The Local Business Growth Blueprint

You’ve moved beyond the basics and are now razor-focused on growing your small business. Where do you get started, and what are some proven growth tactics you should look at first?
With all the channels available today, reaching prospects is easier than ever, but that also means it’s harder to stand out. Rather than taking a scattershot approach, you can be strategic about acquiring new customers, boosting sales, and scaling operations.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll share proven methods of growing a local business and cover topics like using your website to convert more customers, implementing viral digital marketing strategies, and leveraging the power of influencer marketing to reach new audiences. Best of all, you’ll find actionable and practical ways to scale your local business and achieve long-term success, including:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How to use multiple marketing channels to speed growth</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How to create paid advertising campaigns</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How to tap into the power of referral and influencer marketing</li>
</ul>
<h2>Optimizing Your Website for Conversions</h2>
Once visitors land on your site, make sure it’s easy for them to convert. Conversions vary by business and stage of the buyer journey. Your goal can be for a visitor to fill out a form, make a purchase, schedule a demo, subscribe to an email list, follow you on social media, or do something else. To make it easier for visitors to take the action you want, there are some optimizations you can make on your website.
<h3>Add clear calls to action</h3>
Make sure visitors know what you want them to do after visiting your web page—whether that’s to reach out to schedule an appointment, download additional content to learn more, or sign up for your newsletter. Sometimes a <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/5-viral-marketing-techniques-to-rapidly-expand-your-reach/">call to action (CTA)</a> can simply engage visitors by asking them to comment on a video or post or share it with their social networks.
Without a clear CTA, website visitors who want to get more information or start the buying process may not see an obvious way to move to the next step. Your calls to action should stand out on every page.
Don’t overwhelm visitors with too many conflicting CTAs, but it’s ok to have more than one in case they don’t want to act on the one option they’re provided. You can also test variables like color, size, copy, and placement, but start with making sure the CTA is simple and the action you want someone to take is obvious.
<h3>Focus on benefits</h3>
Salesy content can be a turnoff to website visitors. Make the focus of your website to provide genuine value to prospects and customers. Content should educate, inform, and even entertain visitors. Your website is an opportunity to show that you’re knowledgeable in your field while also creating a connection with your audience. Consumers look for relatability, understanding, and shared values with the companies they do business with. Show that you care about your customers’ lives and challenges.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25994 size-full" src="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces.png" alt="CT Braces" width="624" height="312" srcset="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces.png 624w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces-300x150.png 300w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces-600x300.png 600w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces-360x180.png 360w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces-160x80.png 160w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces-350x175.png 350w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CT-Braces-100x50.png 100w" sizes="(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px" />
Businesses and consumers are on the same page when it comes to web and marketing content. More than <a href="https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics">80% of marketers</a> say they use content marketing, while <a href="https://www.demandmetric.com/content/content-marketing-infographic">70% of internet users</a> say they would rather learn about products via content versus advertisements. The trick is knowing how to present web content the right way. In addition to the content you have on your blog and resource pages, your website should showcase the benefits of your products and services.
For example, an orthodontist’s website could highlight their patients’ straight teeth, beautiful smiles, and low monthly payments on the website’s homepage. Calling out benefits can be helpful for SEO and for informing visitors about what you offer.
<h3>Remove friction from your site</h3>
Content is only part of the user experience (UX) on your website. UX also includes factors like speed, usability, aesthetics, and responsive design. Visitors want to see modern sites that are easy to navigate. Half of consumers say <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/web-design-stats-for-2020?hubs_content=blog.hubspot.com%2Fblog%2Ftabid%2F6307%2Fbid%2F30557%2F6-guidelines-for-exceptional-website-design-and-usability.aspx&amp;hubs_content-cta=according%20to%20our%20research">website design is essential</a> to a company’s brand, and <a href="https://www.goodfirms.co/resources/web-design-research-small-business">88% of web designers</a> say the top reason visitors leave a site is due to slow loading times. The second most common reason visitors abandon a site is the lack of responsive site design on multiple devices.
The solutions to these common issues are to optimize your website and prioritize the mobile experience. Google’s <a href="https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly">mobile-friendly test</a> lets you see whether your site is usable on mobile. Google Analytics is another tool that will give you insights into areas for improvement. Use it to see what visitors searched to reach your site. You can then create content and landing pages around those keywords to <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/local-seo/">improve search engine optimization (SEO</a>) and increase traffic.
