If you own a small business, you know how difficult it can be to attract new customers.
In a sluggish economy, finding a marketing strategy that fits your budget is no easy feat. But there’s one strategy you may have overlooked: Proximity marketing.
Proximity marketing could be right for you if:
- You’re always on the look-out for fresh, new ways to build your customer base and spread the word about new products and services, and/or
- You’ve searched high and low for innovative marketing solutions, trying to find an approach that fits your business and your budget.
Benefits of Proximity Marketing
Proximity marketing delivers digital advertising right into the hands of consumers—not just any consumers, but consumers who are right on your doorstep. Through localized wireless distribution, the advertising tactic allows you to reach consumers who are biding their time nearby.
Whether your potential customers are arriving at the local airport, staying at a nearby Bed & Breakfast or stopping by the neighborhood cafe for a shot of caffeine, they could pull out their mobile device and see your brand right at their fingertips. They could even encounter your ad when they are next to your front door.
Imagine this. A few travelers wander into your neighborhood in search of a cup of coffee. On their way, they pass right in front of your shop. They gaze into your display window, delighted with the products they see inside, but they pass up the opportunity and head straight into the cafe. Now, it’s going to take the barista a few minutes to whip up their lattes, minutes which these visitors will likely spend on their mobile devices. Let’s say one of them checks her favorite website on her smartphone, then voila! Before her eyes appears a coupon for the very product she was eyeing moments before.
What was at first just an impression of your product or service transforms into a full-fledged sale.
Reasons to Use Proximity Marketing
At this point, you may be asking yourself “Why didn’t I try this before?” While proximity marketing sounds like it may be highly technical and difficult to use, it’s actually a sound investment. Here are some reasons why:
- Costs to get started are very affordable
- The technology can be operated by your social media professional
- It’s easy for both you and your customer
- Use it wherever cellular networks, Bluetooth and WiFi are available
- Marketing can be targeted to people who are standing in a certain place
- It can even be targeted specifically to tourists from out of town
Chances are you’re already using digital advertisements to market your business, so take it one step further and give those ads an interactive, mobile-friendly appeal. They could appear on the smartphones, tablets and PDAs of consumers who are just minutes away from your business.
Deliver marketing straight to new customers
With proximity marketing, you can reach countless consumers who are on the go, and you can reach them in nearby businesses and social hubs. It offers you an effective way to market your goods and services, and it offers consumers a window into your business that is only a click away. You can:
- Gain new impressions and engaged viewers
- Inform newcomers about your business, through links and downloads
- Attract new customers and sales
Don’t miss this opportunity to build your business where it matters, in the direct vicinity of your store. It will be good for your business, good for the consumer and good for the business district as a whole.
Remember, marketing in the proximity of potential customers could be your key to a competitive edge.
