Online Marketing for Local Businesses

This is where I share ideas, strategies, and reminders to help you market your business without burning out or losing your voice. Take what’s useful, skip what’s not, and move at your own pace.

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  • Forget the Big Discounts: How to Boost Customer Excitement for Small Business Saturday

    Forget the Big Discounts: How to Boost Customer Excitement for Small Business Saturday

    For years now, we’ve heard that offering discounts is the best, maybe even the only way to get holiday sales.  Recently, I read yet another post recommending last-minute deals. Same old advice, right? Since everyone says it, it must be true. Uhh…no. The advice often comes with good intentions, but it’s easy advice. Dropping prices Read more

  • 5 Reasons Your Small Business Saturday Marketing Hasn’t Worked Yet (And How to Fix It)

    5 Reasons Your Small Business Saturday Marketing Hasn’t Worked Yet (And How to Fix It)

    Stop me if this sounds familiar: you’ve been promoting your business year-round, prepping for holiday sales online and in-store, but your numbers are down and you’re running on fumes. From the outside, friends might think business is booming. But the numbers tell a different story—sales are down and energy is tanked. Your family never sees you, Read more

  • The Perfect Timeline for Your Local Business Holiday Marketing Plan

    The Perfect Timeline for Your Local Business Holiday Marketing Plan

    Every local business struggles with how and when to promote themselves online during the holidays. We get stuck wondering things like, “when should I start my marketing plan?” or “which sales days should I even participate in?”   When you’re unsure what to do, it’s hard to move forward, and too often, business owners tell me Read more

  • 3 Common Social Media Mistakes Small Businesses Make (and How to Avoid Them)

    3 Common Social Media Mistakes Small Businesses Make (and How to Avoid Them)

    Whenever I speak with local business owners, the conversation goes something like this: “I know I should be posting on social media, but I never really know what to post,” or “I do post pretty regularly—just whatever I think of that day. Like a photo inside my shop or something…” They might post when they Read more

  • How to Ride the Olympic Wave in Your Marketing Without Infringing Trademarks

    How to Ride the Olympic Wave in Your Marketing Without Infringing Trademarks

    With the global sporting event in full swing, there’s a wealth of trends and memes emerging daily, providing endless inspiration for your marketing content. However, it’s crucial to navigate this landscape carefully, especially when it comes to the trademarks associated with the event. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) protects various elements of the Olympic brand Read more

  • Make “I Had No Idea You Were Here” a Thing of the Past!

    Make “I Had No Idea You Were Here” a Thing of the Past!

    That moment when a new customer walks in exclaiming, “I had no idea you were even here!”—any brick-and-mortar business owner has been there! Do you tell them, “Yep, it’s been years…” or grit your teeth in frustration? What if someone could help you make that conversation a thing of the past? Increasing your local visibility Read more