Aren’t you excited? Your products or services are lined up, your branding is on point, and your team is ready to hit the ground running. And in a day or two, you’ll open the doors of your establishment to the locals.
As thrilling as it is, it is equally nerve-wracking. How do you make a splash that gets people talking—and, more importantly, coming back?
It’s not enough to just have something to sell. Building a business is really about creating relationships and earning people’s trust. That trust doesn’t come from flashy ads or one-time discounts. It’s built through meaningful, memorable connections.
Here, we’ll share a few tactics that can help you win over your community and build that loyal customer base from day one.
#1 Partner With Local Creators
Small is bountiful. Local micro-influencers with a tighter, more engaged audience in your area can give your business instant street cred.
Indeed explains that micro-influencers are individuals whose followers are above 1,000 but less than 100,000.
They are not mega-famous celebrities, but they definitely have a loyal group that listens to what they say. About 34% of respondents in a survey stated that they are most likely to trust a gift recommendation from a local or micro-influencer.
Instead of throwing a massive budget at a big-name influencer, work with someone who speaks directly to your potential customers. Offer them something authentic, like a first look at your products, an exclusive tasting, or a tour of your space.
Better yet, team up for a fun giveaway or event to get their audience involved.
Modern Retail informs that giveaways have become even more popular as consumer packaged goods brands look for ways to promote retail launches. Their audience will see their genuine excitement about your brand, which is way more impactful than a cookie-cutter ad.
#2 Tell Your Story—Loud and Clear
It’s not enough to have a great offering. If you want people to really connect with your brand, you need to tell a story that is real and meaningful.
Entrepreneur says that a genuine brand story rooted in values and purpose helps build trust and connection with the audience.
An article published in Forbes revealed three storytelling secrets. One of them was to anchor the story in real experiences. Share authentic experiences, obstacles, or insights that molded your journey. That will make your tale more relatable and trustworthy.
To tell your story, you’ll need a website. Designing a website is no longer limited to only web developers, thanks to AI-powered website builders.
They take your input—your brand’s story, style preferences, and goals—and create a sleek, professional-looking website in minutes. You just answer a few questions, and boom, your site is ready.
When choosing a website builder, just make sure to prioritize SEO capabilities.
Almost all website builders offer basic SEO capabilities. But some provide specific marketing tools, such as an SEO audit or a content management system (CMS). They help organize and find information that can be optimized for search engine visibility, says Hocoos. It would be wise to go for the latter.
#3 Offer a Local Loyalty Challenge
It’s an innovative twist on traditional loyalty programs. Instead of just giving points for purchases, turn it into a fun, community-driven challenge that keeps people engaged and excited.
Encourage customers to complete specific tasks. That, for instance, could be visiting your store three times in one month or referring a friend.
Give them points, badges, or small rewards, like discounts or exclusive merchandise, whenever they complete a task.
Want to take it up a notch? Add social elements. Encourage customers to post about their progress on social media with a unique hashtag or bring a friend to earn extra rewards. This will encourage repeat visits while making their experience memorable and fun.
Lake Street Loyalty Challenge is a case in point. Two years ago, the east-west street in Chicago informed everyone that its annual Lake Street Loyalty Challenge was back in action.
To participate in this program, customers just needed to spend $15 at any Lake Street business, and they would get a $15 gift card to another one. And that’s not all. They could also win a sweet grand prize worth over $500. The goal behind this was simple: to support small businesses on Lake Street.
Even if you have a huge budget, you can’t win loyal customers if you don’t build genuine connections. Implement these tactics thoughtfully and authentically, and you’ll build a customer base that will stick with you through thick and thin.
Don’t wait. Start putting these into action from day one, and tailor them to your specific business and community as you learn what works.
Also, stay committed to nurturing these relationships even as you grow. After all, in a world of endless options, people choose to be loyal to businesses that make them feel like they belong.
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