Finding affordable ways to market your local business on and offline is a struggle. But if you’re a local business owner — you’ve come to the right place. Below is a list of low-cost local marketing ideas and the marketing tools to execute them.
Ready to get started?
Here are 11 local business marketing ideas with the budget-friendly marketing tools you need to succeed in 2024:
💡Local Marketing Idea: Radio
1. iHeart AdBuilder
AdBuilder is a self-serve radio advertising platform that helps local businesses quickly and easily get on-air at any time from any device. It’s an affordable, targeted, and customizable service any small business owner can use.
Why it’s awesome:
- iHeartRadio reaches 9 out of 10 Americans every month.
- You can set a weekly budget with a plan optimized for results.
- Audience targeting allows you to reach local customers at the correct times.
- No creative? Get professionally written and produced radio ads done for you.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Billboards
2. AdCitter
Billboards are among the best ways to promote your brand across a city or region. Over time, virtually everyone in town can know about your business. And now, with digital billboards, even with a modest budget, it’s never been easier to get started.
Why it’s awesome:
- Your subscription includes professional billboard designs, or you can upload your own.
- You can choose locations across your entire city or just in your neighborhood.
- Digital billboards grab drivers’ attention, and because they are sold in small time increments of 7 to 10 seconds, they cost a lot less.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Direct Mail
3. Every Door Direct Mail
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is an affordable direct mail targeting service the USPS offers to help promote small businesses to local communities. EDDM can help you send postcards, menus, and flyers to the right customers if you’re having a sale, opening a new location, or offering coupons.
Why it’s awesome:
- Impressive targeting capabilities
- It’s easy to use & budget-friendly
- Less competition in the mailbox
💡Local Marketing Idea: Coupons
4. Valpak
Valpak’s “Blue Envelope” coupon book is the most recognized direct mail service, driving response and awareness through advanced targeting for over 50 years. Just choose your ideal neighborhoods (target market), and they will do the rest.
Why it’s awesome:
- It’s cost-effective, starting at 3 to 5 cents per household mailed.
- Ad artwork designed to drive response rates is done for you.
- You can target specific audiences and track performance metrics.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Card Displays
5. Displays & Holders
Displays and Holders is a simple online store that makes it easy to buy low-cost/high-quality brochures and business card displays and holders (now the name makes sense to you!).
Why is this tool on our list?
Imagine opening a bakery and wanting to enter the wedding market. You bake a batch of cupcakes to give away and visit event venues, photographers, and florists.
After introducing yourself and giving away your cupcakes, ask them if you could display each other’s business cards in their stores.
It sounds old school, but it’s a great way to reach more customers and increase referrals.
Why it’s awesome:
- It’s cheap
- It’s high quality
- It’s made in the USA
💡Local Marketing Idea: Vanity Numbers
6. Unitel
Unitel is a virtual phone system designed to help small business owners and startups sound more professional and better manage business calls. One of the ways Unitel can empower your business is by giving you a custom-branded vanity number.
Why it’s awesome:
You need a vanity phone number to reach more customers and create a stronger brand. A vanity number is a phone number with letters instead of just numbers. It’s easier to remember and will stand out more on marketing materials.
For example, if you have a loan business, would you rather hand out a card with the number 1-833-GET-LOANS or 1-833-438-5626? The answer is obvious. A vanity number will help you stand out from the competition and make it easier for customers to remember your brand.
Here are some other places where you can use your vanity number:
- Business cards
- Radio ads
- Billboards
- Vehicle decals
- Websites
- Storefronts
- Direct mailings
- Other marketing materials
Don’t miss this opportunity to make your brand more visible and memorable. Get a vanity phone number today.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Directories
7. Moz Local
Moz Local automatically syncs your location data with local business directories, so you can focus on running your business instead of worrying about your listing.
With Moz Local, you can easily create and manage your listings on Google, Facebook, and other directories. And because Moz Local keeps your information up-to-date, you can be confident that consumers will always be able to find your local business.
Why it’s awesome:
- Moz Local manages your online directory listings so you can focus on running your business.
- You’ll improve your online visibility and feel confident your business is being seen by customers looking for services like yours.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Ecommerce Site
8. Squarespace
If you’re looking to create a beautiful, professional website, Squarespace is the perfect platform for you. With award-winning templates designed by world-class designers, it’s easy to customize your site to fit your personal style and needs.
And if you’re selling products or services online, this powerful platform makes it easy to manage your store and process transactions.
Why it’s awesome:
- You’ll have a website that looks professional and unique.
- You’ll be able to sell products and services online.
- Your website will be easy to customize and update.
- Customers will love your delightful shopping experience.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Events
9. Eventbrite
Eventbrite is the perfect solution for event planning and ticketing. With its web-based platform, you can easily create, browse, and promote local events. With their exclusive data, you can tap into the world’s largest events marketplace to reach more attendees.
Why it’s awesome:
- You can easily create and manage events.
- You can connect with a huge audience of potential attendees.
- You get real-time insights to help you improve your events.
- You can use built-in email marketing tools to keep your attendees engaged and returning for more.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Group Deals
10. Groupon
Groupon allows you to set up digital coupons to promote whatever you sell, from food and retail products to travel and services. With the Groupon app, people get notifications about nearby deals. And if you’re looking for even more savings, they can browse the Groupon app from the local section to see coupons for deals near them.
Why it’s awesome:
- You can get your business in front of a ton of new people.
- You’ll reach customers likely to be interested in what you’re selling.
- You can promote your campaign through a variety of channels for maximum exposure.
💡Local Marketing Idea: Online Reviews
11. GatherUp
GatherUp makes it easy to collect customer feedback and reviews from your happiest customers. With GatherUp, you can also display reviews on your website from multiple review sites. And if you’re ever worried about what people say about your business online, their review monitoring feature keeps you in the loop.
Why it’s awesome:
- Build reviews on sites that matter to you
- Display reviews on your website
- Monitor review sites and Google Q&A
Editor’s Note: The article is part of the blog series Grow Your Business, brought to you by the marketing team at UniTel Voice, the virtual phone system priced and designed for startups and small business owners.
