The Top 5 Reasons Shopping Local Improves Your Community

We've heard that shopping local benefits our local communities, but how? Get the conversation started with the help of our "shop small" cheat sheet!

1. Keep your money local!

Unlike when you shop at chain stores, when you spend money locally a significantly larger portion of that money stays in the local economy. Sounds like a great excuse to buy those shoes you’ve been eyeballing.

2. Jobs!

6 times as many local jobs are created when spending is directed towards locally owned and independent businesses instead of chains. By shopping local, you’re directly helping create jobs.

3. Preserving local character and flare.

Locally owned businesses help generate strong communities by preserving town centers, connecting neighbors, and drawing in out-of-town customers. On top of that, small businesses donate about twice as much per employee to local charitable organizations as large businesses. So basically, every time you go shopping you’re donating to charity. Good for you!

4. Quality is king!

Local businesses don’t base their products and prices off of some big national sales plan. Instead, they make products the community has an actual desire/need for. Moreover, they are able to individually help each customer find exactly what it is that they are looking for. This passion for their job and personalized service helps guarantee product quality and customer satisfaction.

5. Your taxes at work.

Local businesses in town centers require substantially less infrastructure investment than big box chains. Small businesses also make more efficient use of public services as compared to the nationally owned stores entering the community.

The Importance of Local Business

Keri Senderak, Director of Marketing and Communications at Save Local Now, was interviewed on the importance of supporting local. See her full interview here.

Why is buying local so important to businesses and the economy as a whole?

At the most basic level, buying local ensures that more money stays in the community. In fact, for every $100 spent at a locally-owned store, $45 remains in the local economy. By shopping at the local “mom and pop” style store instead of these “big box” corporations, consumers can rest assured knowing that they’re doing their part at keeping their communities unique and thriving.

How does buying local save money?

Buying local saves people money in several ways. These small businesses are close to home, meaning that many people don’t need to travel far to get to them. Products (like fruit and produce) are made or grown at local locations, so they don’t have to travel far to get where they’re going. This means that, in many cases, there is no middle man. This translates to lower prices for the business owner and, of course, the consumer.

What are the current trends you’re seeing in local communities?

Saving money by buying local. I’ve noticed that many chambers of commerce (more specifically those that have partnered with Save Local Now) are encouraging “buy local” initiatives. Now more than ever chambers and their small businesses recognize that when consumers buy local, they are also assisting in the creation and retention of jobs.

Where do you see local businesses in the next few years? Few decades?
I only see communities and their local businesses growing stronger. Many of us concern ourselves with “what’s trending.” These “buy local” promotions are most definitely trending, but I also believe they’re here to stay. People genuinely care about their communities; they want a booming downtown area, safe streets to walk on, job opportunities and friendly atmospheres. Honestly though, who doesn’t? I don’t see small business going anywhere any time soon.

You partner closely with chambers of commerce. What are some things you do together?

We partner exclusively with chambers of commerce to help their member businesses. We discovered that many of these small business owners didn’t have the tools they need to ensure a successful business. We void that gap by partnering with the chamber. The chamber pays for SLN services, and their members get SLN as an added benefit for being a member of the chamber. Currently, Save Local Now is in 27 states, and more than 80,000 member businesses have received SLN as a NO-COST member benefit. Here at Save Local Now, we are all about the small business owner, and will do whatever we can to guarantee the success of that business, the community they’re in and the chamber of commerce that supports them.

You can follow Keri and Save Local Now on Facebook and Twitter.

First Published at Save Local Now

Get your GOBBLE on with SLN!

As you know by now, Save Local Now is a true “Buy Local” initiative. With the holidays now just weeks away (can you believe it?!), we wanted to highlight how easy it is to promote your business on the SLN platform. Throwing a special Thanksgiving event? No problem! Offering a Thanksgiving FEAST of savings? Even better! Drive consumer traffic by creating promotions on your Save Local Now platform.

Consumers are looking to buy local this season; let’s make it easy on them! Use your Save Local Now platform to promote fresh produce, holiday décor, or where to buy the plumpest turkey in town; this will drive consumer traffic and encourage shoppers to keep their money close to home this season.

Last but not least, don’t forget to share the promotions you create with Save Local Now’s social sharing benefit; reach more consumers in just 1 click!

From our table to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

First Published at Save Local Now

Keep Your Marketing Fresh on the off Season

Many companies experience their best profit margins in the summer. However, and more often than not, when the warm weather starts to fade so do the customers. For many small businesses, autumn means a drop in profit and a noticeable slowdown in overall sales. We’ve put together a list of tips for keeping your marketing fresh, so you can avoid the dreaded "slow season."

