Jul 29, 2016
How do you balance 'being local' and 'being everywhere' for your customers?
My marketing strategy is to 'be everywhere'. However, sometimes I find that when I focus on reaching customers outside of my local area that I miss out on attracting customers through local events, publications, school programs, etc. Then when I'm focusing just on local customers, I think there is so much more I could be doing. Where is the balance?
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Aug 1, 2015
I think this is the first time I don't really agree with what people are saying here. I completely agree with you. You need to be everywhere. If you are not everywhere, you are losing out, big time. In your business, having an art gallery is one of the rare businesses that actually can attract people from all over the world if done right.
Focusing on the local market to attract local artists and then market those artists to all corners of the world will provide many opportunities. And lets face it, New York is the best place in the world where you could actually pull this off.
Focusing on attracting visitors from all over the world would be my approach and that is how you take care of the local market as well as the rest of the world.
I may be wrong but my first thought was to go to tourism offices to get them to help you advertise your business to tourists. This could open up a whole new world and if you are in a good location, people might just drop by to look at some of the amazing art you have advertised.
Another thought would be any other tourist attractions and maybe create a package with one or some of them. Especially the artistic side of the tourism sector might be of interest such as museums, other art galleries (there is different arts, so find the one's that are more in line with what you offer), you already mentioned schools. There is plenty more I'm sure if you really start looking locally on how to attract tourists. Hotels might be another good source for you to showcase what you've got.
Online might be a good way to sell art as well. This is new and not everybody's cup of tea but a lot of people buy paintings, sculptures etc online now.
So, to summarise, focus on the local tourism sector and that will already open up the world.
I hope this is a bit helpful to you. Good luck with the business and let me know if you need any further clarification.
Thank you and regards
Carsten
Jul 29, 2015
Hi Zoe,
It looks like your target market and prospects are local as well as out of your local area. You have 2 options I think.
1) See between the 2 areas where the most of your customers come from. See also which area is cost effective(money-time- energy) for you. Then you can focus on just that area
2) If both bring you equal customers have 2 different strategies and manage your time consequently to serve both at the same periodicity. For example if everyday you reach out to both areas, split the time in 2 the same day for each area. Time management will be the key for you with the option # 2
Hope this help. Feel free to reach out if not clear. Good luck and go them
Jul 29, 2015
This is a tough one and it really depends on your product/service. Payza serves over 190 countries but our real strength is being able to cater to local markets. While we have a core set of services offered globally, we also have local initiatives aimed at truly meeting the needs of specific markets.
For a small business I'd suggest not spreading yourself too thin. It's probably best to get a solid foothold in your own market before branching out (or if you already have a strong presence in several markets, focus on solidifying these positions). This way, when you are ready to enter a new market you can do so with a solid strategy that will make the best use of your resources.
If your marketing strategy translates well over many areas, then you can certainly branch out to multiple markets at a time. After a few weeks/months when you can judge the results coming in from your efforts, you can focus your marketing dollars on the areas that are responding to your pitch while scaling back in other markets.
Jul 29, 2015
Hello Zoe
Kevin McCarthy provided some excellent focused advice: "In general, master your local market first - put 80 to 90% of your time there. This will help you clarify your target audiences, engage them in conversation, and grow a reputation. Yes, you need a web and social media presence but keep your eye locally for now."
The only exception to the above is to now put 100% of your time AND focus within your local market. Later, after you've proven that you provide an essential service / product for others - at an acceptable price point, with SUPERB customer service, you can start to dream about expanding.
But even when you start to expand, do that with a focused plan. Don't immediately try to be an answer to the world. Nobody is.
Concentrate on continually improving the process of clients truly enjoying to use your products and services. Satisfactory growth will follow naturally. Best Wishes!
Jul 29, 2015
What product line? That's important. No one is everywhere. Not even coke or pepsi. There is a limit or there are limits to service, product line, Presentation, Promotion, Partners, delivery (Place) and making money.
I taught MBA Marketing classes at several colleges and universities including USC, CSUN and all five campuses of Pepperdine.
Here's one of the most important concepts taught including in the capstone MBA class: Success can boil down to two things...building revenue and cutting or maintaining costs.
Review the 4P's and 9P's of Marketing. Good luck. All the best.
Jul 30, 2015
Have you considered that you might have a wrong marketing strategy?
Research shows that local companies are more profitable than the global corporations. If you want to be everywhere, you'd be better off with selling a franchise and thus you would need a different business model. But somehow, I do not think that this is what you intended to do.
I would personally advise you to concentrate on your local community and perhaps bring in something that has not been available there. One example that comes to my mind is Banksy taking over a museum in Bristol. In the first month of his exhibition there were more visitors to the museum than in the previous history of the museum since its creation...And btw. traffic at the Bristol Airport doubled...
Jul 29, 2015
The balance starts with being comfortable with what is best in reality putting ego aside. Being "everywhere" is not a realistic strategy until your brand is endemic. Focus on being vital, critical, essential to someone and "everywhere" will come from the market...close is easier, cheaper and a better test of value. Grow outward from a core rather than trying to harvest from scatter.
Jul 29, 2015
Hi Zoe,
Being everywhere is not a marketing strategy. It is a recipe for utter confusion and I sense you're experiencing just that. Only major brands can afford to "be everywhere" but even they know better. What you want to be is where your customers are...but who are they?
In general, master your local market first - put 80 to 90% of your time there. This will help you clarify your target audiences, engage them in conversation, and grow a reputation. Yes, you need a web and social media presence but keep your eye locally for now. You're surrounded by 8 million people in NYC. You have plenty to say grace over as it is.
Get profitable asap. Your time, attention and energy is your limiting factor in a start-up. Focused and consistent effort on a few good things will win over a scattered attempt of being everywhere.
Please post your website / FB so we can better understand your offering.
Bravo for making the entrepreneurial leap.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
Jul 29, 2015
What are your financial and lifestyle goals 3 - 5 years from now? What does your business need to look like and have accomplished by then for you to realize your goals?
If you can accomplish that in the local market, then focus only on that. If you need some scaling-up, then go through the right process to determine which products/services are the best to scale Then decide whether to provide more products to your existing market or to take your current products to new markets. Do NOT take new products to new markets.
Hope this helped.
Jul 29, 2015
You really have to ask yourself which market has brought you most success and profit to date? You seem to have tried both local and 'everywhere'.
Also, what are your overheads to do the two options, compared with the turnover achieved form each?
It would be better if I knew what market you were in but in general business you must research your options then put your effort into the most profitable route forward.