The Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic effect on many areas of our daily lives. One that has not been touched is marketing. With few exceptions, businesses have shut down and the world has changed in an instant. In our rush to create local business and economic success stories, many are now looking to the past for guidance. One place they may find it is the streets of Detroit.

If you’re looking for success in a post-pandemic world, you need to be thinking about how to reach a local audience. And what better place to start than the city that was once the headquarters for the automotive industry in America. If you’re not already doing so, you should be taking advantage of the opportunity Detroit presents. There are hundreds of thousands of potential customers in and around the city, all looking for discounts or savings. Perhaps the best business card you can have is a local marketing card. Here’s how you can use marketing to grow your business in Detroit.

Recruit New Customers Locally

The first step to effective marketing is to identify the target audience. Most businesses that operate in Detroit will want to target Midwesterners and Americans in general. If you want to grow your business beyond the city limits, you need to identify how to bring in customers from outside of Detroit. Luckily, you have a city full of natives that you can use as your own personal customer base. You just have to know how to reach them.

The best way to find new customers is through word of mouth. Your marketing team can put together a robust referral program. For every new customer they bring in, you can offer them a reward. Some businesses will even pay you to let them use your card. However, you need to make sure that you have a plan to follow up with each customer. This is crucial if you want people to see value in what you offer. It’s also a great way to gain credibility with your community. Your customers will respect you more if they know that you’re trying to do good for the city.

Develop A Brand

Branding is an essential element to every business. Even if you’re a one-person show with no other employees, you still need a brand. A brand is what makes your business unique and sets it apart from others. It can be as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. You can start by simply having a symbol or logo that people can associate with your business. You can also create a brand identity that is used across all your marketing materials.

For example, if you sell health and wellness products, you might want to consider developing an identity for your brand. One that represents your products and the values that you’re trying to promote. This could be as simple as a lion (your company’s symbol) holding up a palm tree (a symbol of strength and vibrancy). Or you might want to take it a step further and develop a logo that incorporates both animals and plants. As you gain experience and build your brand, consumers will be able to tell you more about your business than your website can tell you. Even if you operate in a largely digital world, nothing can replace good old-fashioned human interaction.

Now, you may be wondering why we’re telling you about developing a brand and not about marketing your business. The reason is that your brand will form the basis of your marketing strategy. You won’t be able to successfully market your business if you don’t develop the right brand for it. The brand you choose should represent your products and the values you’re trying to promote. For example, if you’re a vegetarian restaurant, you might want to choose an identity that reflects that. Or if you’re a fashion brand, you could incorporate styling elements from different cultures into your logo or symbol. As you learn more about your target audience, you’ll be able to choose a brand that speaks to them.

Create Consumer Confidence

When people believe in your product or service, they’ll be more receptive to your marketing efforts. When someone else’s cousin’s friend’s aunt’s dog’s dentist tells them that your product is good, they may not always believe him. But if a celebrity or well-known brand vouches for your product, they will. If you want to create some consumer confidence, do your best to get reputable reviews or testimonials from prior customers. If possible, get some independent reviews as well. Believe it or not, nothing beats hearing it from someone who’s not connected to you or your company.

People aren’t always that receptive to marketing efforts. Even if you do everything right and get the perfect brand and marketing campaign, you may not see the results you’re looking for. One way of making sure that your efforts are effective is to track the results of your campaign. You can use tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic and lead generation to determine the effectiveness of your campaign. You should also have a plan B in case your initial campaign fails to generate the leads you’re looking for. Having a backup plan is essential. Otherwise, you’re kind of trapped making the same effort every time.

In summary, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world. While many aspects of our lives will return to normal, one thing that won’t is marketing. As you look to the future, consider what you can do to make the most of the situation. And the first place you should begin is with your local marketing. There are many opportunities for you to reach local customers and gain credibility with your community. One of the best things you can do for your business is to become a local hero. By helping your community, you’ll gain support from your customers, employees, and community leaders. All of which will boost your business. Good luck out there.