<h3>Optimize your site for real-time engagement</h3>
Real-time engagement is important because you get to interact with prospects while they’re on your site already thinking about your business. Provide ways for customers to move to channels they already use and are familiar with to extend the engagement. Live chat is one of the most effective ways to engage visitors when they’re ready. U.S. shoppers are 55% more likely to say it’s important that <a href="https://www.forrester.com/blogs/3-key-findings-from-our-state-of-chat-in-retail-research/">sites offer live chat</a> than they were in 2019, with 42% now saying so. Even better, chat tools that allow customers to <a href="https://www.podium.com/webchat/">transition to texting</a> can keep them engaged well into the future.
It’s also essential to consider <a href="https://www.podium.com/guides/multi-location-online-reputation/">reputation management</a> for your company’s site and web presence. It’s a way to stay in touch with what customers are saying about your business and participate in the conversation. You can request and manage reviews, create customer surveys, and see what’s being said about your company online and on social media.
Another important way to improve engagement is to create interactive content like webinars, courses, quizzes, and assessments. This kind of content allows visitors to engage and develop more of a relationship with your brand. 
→S&amp;R Insurance was able to <a href="https://www.podium.com/customer-stories/sr-insurance/">boost traffic from Google by 120%</a> using Podium’s Webchat to optimize their website for real-time engagement. They also used Podium to add texting and improve review management. These site optimization efforts improved the overall website experience for visitors.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25995 size-large" src="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-1024x552.png" alt="S&amp;R Insurance" width="640" height="345" srcset="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-1024x552.png 1024w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-300x162.png 300w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-768x414.png 768w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-600x323.png 600w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-360x194.png 360w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-160x86.png 160w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-350x189.png 350w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-100x54.png 100w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM-636x343.png 636w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Screen-Shot-2023-03-08-at-10.09.03-AM.png 1026w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />
<h2>Using Text Marketing to Your Advantage</h2>
Most consumers are already using their smartphones to shop, communicate, and research purchases. Text marketing is a natural extension of that habit and a way to make the most of consumers’ relationship with mobile devices. Here are some benefits and tips to help your business use text. 
<h3>Reap the benefits of text marketing</h3>
Text marketing is a cost-efficient way to reach willing customers. Most consumers want to receive <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/sms-marketing-statistics/">promotional offers through text</a>, which benefits businesses as well because you can achieve phenomenal open rates. You can also see real sales results with significantly <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/connecting-via-text-marketing/">higher response rates</a> than email, phone, or Facebook marketing because most consumers think texting with a business is more convenient than other methods.
<figure id="attachment_25996" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25996" style="width: 837px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-25996 size-full" src="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2.png" alt="Email vs. text marketing" width="837" height="557" srcset="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2.png 837w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-300x200.png 300w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-768x511.png 768w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-600x399.png 600w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-360x240.png 360w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-160x106.png 160w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-350x233.png 350w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-100x67.png 100w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-515x343.png 515w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-Option-2-272x182.png 272w" sizes="(max-width: 837px) 100vw, 837px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-25996" class="wp-caption-text">[Source: <a href="https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/text-based-marketing/">Content Marketing Institute</a>]</figcaption></figure>Text marketing can also be easy to set up, automate, and analyze. Integrating your text solution with your other marketing analytics platforms is useful for better insights. You can also text from your business phone number so customers know it’s you. Consumers generally like text options, with many using it as a primary form of communication in various parts of life. Consumers are <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/connecting-via-text-marketing/">twice as likely</a> to favor text over other types of communication, and more than <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/connecting-via-text-marketing/">40% say they would</a> probably switch to another business because it communicates via text messaging.
<h3>Use text marketing to drive sales</h3>
So, what <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/types-of-messages/">kinds of texts</a> should you send? Like all marketing efforts, you want to be helpful and avoid over-texting. Consider sending texts that announce promotions, allow product pre-orders, confirm and track orders, provide location information, and more. Be sure to personalize the communications and offers as much as possible since <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-the-connected-customer/">56% of customers</a> expect it. Here are some specific ways you can increase sales using text.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Send reminders about upcoming appointments and events</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Update buyers on purchase information and tracking numbers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Reengage past customers by sending an offer to let them know you miss them</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communicate about purchases so customers can easily find tracking and delivery information</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Promote offers and send reminders again before they expire</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ask for reviews or send surveys after a purchase</li>
</ul>
Some of these tactics can result in immediate sales, while others foster a positive long-term relationship.

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