Defining “Local” In Local Marketing Services: How Far Does Your Business Reach?

Marketing is at the heart of every business. If you do no marketing at all, you cannot expect to survive more than a few months to your first year in business. You also need to decide how far you want your business to go, as in terms of distance to customers. Local marketing services can help, but you have to decide just what "local" means to you, Here is how to define "local" when you are choosing which marketing services to engage and use.

A Ten- to Twenty-Mile Radius

Usually, local means twenty miles or less. A more stringent definition is around five to ten miles. Depending on the type of business you own and operate, this might be ideal. For example, if your business sells cosmetics, you would not want to drive farther than ten miles to make a delivery or visit with a potential customer. However, if you offer services as a business, then you would be willing to travel a little further because you can charge a little extra for the distance traveled.

Twenty to Fifty Miles

If your business has reached the point of growth where you can extend its boundaries and/or build a satellite office, then maybe "local" to you would be up to fifty miles. Your satellite office could be anywhere in between your main office and the other office's actual location. Additionally, the satellite office may have its own radius of twenty to fifty miles, which could easily double the distance of your marketing range.

When "Local" Means "Region"

Of course, in some parts of the country, "local" actually refers to the entire region wherein your business dwells. For instance, maybe you are able to provide goods or services to the entire Northeast Region of the state of Montana, if that is where your business exists. To you, that is local, and you should invest in marketing heavily in order to reach the millions of people that live in your "local" region.

Most of your profit margin should be fed back into marketing each time your definition of "local" expands to reach more potential customers. You cannot succeed or stay in business if you do not invest in your marketing approaches. These marketing approaches should include mailers, email, trade shows, TV and radio commercials, and promotional materials that are inexpensively made (e.g., pencils, pens, etc.) so that you can give them away for free. 


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