Last week, we had the pleasure of chatting with local business owners in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area of Florida.
Beauty and Wellness Expert, Shiri Sarfati, was joined by Florida business owners and media members who are currently working together to cross-promote their services:
- Brian David Douglas, Owner of the David Douglas Spa
- Daniel Gatlin, Lead Designer of La Fleur Florals and Events
- Steven Evans, PhD, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of OutClique Magazine
Their stories are genuine examples of how working locally can help create exposure, build buzz, and boost sales for your business.
Below we share some great takeaways from the chat that I believe you’ll find helpful for your business, and will inspire you to go local, and get social!
According to Douglas, “Whatever your community looks like, get out and get involved in it. If you are out of sight, you are out of mind.”
How to partner with local businesses?
One of the most important parts about choosing a business to partner with is to find the right business.
- Work with businesses that compliment your business.
- Work with businesses that compliment your demographic, both in client and in locale.
- Find your business partners through prestigious local commerce associations and events.
- Do your research. If you’re going to put your name in tandem with a company, be sure that they are reputable and professional.
What are the benefits of working with local businesses?
As Douglas has seen firsthand, working with other business has led to:
- Increasing your client list
- Boosting sales
- More advertising exposure
- An opportunity to outshine competition
By partnering with local businesses you are able to advertise your services in more locations and increase your exposure.
How to work and network with local businesses?
- Put yourself out there! Find events in the community and go out and network to find businesses that speak to you and will resonate with your clients.
- Create co-branded events and gifts that combine two or three business offerings.
For example, Douglas and Gatlin met through a local business association, and now are working together to offer a great Valentine’s Day promotion ($149) to their clients. This includes:
- Choice of a facial, body treatment or massage at David Douglas Spas
- A beautiful floral bouquet in a vase from La Fleur Florals and Events
- Repêchage FUSION™ Chocolate Espresso Face & Body Sugar Scrub
Together, they are cross-promoting their services and business to their clients.
Through storefront signage featuring both businesses, local advertising, marketing pieces and social media cross promotions they are teaming up to multiply their exposure.
According to Gatlin it’s important to support complimentary local businesses in the area.
By co-branding this year’s Valentine’s Day promotion clients can not only receive a beautiful bouquet from La Fleur Florals and Events but can also experience a treatment and product in the community from David Douglas Spa.
“This is how we build and support our local communities.”
Should local business consider joining local associations?
Local associations are a great way to network and establish relationships with legitimate businesses.
Douglas and Gatlin are both members of the Wilton Manors Business Association and regularly attend association events.
Local associations host events that allow you to meet with local business owners and city officials.
Douglas feels confident with partnering with businesses that are part of this type of organization, as it shows they are serious about business and their community.
Joining a local association has also allowed him to align forces with Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, which has received national media attention and translated to attention for his business.
This year Repêchage became a corporate sponsor of GFLGLCC to help support Fort Lauderdale as a diverse, inclusive and safe destination and will be a part of monthly networking events.
Should networking be done in person, or can you use social media?
While we know social media is a great way to expose business, show our services, and connect with clients, it isn’t a replacement for face-to-face interaction.
“There is no replacement for real conversations to help build your relationships, and allow others to really connect with you and your story,” Shiri explains.
It’s important to always remember that people are buying your story, not just your products.
“They want to know why you’ve made something, done something, and why you’re choosing to put your time and talent into that product and service,” Gatlin says.
“When you express your story to someone,” he continues, “and show them the love and the kindness that you have for your product or what you do, it makes a difference!”
“It makes others more apt to come back and spend time and money with you. It makes other professionals want to partner with you and work together to build a community,” Douglas adds.
Should you advertise with local media?
While national publishing and print media may be slowly dwindling away, this is not the case for local media.
People are still very interested in local and community news, and there is an opportunity for local businesses, like salons and spas, to build awareness and create new clients.
What are the benefits of advertising with local media?
Local media offers a targeted audience.
As Evans shared, OutClique Magazine reaches readers in West Palm Beach, Broward County Miami, all the way to Key West.
The people reading their magazine live there and thus local businesses serve a huge advantage in getting exposure to the right audience.
Local media can help you become the local authority in your field.
Most local magazines do not have a large staff or financial resources, and are always looking for a way to get great content.
Spa and salon professionals can write content for local media that will help them become a local authority – Douglas has started to write monthly men’s grooming columns for OutClique, offering skincare and beauty tips for men.
This also creates that emotional connection for readers who get to know the person behind the business, not just the business.
Becoming part of the editorial process also co-brands your business with the media authority. Gift boxes can contain copies of the print magazine, which carries this authority not only virtually online, but right into your clients’ homes.
The businesses have also worked together to do social media giveaways. For example, the first person who posts a picture of themselves with the new issue of OutClique Magazine gets a gift certificate to David Douglas Spa or one of the advertisers for that issue.
How to create an ad for local media?
According to Steven Evans, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of OutClique Magazine, you need to look for creative ways to engage people. He suggests the following for creating an ad:
- Keep the ad simple.
- Have a nice, engaging graphic.
- Have content that is clear and easy to understand. The ad should clearly reflect what your service or product is, and why one would want to seek out our your service
- Plan ads according to season and in advance For example, if you have a seasonal business, what can you plan for and target for that particular season? This is advantageous over keeping a generic ad all year long.
One of the ways to add value to your ad and provide real lead generation is to create a landing page for the ads. For example, Douglas created a landing page giving readers an opportunity to get a coupon. “It doesn’t matter if a million people read your ad if you don’t know who they are and how to reach them.”
These businesses are proof that working locally can be super-rewarding for a business, something to which Brian David Douglas can attest. “The more you are out there and being the face of your business, the better. It may not pay off today, but it will pay off down the road ten-fold!”
Are you currently working locally or will you be? Leave a comment below!