1. Never forget the power of "free." Offering your customers something for nothing is a great way to keep them coming in through the door. Whether it’s free samples, a loyalty program, or free swag; if you give it, they will come.
2. Don’t skimp on social media. It’s easy to update your Instagram when it’s bright and sunny out, but the veteran social media user knows that consistency is key when it comes to adding and retaining customers. Try to stay as active on your various networking sites in the fall and winter as you are in the spring and summer. This will keep you fresh in your customers mind.
3. Use the holidays to your advantage. Taking advantage of all the holidays and festivities in the fall and winter months will help you maintain a steady buzz about your business. Offer holiday themed deals, have seasonal sales, and orient your product for specific seasons to drive business. Are there any local harvest festivals in your area? Getting involved in seasonal community events will keep business flowing.
4. Get Interactive. Giving your customers the ability to interact with you and your business will create a sense of loyalty. By reaching out to your customers online (via email, social media, etc.) and in person you give them a personal reason to keep coming out in those cold months.
5. Have fun with it! Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t be just as motivated and excited as you are in the summer. Your mood will be infectious and will get passed on to your customers. This could be as small as making sure your employees are offering a warm hello as your customers walk through the door to an extravagant winter advertising campaign. Stay cheerful and your customers will thank you.

Save Local Now provides everything you need to create a profitable and meaningful marketing strategy for your business.

First Published at Save Local Now

About Sarah Alessi

Sarah is one of $LN's Digital Marketing Consultants. When she isn't collecting antique Wedgwood pottery or eating hot dogs at the baseball stadium, Sarah is helping local businesses thrive! sarah@savelocalnow.com

Have a Big Event Coming Up? For Successful Promotion, Think Like a Millennial

Young people these days…always submerged in their smartphones, tablets and laptops for hours on end – never taking time to appreciate the world and all it has to offer. Well, not only are these young people ("Millennials") accessing more content and learning more information than ever before, it turns out they have something to teach us about marketing and publicity. Thinking like a Millennial can actually help promote your business’ next event or outing.

Here are some tips to harness the marketing power of the Millennial:

1.) Millennials like short and sweet messages

The reason so many younger people are flocking towards Twitter and away from Facebook is because the platform offers concise content with less clutter. Millennials know how to tweet something catchy and bold in 140 characters with smart hashtags to emphasize their message.

Use Twitter to build excitement around your next event and engage your community. Create a hashtag for the event that people will begin to recognize and repeat. Smart, short tweets with clever hashtags will intrigue your target audience and create a buzz around your event.

2.) Millennials are anywhere and everywhere online

So why shouldn’t your business be, too? Millennials have shown us that using one social media platform to get out a message only covers a small portion of the audience and restricts the type of content they can post.

If you have the means to do so, use different types of social media to promote your next event. Post pictures, messages, hashtags and links to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. If the Ice Bucket Challenge has shown us anything, it is that video content is a great way to get attention and support. Post a short video about your event and business to show your audience what it’s all about!

3.) "But First, Let Me Take a Selfie."

We all know of the obsession younger people have with taking selfies, but let’s be honest, you’ve probably taken some too.

During your event, take pictures of what’s going on and post it to social media. Even commission one of your employees to go around and take pictures of themselves or other people doing various things at the event. A live stream of activity will encourage more people to come and check it out.

The bottom line here is to be engaged in and passionate about your event. People will notice your enthusiasm if you post correctly. It will increase community engagement and heighten curiosity about your business and the event. Be smart. Be clever. Be excited. And embrace your inner Millennial!

Check our Save Local Now facebook, twitter and instagram page and feel free to share any of our posts. You just might find some inspiration there. Be social !

Citation: DiRoma, CJ. "Why You Should Think Like a Millennial to Promote Your Next Event". 17 Aug. 2014. http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/08/millennial-promote-your-event-online.html

About Tracey Willmott

Digital Marketing Consultant tracey@savelocalnow.com From a small town in Western New York, Tracey knows how to keep things local. If she's not eating, she's usually doing something outdoorsy or teaching spin class....or binging Netflix. Most importantly, she loves being a member of the engagement team, helping $LN businesses and chambers thrive! #shoplocal

First published at : http://blog.savelocalnow.com/think-like-a-millennial/

How to market yourself like a shark! (In honor of Shark week)

Often times the business world can mimic some of what we see in the natural world. With National Geographic’s ever-so-popular Shark Week coming to an end, we thought to connect marketers to the most powerful fish in the open sea.

1. Intuition
   
   A shark has 6 senses. This means they are constantly aware of their surroundings. One of the best things a marketer can do is be aware of what is going on around them (both with their business and with their client base). What’s trending? What are people searching for? What part of your business is being utilized the least? Put your sensors out there and feel around in order to develop a plan of attack. The Aberdeen Group tells us that 79% of leading marketers use analytics to track how specific pieces of content preform, which, over time, allows marketers to know exactly what will work and what won’t in advance. Use your impressions page in Save Local Now to stay on top of your campaigns and see what is working best for your company!


2. Tough skin
   
   A shark’s skin is made of something called “denticles,” meaning that the outer layer of their skin is literally made of tiny little teeth. This makes for a pretty impenetrable outer layer. One of the best things a marketer can do is be prepared for trial and error. Take the bad feedback along with the good and learn how to make changes as needed in order to keep swimming.


3. Adaptability
   
   
   
   There are over 470 different species of shark; with each species, you will find a wide range of specialized skill that helps them survive in their environment. Businesses should also learn how to adapt and how to change their message, even sometimes their product, in order to meet the customer at their level. Maybe you had a certain idea for how you were going to brand yourself but it doesn’t seem to be working. Take a look around the market and see what other successful businesses in your industry are doing. Then come up with your own plan to blow them out of the water!
   
