Tried and True: The “New” Rules for Local Business

 

 

In this digital age, the technology and techniques for acquiring new customers and connecting with existing ones online are constantly evolving. But local businesses shouldn’t just view online marketing strategies as an obligation, as if they need to do it just because it’s the “latest thing” and everyone else is doing it.

Instead, local businesses should treat online marketing – especially social media marketing – as an opportunity to bring the heart and culture of their business to an even larger audience than ever before. Because creating human relationships, a warm and favorable feeling towards your brand and investing in a local community isn’t new – businesses have been doing this for decades.

As TechCrunch recently put it: “Great local businesses have always been people-based businesses that understand the power of relationships and the importance of participating in a local community. There’s a reason the car dealership sponsors the local little league team. What these businesses haven’t yet been able to figure out is how to take what they’re already doing in their local communities and transfer it to the new world of Facebook and the Web.”

The same kind of around-town news you’d find in neighborhood newspapers and pamphlets is exactly what you want to share with local consumers on a local business Facebook fan page, Cast page, or Twitter. That’s because the places online where people connect with one another on a human level are also the best places where you can bring your business to life online. And having a real person to do this for you is what humanizes your brand and lends warmth and personal appeal to your marketing, all of which influences the consumers who positively impact your bottom line.

Looking for a people-based social media marketing solution for your business? We humbly suggest our Mashable award-winning ReachCast. 

Angela Epley writes about online advertising & web presence for the ReachLocal blog, which focuses on local business online marketing strategies.