7 Ways to Market Yourself Locally

Practical tips to help holistic practitioners grow their local business

Do you love working in person with clients in your local area? Here are 7 ways to get noticed and grow your local profile.

#1 Branding

Branding is more than just your logo - it’s how people perceive you and your services. Whilst you can’t change someone’s perception, you can influence it by having a consistent look and feel about everything you do including how you present yourself, your logo, colours and chosen fonts.

These should then be reflected in your leaflets, social media posts, profile photos and the way you decorate and accessorise your rooms.

Does your current branding have a consistent look and feel? Do you have a strong identity that someone would recognise as you? Does your branding reflect your values and the quality of the service you provide?

Start by reviewing your logo, colours, and the style of your materials to ensure they match your business values.

This blog will help if your brand needs a little tidying up - how to create a style guide for your holistic business.

As a practitioner, you are your brand, so you must own and embody it. Are you known for a certain sense of dress or style such as dying your hair pink or wearing a particular colour? Do you present yourself in a way that reflects your brand values?

#2 Your Physical Environment

Think of your physical space as part of your marketing toolkit. Are you making the most of the space in and around your business?

People are busy and even if they’re local, they may not realise you’re back or knew you existed in the first place. There are things you can do to help grab attention as people go about their lives.

If you have a clinic, do you have good-quality signage outside? Old and battered signs will affect the perception of the quality of your services and reflect badly on you. Visible signage helps reinforce your brand and makes it easy for clients to find you.

Don’t limit yourself to a clinic facia, there are many other options available such as nameplates, window graphics, floor graphics, A-frames and notice boards.

We’re all creatures of habit and go about our day on autopilot. Changing something about your signage or adding a new element will help people notice you. This can be themed throughout the year to reflect events or seasons and will help you stand out.

Signs don’t have to be limited to a clinic; you can have your car branded - it will then be a mobile advertisement for your business and go wherever you drive. Depending on your budget and requirements, you can have removable magnetic graphics to fully branded vinyl wraps and everything in between.

#3 Build Your Local Profile

Join local events and groups to build your reputation as a trusted expert in health and wellbeing. This can be going to local networking groups, but it can also be getting involved in aligned community projects. The more people who know what you do locally, and that you're open for business, the better.

Start with community Facebook groups or your local council’s website to discover events near you.

Research local fairs and events as they’re a great way to showcase what you do and meet new people in your local area.  If you haven’t had a stand before, this blog will help you.

#4 Sharable Message

Make it easy for people to share what you do and let others know. The core of this is having a great marketing message that is simple and repeatable. If you can’t describe what you do simply in 10-12 words, you’re making it hard work for people to refer you.

For example: I train exhausted parents to teach their babies and toddlers to sleep peacefully, so they can.

This blog will help write yours: creating a marketing message.

https://www.helenharding.co.uk/blog/creating-a-marketing-message

You can add it to your business cards, postcards and leaflets, and keep a supply ready to share in local spots like notice boards, coffee shops, gyms, or salons.

Many practitioners get leaflets wrong, so here’s a link to help you write a leaflet that works.

#5 Ideas People Want to Share

What can you create related to your business that grabs attention and people will want to share on social media? Think of quirky ideas that suit your personality or brand - these help people remember you. Even small, creative touches like handwritten notes or themed decorations can make an impact.

Here are a few examples:

• A Smart car owned by Easygrass covered in AstroTurf drives around here and it certainly stands out. It made me smile and if I hadn’t been driving when I spotted it, I would have taken a photo and posted it on social media.
• Guiseley Osteopath has “Stan the Skeleton” in their clinic window, and he’s become a bit of a local celebrity. He’s dressed up for events – it’s fun and gets people talking!
• The London Underground write notes and inspirational poems to their customers. These handwritten notes on whiteboards are often shared on social media – another simple but effective way to stand out.

#6 Online Marketing

These days, most people looking for help with a problem start online. Even though you’re building a local business, online marketing can support you to be visible in your community.

An up-to-date Google Business Profile improves your visibility on maps and searches - it’s one of the best ways to be found locally. If you don’t have one, it’s a powerful and free way to market your business so make that a priority – you can find out more information about getting one here.

Social media is also a powerful way of building your visibility locally. Make sure all your profiles are up to date, and that you’re posting regularly – even if it’s only once or twice a week. Join local Facebook groups where you can advertise your services and other local interest groups where your favourite clients hang out and be helpful.

#7 Remind Everyone You Exist

Don’t let your business be the best-kept secret - regularly remind people you’re here to help. Look for opportunities to shout about it from the rooftops, and get your friends and family involved too.

Send friendly reminders to past clients and follow up with enquiries. Personal connections build trust. When you’re personally reaching out to people, although it’s time-consuming, it’s the fastest way to bring clients to your door.

Building a business locally requires you to be known for what you do. The more your community understands who you help and how you help them, the easier it is for them to recommend you when it’s appropriate. Do whatever you can to remind people of the great work you do.

Ready to grow your local business next year? Let’s make a plan together.

Join me for my Planning to Thrive in 2025 - Live Online Workshop

10am - 2pm GMT on Sunday 8 December 2024

Join us and show your small business some love. Treat this as a mini-retreat for you and your business where you will create a solid plan for 2025! I will help you simplify your planning, so you know what to do and where to direct your marketing efforts to achieve your goals including the scary financial goals. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a clear, achievable plan to thrive in 2025 - and enjoy your holidays stress-free. Get the full details here.