   
   
   
   
4. A mutually beneficial relationship
   
   Sharks have a mutually beneficial relationship with fish called remoras that often swim with, or directly attach themselves, to many species of sharks. Both species benefit from this relationship as remoras get transportation and a free meal and sharks get a good cleaning! When you think of marketing, you should always try to think of it as married to sales. Your sales team needs a marketing plan that works for them, while marketing needs feedback from sales in order to grow and develop accurately.

So next time you think ofhow to best market your business, remember to think like a shark!

While I would love to take full credit for this article, alas, this article was inspired by this one.

About Alicia
 

Alicia is one of the Digital Marketing Consultants for Save Local Now. She hails from Northeast Ohio but loves to travel and immerse herself in new cultures. Alicia is the free spirit of the $LN team. Her most important task is to keep the office lively and relaxed. alicia.busa@savelocalnow.com

Save Local Now Widget

Introducing one of the newest perks to the SLN platform…..(drum roll please)…the Save Local Now Widget! We never stop trying to improve our platform for chambers, businesses and consumers alike; and this is just another great way to keep everything local and promote your members. Not sure what a widget is or how it works? No need to fear, we’ve got you covered!

What is the Save Local Now Widget?
 
The Save Local Now Widget allows chambers of commerce to take the content they and their members post on Save Local Now and embed it directly within a website. It’s a great way to add quality substance and drive more traffic to a chamber and its member businesses.

Need a visual? Check out one of our partner chambers, Boost Fayetteville, for an example! http://www.boostfayetteville.com/promote/

How does the widget work?
 
There are three separate Save Local Now widgets: Local Businesses, Local Deals and Local Events. You can use all three widgets or any combination of the three, depending on your need. We provide chambers with a customized code for each one, which just needs to be copied and pasted into the website framework. It’s that easy!

Anything else I should know about the widget?
 
The widget team at Save Local Now has worked with a variety of websites and chambers, providing suggestions for each one to make sure everything functions perfectly. Bonus: once the widget is installed, our team can color match it to fit the look of any chamber’s website.

How do I get started?
 
Interested in learning more about the Save Local Now widget for your chamber’s website? Visit http://savelocalnow.com/widget to set up a brief call today! We’ll go over all the details and answer any questions you have. *You must be a signed chamber partner with Save Local Now to use the widgets.*

This is a win-win for chambers and businesses alike. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.

First Published at Save Local Now

About Tracey Willmott
 

Digital Marketing Consultant tracey@savelocalnow.com From a small town in Western New York, Tracey knows how to keep things local. If she's not eating, she's usually doing something outdoorsy or teaching spin class....or binging Netflix. Most importantly, she loves being a member of the engagement team, helping $LN businesses and chambers thrive! #shoplocal

Tips for building your email list

So you have a free email marketing platform through Save Local Now, but you don’t have an email list. Well, there’s no better time to start building a list of contacts than right now. We’re going to share a few simple ways to get you started.

First, why should you use email marketing from $LN? Here’s a couple stats from a Hubspot article that will blow your mind.

1. More than 90% of consumers check their email daily.
2. About 3/4 of all consumers would rather receive commercial information through email than any other method of communication.
3. Here’s the kicker – Email marketing, in general, has an ROI of 4300%.

Those stats noted, now it’s time to kick things into high gear and get your email list started! Use these tips to help.

1. When you are ringing someone out, ask them if they are interested in receiving email updates. These customers are already making purchases from you, so they are likely to come back again. Also, repeat customers spend about 67% more than the average customer. (Access Loyalty)
2. Have a contest that requires consumers to sign up for your email list. Once they sign up for your email list, as long as you don’t abuse their contact information, they are not likely to unsubscribe.
3. Offer exclusive deals and promotions via email. Send these consumers special deals once in awhile. Exclusivity always piques the imagination, and you have a great platform to promote exclusive deals!

Now use these ideas and watch your email list grow. Then start sending high quality email campaigns with the Save Local Now email marketing platform!

First Published at Save Local Now

About Zach

Operations Manager zach.mccrory@savelocalnow.com
View all posts by Zach →

5 Events to Have In July

Summertime and the livin’ is easy…

July is a great month to plan some fun and fresh campaigns for your business. Even though Independence Day has passed, there’s still a lot of great ways you can get your customers to celebrate with you!

1. Christmas in July

Everyone loves to celebrate Christmas, but now you can do it without the chilly weather! Host a Christmas in July party at your place of work. Have people dress up in their santa hats and ugly sweaters! Here in Ohio we love our Great Lakes Brewery Christmas Ale and some businesses even save a keg or two especially for this time of year. Don’t forget to promote your event on Save Local Now for everyone to see!

2. Health and Wellness

 

Everyone likes to have fun and stay fit during the summer. Host a day that encourages health and wellness. Whether it’s a fun game at the office or a field day of activities, anything that encourages friendly competition can make for a fun day. The best activities will also take advantage of the weather. Why not invite customers and clients and go on a company hike! Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!

3. Join the Community Events

 

Is there a fair or festival coming up? Join in on the fun! Share updates on social media and take some time to enjoy the activities. If you’re a retailer or restaurant see if you can set up a tent. You’re guaranteed to get new customers and get more involved in the community. These things only come once a year!

