If you’ve already built a local company capable of generating $250,000 or more a year in revenue, you’ve clearly done some things well. You’ve moved past the startup phase and you’ve proven to yourself and others that your local service is viable and valuable.

But basic “word of mouth” selling only goes so far. Being a “best kept secret” is hardly what most companies want at the center of their growth strategy. So, can you promote your company via local digital marketing and a “find it local” strategy?

Chances are you’re wrestling with the question of what are the best b2c or b2b Internet marketing methods. Otherwise, why would you be reading this? This is a huge issue facing folks running small professional services. (Firms with under 100 employees.) Breaking through the fog and hype is difficult. Finding the best internet marketing strategies to generate the greatest ROI is daunting.

Creating an online presence to sell “stuff” is relatively easy. But selling services? How do you sell an intangible? How do you connect people with the benefits of working with your firm versus your competitors?

For most services, the market is local…

Many services can be performed almost anywhere and yet being tied to a local space offers advantages.

• If you are a law firm, you work in a local market because you know the players… the judges and the opposing counsel.
• If you are an Architect, you might specialize in designing local spaces because you understand the building department. You have a grasp on land-use requirements. You know what’s a good architectural fit for the area. You want to become the “go to” firm for the design services you offer.
• And if you’re in Insurance, you’re bound by where you are licensed. You must specialize in offering local service to compete with “faceless” competitors encroaching on your market.

Regardless of the service, the same local advantages can be leveraged.

Unless you are attempting to build a national brand, your online marketing strategy will have the greatest impact by concentrating effort on the local market you serve. Think about the maximum likely driving radius people will consider in coming to you or that you’re willing to travel to meet them. Let those boundaries help you imagine what your “perfect” client looks like? Where do they live? What are their interests? Where do they go to socialize? Does your communication speak specifically to them?

Infinite reach & local business market targeting…

The Internet is a fantastic tool for connecting with potential local clients. It’s incredibly powerful for reinforcing relationships with existing clients as well. When we think about the potential to reach broad audiences, Internet marketing is unrivaled. And simultaneously sending tailored messages to targeted groups? Internet marketing for local business is super affordable when one considers relative cost.

This power applies to local business internet marketing as well. For example, search engines like Google & Bing custom tailor search results for that specific local market. Try it! Type in “malpractice attorney”. What do you see? Or how about “independent insurance agent” or “business consultant”? If you type these in without additional search parameters, the search engines will try to find results that are closest to you.

On the positive side, it means that as a local small business you have a fighting chance of being found for a given search. But to achieve that, you must have your website and other online channels tuned to reach local searchers. That includes SEO, PPC, etc. Otherwise you’ll be excluded from search engine results.

Long-term online marketing outcomes require long-term solutions…

Google says it is impossible to guarantee #1 search engine rankings. Email marketing firms like Constant Contact say it’s impossible to guarantee Email open & click rates. Yet it seems there’s always some “guru” promising amazing & instant local internet marketing results.

Chances are you may have run into these folks or worse, been burned by them. The reality? Internet Marketing isn’t magical… it’s simply hard work like all other forms of marketing. The results aren’t instant and will likely take time as you fine-tune your local marketing approach. You’ll have to refine your message and work to find the “sweet spot” that resonates with your local audience. It will take time to instill the best disciplines into your organization too. This is the best way to generate predictable annual revenue without being beholden to a singular internet marketing strategy.  It also protects you from the risk of losing sales because the search engines change their algorithm.

If you are willing to put in the time & effort you’ll create great results. Plan for it to take 12 to 18 months. There’s a learning curve if you are working to master internet marketing. But with the right help you’ll find the journey is worth it for sure. And you’ll significantly surpass your competitors and become the local market leader in the process…

Own or run a small professional service company that’s got under 100 employees? You’ve probably invested quite a bit of time trying to figure out how to get the best results out of your internet marketing investment.

The good news for you is that the Internet & locally targeted marketing can offer fantastic reach at a reasonable cost. And with a little bit of determination and time, most small businesses can achieve the results offered by a full service internet marketing firm without the related expense.

When handled properly, local internet marketing, Email, and PPC Advertising can create big returns over time.

Local Digital Marketing

So, what is local internet marketing and why does it matter? Briefly, the same methods that are put to work for bigger marketing efforts are leveraged locally. Special attention is paid to making certain the messaging resonates with that locally targeted market. While digital marketing can overwhelm most business owners, speaking to a local audience tends to make more sense. It also happens to make the brand more relatable to the local market in the process.

This notion of local targeting permeates all aspects of the effort. From keyword concept targeting to the visuals that get placed on a website, all elements should speak to the local market. Writing an article? Be sure it has some relevance to your market. Creating an update for Social Media? Feature your charitable activities that support local causes. Managing your local directory listings? Make it clear you specialize in that market.

Email Marketing

Would it surprise you to learn that more than 12 billion Emails a year are SPAM messages? Yet, consumers of services (both individuals and businesses) report that they wish they had MORE Email from their favorite services. These might include special offers or simply value added information designed to educate.

Most services fail miserably to have a consistent method of sending Email messages. They also fail in the content department… it boggles the mind. You must believe in the value of the information you offer and get past the notion that what you’re sending is spam.

And when you begin to leverage Email marketing, be sure to include a link within your message so that folks can easily forward your message to their friends…

PPC Advertising

While SEO is important, PPC advertising offers small companies an affordable way to reach targeted visitors. But there are some important things to consider…

• Plan to experiment. PPC advertising can be a tough nut to crack. It requires constant testing to find a message that works.
• Budget for fake bids. Up to 30% of traffic may not be real. It’s simply the cost of doing business.
• Outbid your competitors. #1 ranked PPC ads tend to out-pull competitors. But remember they need to target a great landing page.
• Have a great landing page. If you drive traffic to a website without a clear call to action, you are burning marketing dollars. Spend time to maximize the effectiveness of your website first before investing in any PPC.

The best place to begin is by building your web presence including social media accounts as well. Then branch into Email marketing after you’ve begun building great content for your website. Once you have a web presence you’re proud of, you can begin to experiment with PPC. This way you are investing your marketing dollars with a layered approach that should help you connect with your local audience over time.

When working with the right partner, these local marketing examples don’t have to break the bank for the small business owner. In fact, they should be seen as an important way to drive revenue for your small business.

One Last Bonus Tip

Make certain that all your “offline” marketing including letterhead, business cards, invoices, and phone greeting all mention your company’s website. It’s surprising how many folks skip this step.