A hint of spring has begun to entice us to dig out of our deep winter slumber. Businesses are again mulling over projects laid aside during the holiday rush and the dreariness of winter. Customers are ready for something fresh, and it’s up to local businesses to deliver.
Community Marketing
The Edmiston Group specializes in helping companies like yours implement customized, community-friendly marketing campaigns that feel less like self-promotion and more like an investment in the community. The objective is to create synergy from the unique components of your local business network. Consider a few scenarios to get the creative juices flowing:
- Host your leadership workshop at a neighborhood coffee shop.
- Sponsor a charity makeover event with the help of a local salon and clothing boutique.
- Allow the local bakery to market their services to your customers by handing out business cards and serving specialty cupcakes over a holiday weekend.
- Bring together a local book dealer, tutoring center and daycare to sponsor a community-wide, school-focused event.
- Joint community promotions will reduce promotional costs, draw a larger prospect base into your business center, create goodwill within the community and position you as a creative local resource.
Boutique Marketing – Finding Your Niche
While diversity works well for mega-retailers like Walmart who want to be everything to everyone, that same broad brush approach can be the downfall of a small business. A boutique caters to a targeted client base and becomes a brand in itself.
Consider the marketing ploy that has convinced tens of thousands of young girls to wear the word PINK across their bottoms. Boutique retailer PINK has successfully honed in on the market of young females who don’t mind paying for well-recognized brands.
Edmiston Group can help you refine and implement a community-based marketing strategy or help you identify and build out your boutique marketing and a plan for virtual management. If you begin now, you will be able to call the Spring of 2014 a time of significant business growth.
About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.