4. BBQ

 

Don’t forget about the food! Grill out with some hot eats and cool treats. Take your office out for ice cream or have a cookout! Invite your loyal customers over for a BBQ. You could also get a gift certificate to the local ice cream place and have a sweepstakes. Our experience is almost anything you can do with food, will make people happy! :)

5. Summer Romance

 

Summer is the time for love! Take advantage of that opportunity by offering up exclusives. Have an enter-to-win date night package complete with movie tickets and a gift card to a local restaurant. Promote a special pre-date spa package for your clients. Whatever type of business you have, see if there is something special you can do for couples.

Not only will all of these ideas help build stronger relationships within the staff and with the customers, it will also give you stronger ties to the community. A little planning goes a long way to make some fun for everyone! Best part of all, you can use the Save Local Now platform to promote all these events. So log in, get started, and get out there and enjoy the season!

First Published at Save Local Now

About Grace

 

Grace is one of the Digital Marketing Consultants at $LN. She received her degree in video production and communications from Ohio University. Grace is a film connoisseur and loves to talk movies! She also loves food and horses. grace.roulston@savelocalnow.com

Become a Digital Marketing Superhero: It’s as easy as 1,2,3……and 4

Would you like to know how to get that competitive edge and take digital media two, three, even four steps ahead of just simply using social media? Of course you do! It would be silly not to, so sit back, relax and learn your way to the top of this crazy digital world of ours.

Okay, so you have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a website. Do you think that is enough to separate you from the millions of other small businesses? (Psst….probably not). However, the fact that you are reading this blog tells me that you are ready to take things to the next level.
So let’s cut to the chase and jump right into the four steps that will create this much needed separation.

STEP 1: STRATEGIZE TO RISE ABOVE THE OTHER GUYS:

Ask yourself the who, what, when, where, why and how.

• Who are you trying to appeal to? (Target Market)
• In what ways can you effectively appeal to the right clientele?
• When does your customer base most frequently use social media?
• Where are the right places to post your content?
• You are on social media platforms, but why?
• How can you creatively use social media to engage with your customers?

These are the sort of questions you need to ask yourself. It is not enough to simply be on social media, you must have a strategic plan in place to achieve the results that you want.

Whatever you do, don’t be this guy!

STEP 2: UNDERSTAND THAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS ONLY ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE:

Be proud that you have a great Facebook page, Twitter account, Google plus, Instagram, etc. However, to be a big hitter in the game of business and the digital world you must establish something beyond that of social media. Jump on the email marketing boat (Helpful Hints for Email Marketing), become a blogger, create powerful networks with LinkedIn, stick your business logo/icon wherever you go, literally…..be everywhere. Make your name unforgettable!  In fact, “companies that blog 15% or more times per month get 5x more traffic than companies that don’t blog” (30 Digital Marketing Statistics You Can’t Afford To Ignore). Whether it be social media, email, or blogging, those without this online presence are at an obvious disadvantage. Bypassing digital marketing is like saying, “I’m not really looking for more customers.”

STEP 3: ANALYTICS IS KEY TO TRACKING SUCCESS

Whenever someone asks me what analytics is or why it is so imperative for businesses to utilize its greatness, I always respond with this analogy: “when you throw spaghetti and meatballs at a wall some of it may stick and some of it may fall miserably to the floor.” Meaning that some things that you post (whether it be deals, events, etc.) get noticed while some may not. Without the analytics, how will you ever know if that 2-for-1 deal you have going on is getting the recognition you’ve hoped? When push comes to shove, analytics will save you time and money!

For a more in-depth look we recently dedicated a post that deals with everything you need to know about analytics and its significance to the business world. Check out the Top Three Reasons you Need Analytics (I am looking at you, small businesses owner).

STEP 4: PIECING IT ALL TOGETHER

You are so close! You have established a presence all over the web; social media, email, blog, LinkedIn and you now have the analytics to track its success. You are not finished just yet, so don’t quit on me!

When it comes to digital marketing the most important thing to remember is to link the pieces of the puzzle together:

• Post everywhere because “distributing your content across multiple social media platforms and utilizing multiple touch points is vital to building brand awareness and connecting with your audience in ways that seem natural to the people you want to reach.” A Social Media Strategy on Multiple Platforms
• To effectively engage with your customer base you need to create the perfect posts.
• Make sure your social media pages are appealing, here’s 5 things you need in order to do that.

Some of the more popular ways that businesses try to establish an online presence is through the use of Constant Contact and Groupon, which are both a good place to start. While they all can help you achieve a pretty decent online presence in their own specified way, it will make your wallets bleed. But if you are looking for a digital marketing platform that can do it all in one attractive and easy to use place then check out Save Local Now……oh, and I forgot to mention…ITS FREE to chamber partners and their members! To learn more, sign up for your free 1-on-1 training! If you’re looking to create that competitive edge I talked about earlier, I know you’ll make the right choice!

First Published at Save Local Now

About Sawyer Dina

Intern Extraordinaire (sawyer@savelocalnow.com). Sawyer is currently a student at John Carroll University, where he studies Marketing & Entrepreneurship and plays on the Varsity tennis team. He loves to travel the world (has been to 15 different countries), gain knowledge, and experience all that life has to offer.

