Local Solutions partnered with S&W Kitchens in 2015, taking the reins for their digital marketing strategy so as to allow the owner to focus on expanding the business.  In this Business Spotlight, read on to see how Local Solutions improved the leads of this designer kitchen and bath remodeling company by almost 600% with a lower budget than their in-house efforts.

You don't want to reach just any customer. You want to build relationships with the people who will become brand loyalists because your products or services suit them perfectly. You can find your target customer by honing in on the ideal customer pool.

We do this by carefully creating a targeting strategy that focuses on an enjoyable customer experience, getting a well-timed message to the locations where your ideal customers are spending time and sending gentle reminders about your business to the websites they frequent. Sounds good? Let's dig in. 

When you have the chance to interact with customers across a variety of channels, knowing that each has their own unique value and effectiveness, opting for one or even just a few isn't going to deliver the ideal results.

A multichannel integrated marketing strategy is certainly a start, but no matter how many channels you manage at any given time, you're bound to face limitations if these channels don't communicate with one another. Consumers are fluid in their digital behaviors, and brands need a marketing strategy designed to keep up with these various behaviors.

An omnichannel approach can offer a more consistent user experience, whether you're interacting on desktop, mobile, connected TV or in-person.

Let's say the wing-it approach isn't working. You've decided building a marketing strategy and tracking your progress will help you meet your business goals. But where do you start?

It takes more than a bulleted list of talking points and an eye-catching logo to build brand recognition for your company, according to Marketing Land. The ideal first step is to think about the process as a whole. Sure, it's enticing to jump into creating messaging, but let's lay the groundwork for success first.

Identifying Your Basic Marketing Needs

There's no reason to launch a creative campaign before you've defined your goals, explored your resources and accepted the amount and type of work you can realistically manage.

1. What are your goals?

You want more sales, more recognition and to become the brand that rolls off the tips of tongues everywhere. But dig deeper. Have you identified factors that can be measured and evaluated over time?

You've done the usual. You started a Facebook business page, wear your company logo shirt around town proudly and sponsor the Little League team. Your home services marketing tactics work pretty well, but there's still room for improvement. Whether you're fixing leaky faucets, mowing lawns, cleaning homes or helping homeowners in another way, you can land more customers by taking a structured approach to your promotional efforts.

Business operations software company Jobber shared a list of 2018 trends and predictions to help guide home services business owners. Here are a few of the top takeaways:

• Customers seek time efficiency. The ability to book appointments 24/7 through apps or social platform messaging services trumps calling an office line during the 9-to-5.
• Adopting new technology helps you rise above your competition. From promoting multiple lines of communication to using mobile billing and payment processes, adopt current tech trends.
• Stay in touch with your clients. Being top of mind can only happen when your past customers hear from you regularly. Implementing a strategic marketing plan is the foundation for effective communication.

Local Solutions is proud to have worked with Body Details for the past three years. In this Business Spotlight, learn how Local Solutions helped grow this 4 location laser clinic to 7, delivering over 100% revenue growth in less than 3 years.

Body Details has dared to be different, bold, and strategic as a small business in a major market. They recognized the importance of being present through all stages of the consumers’ buying journey, while understanding that efficiency is critical to success. As behaviors continue to shift online, Local Solutions and Body Details have worked closely together to ensure the campaign approach adjusts to engage with and market to the right clientele.

“We partnered with Cox Media Group, a media company that has deep roots at the local level and national expertise. Together, we have embarked on an omni-channel marketing campaign focused on lead generation.” Says Claudio Sorrentino, owner of Body Details.

It's a new year. Fresh starts typically replace old habits during this season, but that might leave your partnerships (and income) uncertain. As your clients evaluate their expenditures from the previous year and dig into 2018 budgets, rise above their bottom line projections and make a personal impact. Focus on client retention.

It's common knowledge that acquiring a new client costs more than nurturing an established one. Marketing Land explained that this concept of "retention marketing" should be part of your B2B strategy, with an emphasis placed on customer experience. Retaining your current clients gives you more opportunities to up-sell, or cross-sell, as you develop new products and services. Plus, pricing isn't as much of a concern because existing customers already appreciate the value you provide.

So, how can you be sure that your clients stick with you in 2018? The answer is simple: Focus on their needs — not yours.

If the term "psychographics" brings to mind images of lava lamps and tie-dye shirts, think again.

Psychographic marketing isn't a throwback to 1970s business promotion techniques, but rather a marketing approach that focuses on human attitudes and interests. Here's some insight into psychographics, and tips for putting them to work for you.

What are Psychographics?

When marketers dig into the psychographics of their target customers, they're learning about behaviors, values, interests, opinions, attitudes and activities. This approach often augments traditional demographics-based audience personas.

Since the dawn of television, brands have used the platform to successfully deliver their messages directly to viewers' homes. From small, local businesses to global organizations, television advertising has been a staple of the traditional media mix for brands for generations. But over the past decade, TV consumption has changed dramatically — especially among one particular group.

The Challenge of the Unreachables

Coined by Heart & Science CEO Scott Hagedorn as "the unreachables" in a Wall Street Journal article, a significant portion of millennials and Gen Xers are shying away from traditional means of consuming television. Instead, these adults watch TV programs through apps on mobile devices and through streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.

Local businesses face unique challenges (and opportunities) when it comes to generating leads and growing their base within their targeted service area. Home services marketing strategies typically have the luxury of using digital marketing channels while also finding continued success in certain forms of traditional marketing.

If you're a home services business owner who's eager to expand your lead-gen channels, there are three strategies that can help you broaden your business base and maximize your leads, and customer conversions.