20 Tactics Local Companies Can Use To Win Loyal Customers Upon Launch

Forbes Leadership 20 Tactics Local Companies Can Use To Win Loyal Customers Upon Launch Expert Panel® Forbes Councils Member Forbes Agency Council COUNCIL POST Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based) Jun 20, 2023, 01:15pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin getty When a locally based company first launches, its leaders can leverage smart tactics to gain exposure in the community and ensure success right out of the gate.

A new local business can make a digital splash by using social media platforms, for example, to engage with target audiences and promote the products or services it’s introducing. From offering special promotions and discounts during the startup phase to sponsoring community events, there are many effective ways to attract shoppers to a new local business and inspire them to become loyal repeat customers. Below, 20 Forbes Agency Council members share strategic tips for navigating the launch of a new local company and ensuring success and sustainable growth.

1. Partner With Local Creators A great way for a local company to gain exposure during its launch is to partner with local creators who have a strong bond with their community. Many restaurants, hotels and local businesses see huge success from leveraging social media.

By partnering with local creators, businesses can reach their target audience effectively and create the desired word-of-mouth effect quickly and easily. – Anastasia Cecchetto , Ace Influencers 2. Create Memorable, Inviting Experiences Word-of-mouth is your best marketing tactic in companies, big or small.

As a local business, you can delight and surprise your passersby and customers. I had a friend who gifted flowers as people crossed the path of her new cheese and provisions shop downtown. She had a photo-worthy, floral-covered pergola near her entrance and comfy “human and dog parking” out front.

– Carm Lyman , Lyman Agency 3. Address Community Pain Points Identify the pain points of the local people and offer products or services that cater to those needs. By addressing the specific needs of the community, the company can attract loyal customers and establish a strong reputation, leading to long-term success and growth.

It’s also essential to keep delivering quality products or services and continue to innovate to stay ahead of the competition. – Dmitrii Kustov , Regex SEO MORE FOR YOU ‘Demon Slayer’ Announces Hashira Training Arc, Here’s A Release Date Estimate Elon Musk’s Reputation Takes A Hit As Tesla Falls Short Philippine Tycoons Raise Proposed Investment To Upgrade Airport To $4. 8 Billion Amid Tourism Boom 4.

Create A Hyperlocal Pre-Launch Strategy Implement a pre-launch strategy that builds brand awareness within a hyperlocal area prior to the official opening of the local business. Use the pre-launch as a testing ground to determine winning messaging and incentives that can shed light on consumer sentiment and conversion rates. Once the company has launched, you’ll already have the beginning formula for finding success and growth.

– Stephanie Sprayregen , Spray Marketing 5. Gain Visibility Through Local Publications And Radio Demonstrating community is key! Tactics will vary by industry, but local publications and vehicles—such as radio with talent integration, print, events, sports and more—are effective ways to gain visibility when audiences are in the community mindset. Nonpaid tactics such as public relations or partnerships with local brands are other great ways to build credibility, as long as those relationships feel organic.

– Christa Chavez , À La Carte Media Consulting Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify? 6. Create A Launch Plan For When You’re Ready To Open Create a launch plan, like restaurants do with soft and grand openings.

Don’t simply place the “Open” sign in the window and tell your friends. Small businesses must have a grand opening, invite the community and launch a digital strategy. Do this only when your business is ready.

Telling people a service or product “is coming soon” is not ideal. Launch when you have all your oars in the water! – T. Maxwell , eMaximize 7.

Partner With Local Influencers Consider partnering with local influencers and creators. These individuals often have deep ties to the community and can present a new business to receptive, enthusiastic audiences. By showcasing the launch through authentic viewpoints, new local brands can build the kind of trusted loyalty that leads to longtime success.

– Danielle Wiley , Sway Group 8. Consistently Share Your Story New local companies need to be consistent in sharing their stories. I’ve seen a lot of companies open, launch a product, and then one month later, they have no plan to keep going.

One thing these companies have in common is that they thought one announcement would drive business forever. To ensure growth and loyal customers, they need to be consistently telling their stories and finding new ways to spark interest. – John Boyanoski , Complete PR 9.