5 Ways to Come Up with Better Marketing Campaigns

At Save Local Now I work one-on-one with businesses to help them learn how to best market themselves using our platform. When I get on a call, one of the most important questions I ask the business is “What is your goal?” This is important for a business to know. This single question determines not only your marketing strategy, but it also defines your business. Sometimes businesses have a goal in mind but they don’t know how to turn that goal into a marketing campaign. This list will help you create better campaigns that are consistent with your goal, relate to the customer, and work for both short term and long term planning.


1. Consider your customer
Are you looking for more general customers, or maybe a different type of customer? My coworker Grace was on a call with a salon who wanted to get more business. The business owner mentioned she carried a line of men’s products but when Grace asked if she had a lot of male clients she said she didn’t. From there they launched a good 6 months worth of ideas on how the Salon could get more male customers and therefore more general customers. This brings me to my next point.


2. Consider your unused product or service
Maybe you run a business and you provide three things. For example, let’s say you offer portrait photography, event videography, and you also have a gallery of finer artwork. Many of the businesses I speak to will have the bulk of their business in one thing (let’s say event videography). When I ask why, many businesses tend to write it off as “no one is really looking for a portrait photographer around here,” or in some other way blame it on the demand of the area. This, my friends, is a cop out. Sometimes people have only heard of one part of your business because of the lack of marketing effort on the businesses part. This could open you up to a whole new wave of customers and a growing prospering business.


3. What’s trending?
These days there is a constant flood of videos, pictures, humorous stories, “content marketing” being pushed our way. Social Media, technology, and even news agencies are great ways to distract any hard working person for literally hours on end. Why not embrace that culture? Did you see that hilarious cat meme from last week? Maybe if the local pet food store had put it in their promotion you would have, AND, had they done so, you would have noticed the 30% OFF sale on cat food. There’s also things like the World Cup/Olympic games/royal weddings to offer cool promotions for. It’s not something we should have to think too hard about. Be creative, and have fun!


4. Educate the masses
Many of the businesses I work with offer up a service and aren’t sure about how they might discount something. What about just offering up some free advice? There are a lot of topics people are concerned about right now; the new healthcare insurance, for instance. Just because you offer a very specialized service does not mean you should ignore your marketing efforts. Seminars, workshops, and classes are a great way to start a relationship and build on it with your future customers!


5. Consider the season
One of the easiest ways to make changes to your marketing efforts is to offer up seasonal specials. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should think up any old discount and slap the word “summer special” on it. Think about what is actually going on during that particular time of year and what people might be attracted to. Summers are a good time to consider weddings and event specials, also anything outdoors related. Spring is a great time for cleaning services or gardening specials. During the Fall season, people are usually thinking about food and family; and, of course, the holidays – always a great time for anyone to market anything as people are doing a lot of shopping. Whatever you offer, try to tie it into what people might already be looking for.


When you are ready to start planning your marketing, I challenge you to first ask “what is my goal?” When you have an answer, write it down. Then, use this list to help you determine how to achieve that goal. Come up with a plan for 3 months, 6 months and a year. Set up attainable but challenging goals at each of these marks and plan a reward for your business when you achieve them. Marketing should be fun and rewarding, but it shouldn’t always be flying by the seat of your pants. AND if you ever need more help, sign up for a training with us!


First Published at Save Local Now

About Alicia

Alicia is one of the Digital Marketing Consultants for Save Local Now. She hails from Northeast Ohio but loves to travel and immerse herself in new cultures. Alicia is the free spirit of the $LN team. Her most important task is to keep the office lively and relaxed. alicia.busa@savelocalnow.com

Content Marketing for Small Businesses

A common stereotype linked to content marketing is that it’s only for big business. While this stereotype is….well, a stereotype – it’s a stereotype for a reason. At this point, mostly big businesses are taking advantage of content marketing. So what gives, small business? Take your piece of the pie! The flavor? Mixed berry with a heavy side of SALES.

So, what is content marketing? Content marketing is a technique; it allows you to create and distribute valuable (and relevant) content that will attract a specific audience and, thus, create new business. Why do we need it? Well, today’s modern marketer knows that “selling” doesn’t work the way it used to. These content marketing tips will help ensure that you stay on top of your game, and ahead of the curve.

Now, we all somewhat remember the “four P’s” of traditional marketing (let’s be honest here, I had to look them up): product, price, place and promotion. However, there’s nothing “traditional” about content marketing; in other words, the “P’s” have been updated: plan, produce, publish, promote, and prove.

1. Plan: Decide what content formats make sense for you and your audience. Blogging, infographics, social media, and video – these are content formats that Save Local Now uses because they make sense for the company and contribute to our overall marketing objectives.
2. Produce: It’s time to create the content. Put together a detailed content strategy behind Wlleverything you create. Trust me – it will help.
3. Publish: The home for your content should most obviously be your company website. Share the content on your blog page and your social media sites.
4. Promote: Your content needs eyeballs on it; reading it, learning from it. Post your content on social media, drive traffic to your blog and your website; make it easy to understand and easy to share.
5. Prove: Content marketing is an investment; it takes time, hard work and dedication to make it effective. Therefore, analytics are crucial. Track your website and page views, your time spent, search engine results, etc. and compare your results.

