As we discussed in our last post, Pandemic Buying Habits that Are Here to Stay, many small and local businesses saw an increase in support from their communities amidst the global pandemic.
Research conducted by Shopify.com found that 46% of buyers in the US and Canada said they made purchases from local, independently owned businesses since the pandemic started. 79% of those people said they did so to support their communities or protect local jobs.
The research indicates that buyers truly want to support small, independent businesses. They like the unique products and services these companies have to offer, the personalized customer care they receive, and the impact their support has on the local community. Commerce powerhouses like Amazon, Walmart.com, etc. cannot compete in these areas. For that reason, we can expect customers to increase their support of local favorites, old and new.
Make Your Mark
In order for buyers to support your businesses, they must first know about you and where to find you. Make yourself known! Here are some ways your business can increase your visibility in the marketplace:
Word of Mouth
66% of those surveyed indicated that they learned about local businesses through recommendations from friends/family. DPA Impact can help you start a customer referral program to capture word of mouth recommendations. (See our next blog post for more details.)
Social Media
37% cited social media as a source. Consider Facebook/Instagram ads to up your social media game. Yes, we do that too!
Passerby Traffic
42% said they found out about shops in their area by walking or driving by. If you have a storefront, let us help you strategize ways to capture more walk-in traffic.
Directories and Alliances
Add your business listing to local shopping directories. Join your local chamber of commerce/business alliance groups to partner with other local businesses to pool resources on community-wide promotions or campaigns.
Online Visibility
Let the internet do the talking. DPA Impact can help you optimize local SEO for online maps, help you keep your Google Maps listing updated to reflect current hours and information, strategize incentive reviews on Google, Yelp, etc., and more.
Use every unique quality about your small business to your advantage.
DPA Impact recognizes the challenge of “singing your own praises” to market your business. As a full service marketing agency for ag, construction, and transportation companies, we can help you identify and articulate your business’s best strengths and attributes. We’ll implement the best tools to get you noticed!