Utilize Micro-Influencers To Amplify Your Story A local company needs to tell its story and utilize local micro-influencers to help spread that story around town. A local, small business needs to find the best storytellers, creators and influencers within close proximity to them. It has been proven that new customers will listen to voices of influence before making a purchase online or arriving at a local storefront.

– Mark Cunha , My People Know 10. Collaborate With The Local Chamber Of Commerce Working with the local chamber of commerce to publicize the grand opening creates both visibility and credibility. Hosting an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony will provide the opportunity to capture great photos and video that can be leveraged on social media, in a news release and email blasts.

Signs and balloons, targeted postcards and boosted posts on social media also help to increase awareness. – Marie Swift , Impact Communications, Inc. 11.

Form Strong Relationships With Local Partners Form partnerships and collaborations with other local businesses, events or organizations to tap into their networks and increase awareness of your brand. By building strong relationships with local partners, you can establish credibility, generate referrals and create a mutually beneficial network that helps your business grow and succeed. – Ajay Prasad , GMR Web Team 12.

Give Back To The Community With A Local Charity Partnering with a local charity is a wonderful way for a new business to gain exposure while also giving back. By partnering with an organization that aligns with the company’s values and potentially hosting a launch event, it will provide the company with exposure in its community. This will add value to the local charity while giving the company a way to connect with new potential customers.

– Elyse Flynn Meyer , Prism Global Marketing Solutions 13. Post Regularly On Social Media From The Get-Go Frequent posting on social media allows you to curate a brand voice that makes your followers want to share your posts. Use your social media accounts to announce special offers and other incentives to draw attention to your offerings.

– Hannah Trivette , NUVEW Web Solutions 14. Partner With A Local Media Company One of the smartest ways for a local company to gain exposure is to make sure it stands out from its competition, then partner with a local media company to get its message in front of new customers. Use bold, bright colors in your marketing materials and don’t be afraid to stand out.

Local media companies know their audiences. Tap into those relationships to grow your customers. – Dennis Cook , Nexstar Digital 15.

Leverage Community-Focused Marketing A smart way for a new local company to gain exposure is through community-focused marketing. This involves sponsoring local events, partnering with local businesses or starting loyalty programs for local customers. Optimizing the company’s online presence for local SEO, maintaining an active presence on social media and encouraging customer reviews will significantly enhance visibility as well.

– Blake George , BMG Media Co. 16. Attend And Speak At Local Networking Events Attending local networking events such as chamber of commerce meetings or industry conferences is a great way for local companies to gain exposure and make connections.

Being a speaker at these events can further increase your reach and establish you as an expert in your field. This allows you to build relationships not only with potential customers, but also with other businesses in your community. – Adam Binder , Creative Click Media 17.

Make Your Community Contributions Recognizable Connect with other local businesses, events and networking groups to establish working partnerships. To gain exposure faster, you want your local community members to recognize your contribution to their community. Cross-promote, host in-person experiences with your community and reach out to local influencers to attend and hype up your event.

You never know how valuable one Instagram post might be. – Bernard May , National Positions 18. Know Your Audience Know your audience to grow your audience! It’s the foundation of successful marketing and informs every launch tactic used.

For example, why spend on mass media and influencers if you’re trying to reach school moms? Meet them where they’re at with an in-school roadshow. Or maybe your research tells you the kids are the primary influencers. Starting with knowing your audience will always determine how you finish.

– Louise Mezzina , Mojo Group 19. Partner With Complementary Area Businesses Local businesses can often do very well by partnering with other complementary companies in their area so that they can promote each other. Then, once those new customers come in, they must provide a fantastic experience right from the beginning because first impressions are everything for new customers.

– Andrew Maffettone , BlueTuskr 20. Make Sure Your Website Is Well-Optimized A well-optimized website goes a long way toward gaining exposure and trust. A clean and adequately operational site can not only allow for stronger visibility within search results, but can also create a better user experience and portray the company as being more trustworthy and professional.

– Larry Gurreri , Sosemo LLC Check out my website . Expert Panel® Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.