Earlier this year, Gerrit Curran and Emily Wessner opened a Jersey Mike’s Subs in Muhlenberg Township, Pennsylvania. To gain traction in their township of 20,000, these entrepreneurs knew their new business must be closely tied to their community. Curran and Wessner chose to use print as their primary marketing channel. Their staff
distributed nearly 7,500 sandwich coupons throughout the community, encouraging patrons to enjoy a free sub and donate to the Muhlenberg Township Athletic Association.
The promotion helped raise over $15,000, and the franchise gained an admirable reputation as a devoted community partner.
Stand Out in Your Community
Print marketing can be especially effective in creating a local marketing presence, especially when combined with integrated campaign efforts. Smart business owners know that catering to a local market can be powerful. How do you leverage this connection? Here are several ways to connect your on- and off-line presence in compelling ways:
Demonstrate Community Connection - Integrate your business into local festivals, sponsorship opportunities, and regional traditions. Does your community host a hot dog festival? Find fun ways to weave this theme into your flyers or sales. Share pictures or postcards about your brand participating in local fundraisers or service drives. Start conversations on local events and, whenever possible, relate them to your business.
Personalize Advertisements - When advertising for your business, highlight testimonies or quotes from real customers. Try before and after pictures, photos of your customers at local venues, or advertisements featuring your content in front of an area mascot.
Another option is to tailor your ads to regional events. Does your city sponsor a music festival? Offer helpful content like advice on where to park, where kids eat for a discount or print coupons that fill a need for visitors. Creating ads with local content will connect with your audience on a very personal level.
Invent Reasons to Make a Difference - Too often, organizations focus on community involvement for selfish reasons like more profits or more marketing. Instead, take a “community in the front, business in the rear” approach. Whether you build a nature center with other businesses or create a contest for local charities, genuinely help people, and the benefits will follow. Plus, employees and volunteers will love submitting their photos to your company's social media pages.
Tell Your Story - If you’re from the area you’re targeting, do your best to tell the story of how your business came to life. Make a video, print inserts for your bags or envelopes, or have your story displayed onsite. Customers love to support local businesses, especially those founded or run by a hard-working local resident.
Find, Engage, Repeat - While your brand may serve customers beyond your region, an enormous
85% of business owners depend on word-of-mouth referrals, so it is vital to actively influence your friends and neighbors!
When satisfied local customers are committed to your success, your business can do more with less while continuing to succeed.
Need help giving your brand an extra boost in the community? We’d be happy to help with your local marketing needs. Contact us today by phone at 310-626-3700 or email at printing@alphagraphics.com to find out more!