get started. I would be happy to add new techniques or provide more details about how to set about them.
- Networking is fundanmental to in-person marketing, especially where you are marketing locally. This post describes two approaches to networking; through events and requesting referrals. There are many other approaches and variants on these two.
- Referral Marketing is a natural extension to networking. It aims to give and receive referrals through business conversations. The thing to remember is you seek referrals and not sales, even though sales can occasionally happen. Normally, referral marketing happens at sales conversations, that can be arranged at networking events.
- Sales Conversations are perhaps for many business people, the most challenging part of their marketing strategy. This post opens up the topic and raises some of the issues you're likely to encounter during sales conversations.
- Public Speaking is an effective way of not only promoting your business but also passing on the benefits of your experience, knowledge and skills to the community. My post about public speaking, outlines some of the skills you need to develop to become a good speaker. There are other skills you need to put on a keynote talk, such as how you find venues, your call to action and how to follow up. So, you need to develop skills in organising public speaking events.
- Shop-Fronts and Buildings are a common form of local marketing. This post looks at how to increase footfall and sales for shop-fronts and buildings, just as you can increase website traffic and conversions.
- Your Printed Media are important for local marketing and this post explores printed media's value, different types, its content and the significance of mistakes.
- Videos and Audio may seem an odd addition to in-person marketing but there are several ways in which recording video and audio and using recordings can work to enhance your marketing campaign.
- Articles in Formal Media are important as sources of social proof. Formal media are mdiated through a reporter or editor and so, even when out of date they can still add credibility to your business.
- Interviews can be a helpful dimension to your business and they can be interviews of your clients and of you! Be aware that interviewers can be friendly, incompetant or hostile and be ready for whatever type of interviewer you get! But hostile interviews will be rare unless you're a politician!
- Advertising can be impersonal but it doesn't have to be, especially if it is local advertising. This post looks at the opportunities you you may have to advertise locally.
I shall add to these in-person marketing techniques from time to time as new possibilities occur to me. If there is an approach you would like to write about, please leave a comment on one of the posts above.