6 Multi-Channel Marketing Tips for Local Businesses
March 24, 2022
Building your brand is vital to long-term growth in your local area
You want people to think of your brand first when they need the products or services you provide. But, how do you do that? You do it with multi-channel marketing!
To put it simply, multi-channel marketing is essentially using multiple channels to connect with your audience. It’s about being digitally present everywhere in your local market that you can be. In short, it ensures that you will always be where your target audience is.
Multi-channel marketing for a local business is key to success. Let’s break down six tips for doing it right and growing your business!
#1. Determine your best channels
The number of digital marketing channels you’re on will depend on many things, including your budget and how much time you have to devote to marketing. The big ones that every local business should focus on are search, social and local.
Search – When someone searches for your brand on Google or Bing, you want to be in control of what they see. You also want to target the best keyword for your business in the local area, particularly the keyword that will help your business rank on Google Maps (i.e. “chiropractor near me” or “plumber near me”).
Social – Today, people spend the majority of their time online on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. That’s why you’re going to want a presence there, both organically and paid. That means that you need to be posting organic content regularly and running paid social media ads.
Local – There are more than 50 local business directories out there that people use to find businesses in their area. You’re going to want to make sure you’re listed on those directories, and you’re going to want listings management software that can help you create those listings all at once. Other important local channels include digital radio and TV ads, and even digital billboards.
#2. Determine your budget
Once you decide on which channels you want to be on, you’re going to want to decide which channels are most important to you. I recommend choosing three to five channels that you really value. Of course, the more channels you can be on, the better, but the number of channels you really focus on is going to depend on your budget.
The reason the number of channels you focus on is so important is that you’ll want to spend at least $20 a day per channel. If you are focusing on five channels, that adds up to $100 a day — and a $3,000 investment per month. If you don’t have the budget for that, determine how much you’re willing to invest, and keep in mind the budget for each channel should be about $600 per month.
The channels you can invest in, and the more you invest in those channels, the more visibility you’ll get. But, we’ve found that $20 a day per channel is the minimum investment you need to see results.
#3. Determine your campaign length
How long will you let a campaign run before you will start to see the true results? This is the campaign length, and I recommend giving it at least six months. If you haven’t given it at least six months, you haven’t given it time to sink in.
When people see a digital billboard or an online advertisement, they rarely take instant action. It rents space in their mind so that, the next time they need your product or service, they think of you first. Think of your campaigns as building a pipeline to future success.
Yes, you’ll see some results in the first month, but they won’t be as good as the results you’ll get in the second month, and those won’t be as good as the results you’ll get in the sixth month.
#4. Track your results
How do you track the success of a multi-channel campaign that’s targeting growing your brand? You’re going to want to look at each campaign specifically and the results that they’re driving, but what you really need to do is look at more of a blended approach. Each of these channels works together, so you might get the wrong idea if you judge one channel against another.
Instead, look at how your broader multi-channel strategy is doing overall. To do this, track your overall traffic increase, overall conversion increase — how many leads and sales you’re getting — and overall cost per conversion. You’ll also want to track increases in direct traffic, which is how many people go directly to your website, as well as increases in organic brand searches, better results in paid brand ads and an increase in your social presence (like the number of followers you have, the amount of engagement your posts get, etc.).
#5. Build social proof and a strong online reputation
Once people start recognizing your brand, they’ll often want to see what your online reputation is or look for social proof before they’re ready to actually work with you. The first place they’ll look is your reviews.
In order to build a strong online reputation, you need lots of reviews and a solid average star rating (four or five-star average). You’re going to want a strong reputation — stronger than your competitors. Having a strong online reputation gives prospective customers the confirmation they need to know they’ve made the right choice by choosing you.
The second place people will look to learn more about your business is for social proof. Do you have followers on social media? Are you posting regularly and engaging with your community? Social media is the place to show that you’re engaging with your customers and the community, and that you provide great service.
#6. Use a CRM with built-in automation
You’re going to want to nurture your leads and your customers. This is going to drive sales, and it’s also going to turn more leads into customers. The best way to do this is with a CRM with automated nurture campaigns.
You’ve done all of this work to build your brand and get leads in the door. Nurturing those leads is not only how you turn them into customers; it’s how you get more lifetime value out of them. A CRM will help you stay organized and continually follow up so that you close more deals and get more repeat business and referrals.
Nurturing is the key to success because it drives profitability in the long run.