Get Local - Reach Out to Your Community

Big Canoe Chronicles Continues...

Okay, it's time to define the target market. Who are they? Where do they live? What is their income? How old are they? Next, determine the best way to reach this audience. Marketing 101, right?

In the previous post, I determined my target market looks online for vacation spots, so I made search marketing my top priority. Of course, search engine optimization is a slow process. I can change keywords right away, but it takes time to build quality links and move up the rankings on Google.

Second, I determined my target market likes recommendations. All you need to do is look at Fodor's Talk Forums and you will see thousands of trip reports and suggestions. Return from a vacation and I guarantee your friends look to you for recommendations on hotels and restaurants. With that knowledge, I used email to reach out to my local community of friends, co-workers, and neighbors and recommended my Big Canoe rental to them.

Finally, with high gas prices and astronomical plane ticket prices, who wants to go far for a vacation? So, I decided to get local and test the concept that people in Atlanta and the metro area want a "fast getaway." In the next couple of weeks, I plan to consider an ad in the local church bulletin and enlist a local cleaning company to spread the word to their clients.

That's it for this week. So, how are you reaching the local market to promote your products and services?

Next post... Tracking results.