Retail Revival: Promoting to Local Eyes

Waiting for a lecture to begin at Cultivate'23, I struck up a conversation with another IGC employee. She began telling me about her exasperation with getting the word out about her company events. “Fewer people in my area are reading the newspaper, and I get very little response to posting an event on Facebook or Instagram. I’m tempted to try skywriting,” she joked.  

We’ve all experienced frustration with getting our information out to potential customers. Yes, a number of loyal shoppers might open our newsletters or sign up for our text (SMS) communications, but how do we make others aware of our activities? I suggest that you look at what real estate agents often say is the most important:  location, location, location.

You may post on your Facebook or Instagram page, but those platforms' proprietary algorithm will determine how many people see that information. You can work with the algorithm to boost your chances of wide distribution by making posts that people engage with via likes, shares or comments. In other words, ask for opinions, make your post funny or use a photo that’s especially beautiful. Think about who your customer is, and what they care about, and make your graphics and text about them, not just about your IGC.

That type of strategic use of social media takes time, thought and talent, however, and not every small business has the staff that can create such engaging material. But you can sneak around the algorithms and get your events and programs in front of people in your area. By posting in local groups, on the Nextdoor app or on Craigslist, your information will be seen by those who are active in those regional social platforms, not just the individuals that the algorithms choose.

If you’re not familiar with which local groups are in existence, go to the search bar on Facebook, type in area town names and choose the “groups” filter. Once you find groups with a large number of members, check their rules to be sure they allow businesses to post. When I recently searched “Indianapolis,” for example, I found Things To Do Indianapolis with 48,000 members, Indianapolis Gardening with 9,500 members and Indianapolis with 18,000 members, to name just three of the groups that came up.

The Nextdoor app is similar to Facebook, but it’s already organized regionally, so when you join, you’ll be put into a local group. Craigslist is also divided geographically, so you can be assured that the eyes that land on your event postings are your potential customers.

Be sure the photos or graphics that are used to promote the event are about the audience you would like to attract. If your workshop is about planting window boxes, make up a sample of what attendees will create and photograph that. A picture that solicits the response, “That’s beautiful, I want that!” is far better than a photo of the teacher, the storefront or your logo. If your talk is about better vegetable gardens, show a lovely local raised bed. If it’s a program about designing with natives, use a shot of a mixed-shrub border or perennial garden. Pictures that look like your area are far more authentic than a stock photo.

Do you want to attract young parents to an event? Show families planting a garden or creating what you intend to teach. And if the workshop is for children, a picture of a child of the appropriate age with the project that they have created will allow parents and grandparents to imagine their kids attending.

The downside of many local groups on Facebook is that they are private, so the posts there can’t be shared by members. People can comment the names of others in the group to call their attention to the topic, but you’ll need to also have the information with photos or videos on your own page so that it can be shared.

Make your listing most attractive to algorithm that is determining how many people see your post by using strategies that will boost engagement. Ask people to comment with their experiences and opinions on the topic at hand. When publicizing that window box workshop, for example, ask, “What’s your favorite color combination for window boxes?” or “Which window box annual makes you happy?” followed by the invitation to register for your program. Everybody has an opinion, and they love contributing.

Finally, most areas have online event listing websites, be they associated with a newspaper or not. Have a list of those sites, the regional apps and local Facebook groups handy so that when you have the photo and information you’ve prepared, it’s quick work to put the event in all of those outlets. Using this approach will ensure that you’re reaching local eyes and potential customers…and it’s surely less expensive and longer-lasting than skywriting.