Small Business (Local) Advertising Simplified:
The questions you should be asking,
and the ones you don’t need to!

By: Bonnie Campbell Rivard, Director of Marketing & Business Development, KM Herbals, Inc.

As a member of a small family company, I understand all too well the challenge of balancing day to day logistics with the need to promote your business. Growth requires both, and it can be difficult to know where to start. As a GO LOCAL member, I have experienced the unparalleled impact of local-first
promotion. The GO LOCAL team offers thoughtful advertising opportunities to those of us potentially overwhelmed by the daily grind of running our business, as well as the creative support needed to reach and resonate with local community!

Four things I’ve learned from working with GO LOCAL:

1. Your story deserves a warm audience

By advertising locally, you engage an audience with an innate connection to your business – a shared community. By investing in and building up your business, they are also enriching the communities in which they live and work! Cheering on local businesses means we can feel good about the way we vote with our dollar, while investing in eco-friendly ways to shop.

2. A strong sounding board & creative support

Whether you are clear on your branding and ad objectives, or are only getting started, The GO LOCAL team is invested in your success. One of the ways I’ve
experience this most palpably is in their eagerness to provide ideation and feedback on ad creative, when requested. You know your business, and they
know what will resonate locally – the combination is chef’s kiss!

3. Meditate on your medium: then mix & match!

When determining your advertising strategy and ad placements, it is important to consider the unique benefits of print and digital. If budget allows, a combined approach is strongest, as repeat exposure over mixed media builds brand awareness and credibility.

Print:

GO LOCAL offers the lowest print costs in Sonoma County, making it more affordable than local alternatives. Print ads are a classic – evergreen outreach
with staying power in the form of a coffee table-worthy publication. However, print presents a challenge to attributing new customers because, unlike digital, there are no trackable links involved.

My recommendations:

• Focus your messaging – what is the main call to action you wish to communicate?
• Make it clear “at a glance” – your ad should be clear from a cursory glance about what value your business offers and what your customer needs to
  do to experience your services.
• Offer a relevant promotion: your call to action should consider your customer demographic and be actionable. *Pro tip: Consider a QR code
  to make traffic from the ad measurable.

Digital: “Know your niche”

With many digital solutions on offer, it helps to identify your target demographics and focus your ad budget on channels where those customers frequent. If you need help with this, the GO LOCAL team can offer insights and recommendations!

5. The benefits of connecting locally

Held every second Friday of the month from 12-1:30pm, Refer Local Lunch Gatherings allow you to get to know your fellow GO LOCAL business members
and gain new customers! These events are a space to interface and connect with local businesses, while listening for opportunities for collaboration and
innovation.