Going Local: Have to Tap into Your Own Backyard and Find Local Clients

With all the talk about how BIG internet marketing and social media is for a business, we often forget that our own backyard contains plenty of hungry prospects looking for what you have to offer. The problem people come across though is where to find these people, and what backyard are they hanging out in – well if you know your market and have a good idea of who your “soul client” is the search shouldn’t be too hard.

First of all – to find local: network. Networking is an easy way to find prospects in your area. But choose wisely, you don’t want to end up at the Farmers Networking Meeting if you farmers are not your market. Find networking groups that attract your ideal client and go there. But remember, networking isn’t about selling your services it’s about building relationships.

Speak Locally. Speaking is another great way to reach the locals, if you can speak at the functions, associations, and meetings they attend or belong to you’ve just earned yourself a star position from being in front of the room. Speaking gives you instant credibility and is a sure-fire way of bringing in more clients.

Social Networking – Strategically! If local people are your buzz, be sure to use keywords that include your city and surrounding areas. Just because social networking is global, it doesn’t mean you have to be.

Partner up with key players. The fact is there are quite a few key players in every city, start hanging out where they do, initiate a conversation or a coffee meeting and see if there is a way to partner up and share in your resources. Key players are generally givers and have built a reputation on introducing others, connecting people, and growing their network. You never know, you could be offering the exact service they’ve been looking for.

These are just a few ways that you can grow your business locally, these also apply to national marketing strategies as well – but use them in ways that work best for you and your business.

Let me know what other ways you’ve found to strategically grow your local following.

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