Content marketing is an open-ended conversation that you’re having with people who are genuinely interested in what you have to say. CHERISH IT. And have some patience! Like traditional marketing, this will take time. BUT – your content, so long as it is high-quality, valuable and relevant content, will appeal to your clientele; they will begin to trust you, start citing you in their own content, etc. When you push it to your social media outlets you will earn shares, “likes,” and retweets. This will help spread your brand; it will allow you to create relationships with people you would have otherwise never reached. Content matters, people – but only if you do it right. And if you do it right? Well, that pie that you’ve been missing out on will soon be yours to share.
Carpenter, Tom. “The 5 P’s of Content Marketing.” Business to Community. 9 June 2014. Web. <http://bit.ly/1n462t3>.

View Original article here.

About Author

Director of Sales + Marketing - (avid lover of beagles) - keri@savelocalnow.com - Put your money where your home is. Keep it local. Trust the experts.* - *We're the experts.

5 Ways to Promote Your Business This Summer

Summertime is finally here! Now that everyone is out and about in town, it's time to put your small business outside, as well. Here are 5 great ways to market your business this summer:

1. Get OUTSIDE

   The weather is nice and you're sitting inside; air conditioning is a luxury, but that's no reason to be stuck indoors. Grab a golf umbrella and set up shop outside your store. At the very least, get out some sidewalk chalk. If you're place is on a strip or a street with other businesses, collaborate with them and start a sidewalk sale! Events like this will support the community and draw in more visitors. Your can create your event on Save Local Now to help spread the word.
   

2. Parade in Style

   Does your community have a parade in the summer? Get involved! There are great marketing opportunities in local parades. You can give out special trinkets that relate to your business or brand, or just keep it simple with candy. Either way, you're guaranteed to get your name out there.
   

3. Go to Festivals

   If it's something you might enjoy, look into becoming a vendor. Sell products that people can use like water bottles, tote bags or towels with your name on it. It's a great way to get new customers and hey, you might enjoy some live music yourself!
   

4. Get Patriotic

   Start a 4th of July promotion through Save Local Now. Even if it's not a huge sale, getting festive is fun! Hand out small flags with purchase. Show your customer appreciation and your patriotism!
   

5. Support Local Sports

   
   Check your community calendar or show up in the recreational areas or on the 5k run sidelines. Show support for your local teams. Pair up with the local ice cream store and give discounts to the little league teams after a hot summer game. People will really appreciate and recognize your efforts.
   
   The goal here is to help out your community. The more your strive to achieve this, the more people will view your business as a significant part of the community. Set the bar high – it all starts with you! Now get out there and enjoy the summer!
   

First Published at Save Local Now

Top Three Reasons you Need Analytics (I am looking at you, small businesses owner)

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to dive into analytics as a small business owner. The hardest part is to decide where to start and how much time to spend on extrapolating data. My advice would be to start small and work your way into platforms with more advanced metrics (MailChimp). There are enough free sites out there (Facebook for one) that can help you understand your customer just a bit better. As far as time commitment goes, after you learn how to use the analytic tab in Facebook, you can check it once a week to see what trends are developing and what messages are working the best. Ah, but let’s get down to why you need to spend time, and possibly money, on all of this collected data.

1. Big box companies are kicking your butt.

Hell, baseball teams are using analytics to get better. Just ask Brad Pitt…er…Billy Beane from the Oakland A’s (Moneyball, a great movie). My point is that smart people with a ton of resources are killing it in the real world and you are quickly being left behind. You’re probably thinking to yourself that you are totally screwed. If you are lazy and hate technology, you are totally screwed. BUT – if you are an entrepreneur, and you need to get your marketing nerd on, then check out these 10 places to analyze web data. If you want to analyze a whole marketing campaign then try Save Local Now (cough, ahem, shameless plug).

2. Big data will grow by 44% over the next decade.

This report suggests that data will soar 44 times over the next decade. Cloud adoption is exploding and more and more data is available to be analyzed.

This represents both an opportunity and a challenge.

The Intuit 2020 report and many other sources support that “those who become proficient in collecting, managing and analyzing this information will gain competitive advantage.” INTUIT 2020

Of course by definition, those that don’t will be left behind. Someone once said “knowledge is power.” It’s at our fingertips, people. Go get it!

3. You can can save yourself a ton of time (eventually).

You must give a little to get a little. It takes money to make money. Okay, you get where I am coming from. In order to harness the power of analytics, you must take time to learn how to use platforms that track data (Facebook, Google, Constant contact, Save Local Now, Hoot suite, etc.) Then you must learn how to use that data to your advantage.

Think of your data as a report on your virtual storefront. You can now see which device people viewed your product or service on. Email analytics will let you know what time of day it was opened, from which device it was opened, and in some cases, it can tell you where they opened it (which town they opened in or the location of the IP address …but lets not get into that). With just a few pieces of data you can begin to paint a picture of your audience and the type of interaction they are having with your digital store front.
In short, analytics allow you to

• gain invaluable insights into your customer’s behavior;
• examine facts rather than assumptions or guesses;
• make educated decisions on how to improve to your website, App, Email marketing campaigns social media post, daily deals, events calendar, etc.

In the long term, this means more of the right traffic, sales and profit. And more time to enjoy your entrepreneurial success.

You’re welcome.

