It’s very easy to assume that if you have a business located in a given area, sooner or later the people who live there will offer their patronage. But that’s not entirely true, and only the most entitled of us fail to see that fact.
In order to embrace a community, or better yet, let it embrace you, you have to be staunchly on their side. In other words, you can’t price gouge them, you can’t fail to understand their wants and needs, and you can’t have loftier ambitions than perhaps the area might be used to.
What does this mean in practice? Well, consider the classic episode of Kitchen Nightmares where Gordon Ramsy visits a Scottish restaurant failing to appeal to the locals because of high prices and an entitled attitude.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t reach for the stars, but it’s important to be very realistic and focused about the market you serve. It’s their opinion that counts, at the end of the day.
All this excites various interesting questions. The first of all is – how is your business thought of in the local community? In this post, we’ll ask that question and more:
Customer Service & Satisfaction
How important is a satisfied customer to you? This isn’t a trick question, you as a business leader are able to decide that for yourself. That said, it’s also important to consider that customers speak to one another. In a small community, it doesn’t take long for word to spread. Even in large towns or small cities, you may breed familiarity among your audience and the locals, for better or worse.
Sometimes, then, it’s better to guarantee satisfaction. You might achieve that through price matches in your local market, no-questions-asked refunds if they’re not happy with their first order, regular promotions, and reaching out to your customers or clients for their opinions to see if you could improve in any way. This at the very least shows you’re making a direct effort to be part of the community, and to cater to its wishes.
Local Partnerships & Collaborations
How integrated you are in the local community matters, but remember that the community isn’t solely comprised of consumers. It’s also businesses, and professionals, and influencers who gain the most attention in your community. Of course, we’re not talking about online influencers but real influencers, perhaps the local charity running the homeless shelter, the store that makes products famed for miles around, and even the local governmental departments.
You might decide to integrate into this community more readily through careful investments. For example, sponsoring local sports teams so they can keep their club going might give you a tasty advertisement opportunity, while also helping you gain the goodwill of those people who support the culture of your local area. Outreach like this is not only fun to achieve, it’s a win for both sides.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing Strategies
You can bet that word-of-mouth marketing is absolutely essential to consider. Sure, it’s nice when people have good things to say about your brand, but remember, negative warnings against using your services can spread faster, more easily, and last for longer. As a rule of thumb, if someone has a great experience with you, they’re liable to tell around three people. If they have a terrible experience, they’ll tell seven.
But how can you police word of mouth? You can’t of course, thankfully. But can you influence it in a positive direction? In some cases, yes. A fantastic customer support response to a complaint can help you shift common perception even among someone who was aggrieved. If you’re known for making a mistake but going the extra mile to rectify it, well, you might be looked at more fondly than if you hadn’t made the mistake at all, ironically enough.
Understanding these marketing dynamics can help you prioritize what matters – such as not stopping until a customer is satisfied, always thanking visitors for their custom, and celebrating your position in the community, dismissing any notions that your company feels entitled to its place there. Moreover, you’ll use marketing methods that have the most impact. A social media banner may be seen by targeted demographics, but outdoor banner printing is certain to proudly display your business for what it is in the community.
To conclude, it’s very important to consider how your business is thought of in the local community. After all, no business is an island. It takes a sustained reputation reinforced and supported by your market to grow. Sure, you can sell items online, you can even export goods internationally, but nothing is quite as strong as having the support of a local community, no matter if you serve its customers, clients, or businesses.
