Three Ways to Advertise Your Business in a Small Town

There’s nothing quite like the sense of familiarity that comes from living in a small town. Here at PointA, we belong to a close-knit community ourselves. As a small business in a small town, we know that belonging to that type of community has a lot of benefits. There are, however, challenges that small-town business owners face when creating marketing strategies for rural audiences.

One of the main obstacles is the dispersed population. Your target audience is few and far between, often with unpredictable interests and schedules.

In this article, we’ll give you three marketing tools to add to your small town marketing toolbox.

Market Research

One of the best marketing strategies in rural areas is conducting market research. Market research enables you to understand the behaviors, pain points and wants and needs of a small town audience. Think of it this way: You might be emailing your urban audience during the morning hours because that’s when a lot of workers check their email. But your rural audience may not work a typical 9-5 shift because there aren’t as many office jobs available to them. Figuring out who your audience actually is, how they live, and where your product or service fits into their life is crucial to the success of your business.

Snail Mail

Bring your brand’s unique message straight to your rural audience’s home with direct mail pieces. The direct mail response rate was 9 percent in 2018 for domestic homes – the highest it’s been since the early 2000s!

The benefit of snail mail marketing is that it’s not on a screen – it’s tangible as opposed to skippable. Those who open your envelope or look at your postcard should feel rewarded by your message. Take advantage of postcards, personalized messaging and engaging design to enhance your direct mail marketing pieces.

Direct mail is a great way to advertise your business in a small town.

Here are some tips to optimize your mail offerings:

• Get 3D! Use three-dimensional mailers to stand out from your competition. While these offerings are a little more expensive, they generate 250 percent more ROI.
• Use sturdy materials. You don’t want your advertisement to be worn or rain-stained by the time it reaches its target.
• Combine snail mail with digital marketing. Integrated marketing campaigns perform better than single channel campaigns.

Local Marketing

Take advantage of that close-knit small town community. Become a part of it. Make sure your business is active in your community.

A few ways to accomplish this are:

• Events: One of the best ways to get involved (and get your name out there) with your small-town community is to host or attend local events! Local trade shows, conferences, town meetings and industry events (like farmers markets if you sell food products) are great ways to meet clients, customers and prospects and also to connect with fellow small business owners and entrepreneurs.
• Billboards: Invest in a high-traffic location. People are creatures of habit; if you choose the right location, your ad will get seen on a regular basis. Use an integrated marketing strategy and post your ad as well as related content (like video!) online with a little more context. Small businesses using integrated billboard marketing have a 30 percent higher clickthrough rate.
• Referrals: Word-of-mouth is especially lucrative in a close-knit community. People are even more likely to trust the recommendations of their friends and neighbors. Encourage current or past clients to talk to their friends about how great you are.

Reach Out to the PointA Community

Part of being in a community is helping your neighbors. As a small business ourselves, we know the ins and outs of marketing in rural areas. PointA is here to help small businesses reach their fullest potential. Contact us today with all your small-town, small business needs!