First Published at Save Local Now

 

About author

Cody Linck
 
Regional Sales Director

My passion is growing local communities, and empowering them with the tools to succeed. My mother and father each own small businesses and have been involved with chambers their whole life. I want to help people like my parents grow into the digital era with a platform that is easy, fast, and FREE to use!

Visit Save Local Now's Facelift with Modern Look and all Devices Compatibility

Announcing the launch of new modern website of Save Local Now(TM). Some of the new features are better user experience, freedom to use it on any device, better presentation of deals & events. With the evolution of the new website SLN has redefined the digital marketing. So keep you local world with you anytime, anywhere and on any device. Now you can Save Local now more than before.

Why Small Businesses Should Maintain a Digital Marketing Presence

Small business is a special niche of our society and economy. Offering the public local choices, local options and the chance to keep the flow of money within the community is growing in popularity as the global economy becomes more and more aware of it’s importance. Most small businesses have a small budget and base most of their reputation on word of mouth. It is for this reason that small businesses should be most concerned with digital marketing over print or more traditional forms of advertising.

Chances are, whether a business is concerned with digital marketing or not, it is more than likely some information already exists online about that business. A recent study by Dimensional Research shows that 2/3 of all people research small business marketing strategies and products online. So if a small business is not able to be found online, chances are they are missing out on 2/3 of their customers! With platforms such as Yelp, Angie’s List, and Urban Spoon among others, information about businesses can be found online whether they are correct or not. Looking into what information is on these sites, as well as reviews that might be published by customers, is crucial. If there is incorrect information on the web this could negatively impact a potential customers decision as to whether they will use that business or not.

Luckily, today there are many options for maintaining a presence in the digital world and controlling what information might be found online. A small business might create a basic website or even a blog, use social media platforms like Facebook or Google Plus, or use their free Save Local Now account. These platforms can be used to create up-to-date information which will then be picked up by other sites such as the previously mentioned Yelp, Angie’s List, etc. Better yet, they will create an opportunity for customers to interact with the business. Most customers are already using social media as a personal platform and can easily share the information on a businesses Facebook, Twitter, or Save Local Now account to recommend it to friends. Also, if a customer has a negative experience they might be more likely to leave a comment or message on a Facebook page or blog where a business can reply directly than to post a review on Yelp where it is less likely to be compensated for.

The best part about platforms, such as blogs, social media, and Save Local Now, is they are generally free and therefore put all businesses on an equal playing field. As previously stated, small businesses base their marketing on Low budgets and word of mouth so with both of those in mind, they really can’t afford to miss out on platforms that are free and easily sharable.

View Original article here.

About Alicia

Alicia is one of the member engagement managers for Save Local Now. She hails from Northeast Ohio but loves to travel and immerse herself in new cultures. Alicia is the free spirit of the $LN team. Her most important task is to keep the office lively and relaxed. alicia.busa@savelocalnow.com

The #1 tip to SUCCESS on Save Local Now

As you should know by now Save Local Now offers 9 different products to help your small business compete with large marketing budgets. If you aren’t familiar with these 9 products you could always set up a training to learn how these products could benefit your business. But I digress…the bottom line is while some of these products will work behind the scenes and save you time and effort, most of them will gain a whole lot more traction if you follow one simple step. Here it is, are you ready?

**…*…Tell your customers!…*…**

Save Local Now gives you the tools and products you need at a price you can’t beat ( FREE! ) but that doesn’t mean we’re magic. The best way to get people in your community to shop locally is to tell them about Save Local Now!

It starts in your business. Tell all your employees about Save Local Now and that they should use it and promote it to customers and friends. Make sure they know there is an app and a website and even set them up as a user on your account if you want to ( we can help with that ).

Then, make sure both you and your employees are telling ALL of your customers. word of mouth is the best way to get things out but even if you cant personally talk with every customer, make sure they are getting a rack card to tell them a little bit more about how they can save local (right) now! Your chamber should be able to supply you with these rack cards-all you have to do is ask. When you tell people about Save Local Now, your business, as well as the whole community benefits! So make sure you remember this one key tip and spread the word!

View Original article here.

About Alicia

Alicia is one of the member engagement managers for Save Local Now. She hails from Northeast Ohio but loves to travel and immerse herself in new cultures. Alicia is the free spirit of the $LN team. Her most important task is to keep the office lively and relaxed. alicia.busa@savelocalnow.com

Spring Cleaning Your Small Business with Save Local Now

Spring is in the air! The sun is coming out, birds are chirping, snow is melting…it’s time to do some spring cleaning! Here are some tips to get organized:

1. Clear Out That Inbox

We know you get a lot of spam. Over 200 millions spam email are sent out PER DAY. Take some time at the end of each day and sort our your inbox. Delete junk mail. Create and organize folders to help you navigate your inbox better. Create a Save Local Now folder for all your impression reports! Before you know it, you’re inbox will be squeaky clean and you will thank yourself for having a tidy email system.

2. Give Your Save Local Now Business Profile a Facelift

You might have updated it a few months ago but you might have also added a new service or popular product to your business. Give it a quick once over and look for places that need a little refreshing. Update your hours if they are different in the summer. Check out your keywords and add some more. Post your businesses profile on social media again if you haven’t in a while. It’s a simple way to freshen up your image.

