How Local Is Your Small Business?

Most people automatically assume, when they hear the words "local business" (or, especially, "local marketing"), that the phrase means "local to this city" (or, as in the case of Phoenix, "this metropolitan area").  But - and this is important - in general use those terms may just as well mean "brick and mortar nationwide chain with a physical location in or around Phoenix".  

And sometimes it just means "an online business that sells and delivers products or services to Phoenix without even having a brick and mortar location".

Think about this:  When those who write articles about "local business" or "local marketing" do that writing, it's more likely that they aren't writing about an actual "local business", owned by "locals", who've hired "locals",  to sell products or services to "locals".  Here's a prime example, quoted verbatim:

If you’re just in Yelp or the Yellow Pages, you’re not truly “local” yet. You’re missing out on audiences native to a particular city.

Yes, you have to be in these big directories. But marketing in the true local web means creating campaigns relevant to audiences where they live.

GOT THAT?  This article wasn't written to advise you, the  "local owner(s)", of "local businesses", that hire "locals" to sell products or services to "locals".  

It was written for people who apparently don't even understand time zones; or that it's not a good idea to text a marketing message at the start of day "Eastern Daylight Time" (see yesterday's post).  

And you can bet "creating campaigns relevant to audiences" where "hot" means over 110 degrees" is a skill they haven't quite mastered yet.  Because they want Phoenicians - Arizonans - to *spend* somewhere else.

Local Motive Marketing IS a "local business" - created in Phoenix - to bring "local customers" to "local businesses", owned by "locals", who hire "locals".  We support our own, first.

For more on how “Marketers” neither consider nor write for local businesses, click here and here. For insight on how those factors relate to engagement, and  SMS text marketing, click here, and here.