Small businesses must make the best of any annual event or city-wide change to increase their bottom line. The new rail center, planned to open in 2013 in Gardner Kansas, is an excellent example.
I live in a small town west of Kansas City called Gardner Kansas. In 2013, Gardner will open a 7 million square feet intermodal distribution warehouse which will create 7,000 jobs and increase the city’s population by at least a third – almost overnight. The city is already feeling an increase in the population as construction of the intermodal facility has broken ground and employees are looking for places to stay.
Small businesses in Gardner need to take advantage of this obvious change, and promote their business as a staple in the lives of Gardner citizens. ‘My ice cream shop is the place for families to visit on beautiful warm days.’ ‘My diner is the place to go for breakfast after church or for family dinner outings.’ Use a local marketing agency (like WBC!) to know how to market your company as a staple in a city and where your advertising money is best spent.
But a business shouldn’t need a life-changing local event to update its branded image. Vacation seasons increase businesses for local resorts or rental places, but only if the business’ marketing is up-to-par.
Counties surrounding the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri (or any vacation lake for that matter) boom during the warm season months. Hundreds of small mom-and-pop condo rentals, resorts, boat rentals and restaurants increase their bottom line when streams of vacation-goers stream in for their services. But think about how many more customers you can have if you HAD a Web site or if your Web site was found on the first page of search engines!
If your situation sounds like either of the above, then please call a local marketing agency (or WBC at 913.815.1390) to update your Website and make sure your company is submitted to all search engines and small business online listings. Many agencies offer a free first-time consultation and charge minimal amounts for help with these basic tactics.
Here’s more free advice – join the 3/50 Project – it may help your small business.