3. Create a New Spring Deal or Event

There’s a lot going on in spring. Some of you might have customers looking for landscapers, new hair styles, new cars or new houses. Put up a deal relating to spring to help drive more business. If you want new customers, offer referral discounts to encourage your already loyal customers to being in more! If you want to throw an event, think of all the great things your can do with the nice weather. Weddings, sidewalk sales, outdoor games, you name it. Lots of customers are looking for reasons to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. There are many great opportunities and out there and all it takes is a minute!

These are just a few things you can do for spring. Of course there’s still some windows that need to be wiped down and some floors that need some scrubbing, but your marketing strategy is just like that closet that needs to be cleaned out and reorganized. Out with the old, and in with the new. Keep things updated and keep things going!

View original article here

About Grace

Grace is one of the Member Engagement Managers at $LN. She received her degree in video production and communications from Ohio University. Grace is a film connoisseur and loves to talk movies! She also loves food and horses. grace.roulston@savelocalnow.com

Newsflash: The best CMO is a loyal customer base

In today’s digitally charged consumer market, the best marketers are your consumers. Many new customers are driven to businesses through word-of-mouth (WOM) reviews, and many loyal customers choose to abandon or stick with a company based on continued experiences. With social media and consumer review sites everywhere, it is vital that customers are happy with your goods or services.

This applies to audiences new and old. Companies often focus their marketing efforts entirely on gaining a new customer base. While this is obviously essential to growing a business, it also essential not to overlook those customers who have been on the bandwagon for a while. Pleasing both groups and maintaining positive relationships with customers is the most effective marketing tool you can have.

Financial and resource constraints also make it difficult for many small businesses to push out big marketing campaigns. This is yet another reason why building a loyal following and maintaing positive word-of-mouth reviews is crucial. It is a cost-effective way to get new faces in the door and new clicks on your website.

But how do you make sure that your word-of-mouth reviews will help and not hurt your business? It’s easy. Allow the customers into the company, and make them feel valued. This can be done by:

• Actively responding to comments and posts on social media. Engage thoroughly with customers who take the time to communicate with you.
• Immediately respond to any complaints or issues raised as these can quickly grow out of control when not addressed.
• Make sure the content you are posting to your accounts is effective, well-planned, and not overwhelming.
• Maintain your manners. Create a notification system that will allow you to thank new customers who make an account, sign up for a newsletter, or join your community. They will appreciate a personal acknowledgment of their engagement.

A 2013 study by Nielsen found that 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family more than all other forms of marketing. However, the study also found that 72% of marketers are still not harnessing the power of customer referrals (Lowitz, view source: http://blog.getambassador.com/6-amazing-stats-that-prove-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-here-to-stay/). For small businesses with limited marketing budgets, focusing power on social media and customer loyalty is a sure way to make the most of WOM and bring more success to your business.

These are simple ways to begin and maintain a good relationship with new customers. Building a loyal base will be vital to the future of your business. Once people start talking about your wonderful customer service and personal touch, more will come.

View original article here

Hosting Events for your Business

The cold weather may be slowing your business down a bit. People want to stay indoors instead of braving the arctic temperatures and heavy snowfall. If you are blessed with warmer climates you may just be looking for something new to do with your business. One way to get away from the same ol' humdrum is to host an event!

You may be thinking "Why would I want to host an event?" well, here's two realy good reasons why:

Exposure:

Hosting an event can help you gain exposure especially on a local level. People are more likely to remember your business if you host a great event. Also, having an event allows you to market your business and your products without over selling.

Customer Interaction:

It's one thing to reach out to your customers on social media like Facebook and Twitter, but what really makes the customer engagement is face to face interaction. Events are a great way to get to know your customers and build more personal relationships.

Consumers are more selective these days. They have a lot of ways to avoid advertisements and it's important to come up with creative solutions. These events are marketing your audience directly, which can be more effective than radio, television, or print adds. Rather than pushing your products or services our them, they are coming to you.

While hosting these events, you can get your customers to experience products or services that you offer. This allows you to establish connections that build customer loyalty.

To ensure that your event runs smoothly, it's important to make sure you have everything organized. Here are some tips to follow:

Set up your event with Save Local Now. Save Local Now's event publishing makes it easy to send your event to your consumers.

1. Get an Oragnized Registration in Place:
Make sure you have a fun yet informative description and take advantage of the custom button. If you have a registration online, have that button go directly to that page or to your event page on Facebook where people can RSVP.

2. Tell Everyone About It:
Once you create your event you can push it out to all your social media outlets as well as send it out through email marketing. You'll also be on the website and the app! Make sure you track your impressions to see who you are reaching.

3. Take Lots of Pictures and Videos:
Do a countdown or a behind the scenes of setting up the event to build excitement. During the event, capture are much as you can of the experience. Post these pictures or videos to social media. Let those who didn't come see what they missed! Those who attended will have a great time going through your posts.

Whatever type of business you may be, building personal relationships with your customers is important. Social media is one thing, but face to face will always be the best way to reach your customers. Save Local Now makes it easy to get your started. So put yourself out there by bringing your customers in!

First published at Save Local Now

About Author

Grace
Grace is one of the Member Engagement Managers at $LN. She received her degree in video production and communications from Ohio University. Grace is a film connoisseur and loves to talk movies! She also loves food and horses. grace.roulston@savelocalnow.com