Real Business Growth Strategies With The Real Brad Lea

Sean: Okay Brad thanks for taking the time to be with everyone today and sharing some of your insight. For anyone that’s not already familiar with who you are and what you do, can you give us a little introduction and let us know what you’re going to talk about today?


Brad Lea: Yeah absolutely! My name is Brad Lea, I am the founder and CEO of Lightspeed VT. It’s a web-based interactive virtual training solutions company and I’m going to talk about anything you want today.


Sean: So as US told us before the interview you handle is the real Brad Lea and I know from reading your material a lot, check some of your video that you think it’s really important especially today to be genuine as a business person, as a real person because to your point somehow you’re going to get find out eventually between social media interviews whatever. What’s the value in being genuine and why do you think that is all important to connect with the audience?


Brad Lea: Well, I mean yeah because you know amongst many qualities that are valuable, “Authenticity and keeping it real is a way to create longevity” because if you were to be kind of fake, or pose or you know present yourself in such a way that isn’t real, it’s only a matter of time before someone discovers that and or you know exposes that, and next thing you know your business crumbles because you built it on a false facade. Well, so like me if someone doesn’t like me you know I don’t want to find out after we’re in an agreement together. If you don’t like me upfront then you know let’s not do business. If you meet me up front and want to do business with me, and three months later it was all fake and now all of a sudden you hear me you know say you don’t drop of word you don’t like or have a philosophy you don’t like now now we’re in a bad situation so you got to keep it real.


GET YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

Sean: How many do you think we need to get I don’t feel familiar with Donald Miller but uh ketta story brand he’s a marketing guy one of his books he talks about almost doing this one of ulnar ability is where you really connect with people because maybe says a lot of us we reach situations that are live that we think people won’t appreciate it or we need to hide and put up masks little by little we all see come on to connect with people do you think you give to that point everything you think you hold at least some of it back which is genuine with your personality


Brad Lea: No I mean I don’t hold anything back I mean obviously using some common sense and business acumen you don’t go too far but I say keep it real I mean and not only that but Boehner ability sells I mean I do these shows on Facebook live from my fanpage I do these things called the bottom lines with different gas Daymond John you know different celebrities that use the BT system and brands that come in and a couple of times you know it really got vulnerable a couple people started crying I mean people love that they connect with that people want authenticity these days


Sean:I think that’s absolutely true and I think that’s a great point I just was wondering after you thought that too or if you’re just like hey go out there so another thing is your thing I guess if your story a little bit why do you think it’s the point I believe that anything is possible as a business owner it’s important to believe that you know I did to keep that mentality like you know why do you think that’s important for your success


Brad Lea: well we will anything is possible and and be because if you don’t believe that you’re limiting your abilities to succeed you’re limiting your ability to expand anything is possible I mean it’s you know a lot of people want to try and you know come up with something smart I see like you know well you can’t fly well yes you can have you heard of Orville and Wilbur Wright before


Sean: so how do you think you know that’s a really good point in modern society there are a lot of constraints a lot of people will sit there and tell you that anything is not in fact possible or you know especially with entrepreneurs as you get out there and you’re not from a family of business owners entrepreneurs a big lasting I have this idea I’m going to get it done you can have a lot of naysayers and a lot of people holding you back how do you keep that anything is possible mentality you know in those kind of situations


Brad Lea: well I mean I think my variance in life is proving it to me I mean I dropped out of high school and 11th grade went to LA to be a movie star landed a starring role in a movie three days before production the producer son
got got the part instead of me a little bit of nepotism there but you know when went through life just seeing things that were impossible happen I mean anything is possible and I believe it because I’ve seen it and I think anybody else has seen it too they may they may not be paying attention so again I mean if you have a if you have any other belief other than that you’re limiting yourself and that’s most people’s problem most people limit themselves you know there’s a lot of companies that go in and they work off budgets you know it sounds crazy but like I don’t operate off of a budget because I believe budgets are basically limits like why would you go in and plan your limits for the year yeah so but but again I mean you know a Harvard Graduate in business would say you know I won’t be in business well again I am in business our business is exploding I was doing it 17 years ago when there wasn’t any online learning so it wasn’t even heard of he barely has a cell phone back then and you know everyone said this wouldn’t work well again here we are working like a son of a gun so anything’s possible for my company


Sean: how did you stay motivated for 14 years when your building didn’t take me 14 years to develop it it took me 14 years to catch up to time so like we were ahead of our time and as I was out there knocking on doors for the first 14 years you know Internet just remember back when people didn’t want websites nowadays if you don’t have a website and a good looking website you’re not even real and I don’t care how real you are you’re perceived as fake cheap broke out of business not good not credible if your website doesn’t represent you well I remember when come when I was selling websites way back in the day and people were like we don’t need one we don’t want one well guess what that change didn’t it so it took us 40 years to catch up catch up I mean we were ahead of our time so a lot of the heartache and pain and challenges that I went through I just believed it in 90 days everything would be different I still believe that I was just having a meeting with some of my staff I said man in 90 days this would be night and day so just literally I didn’t try to think too far ahead just donated a if you can you know focus for 90 days it’s a lot easier next thing you know it’s been 15 years 90 days at a time I want to write a book one day called how do you how to get anything you want in 90 days and the days will be spelled da ve because you just get in two days and look down and work for 90 days and then you look up and if you haven’t attained what it is you set out to do look back down and repeat that step and in one of those 90 day cycles you’ll look up and and and find success well it could have been 13 90 day cycles to get it but it’s still within that 90-day so how you get anything you want 90 days there you go people to look at golden yeah you take 90 days or did someone help you pick that or just belief you know I figured when I started my company would be about 90 days before I made my first million yeah in 90 days I didn’t have my first million didn’t I didn’t I my first customer so guess what I talked to a lot of people a lot of people were getting ready to call me back and say yes oh man all I need now is 90 more days for that and that just kept going it was it was uh you know again like it seems like it was a year ago I started my company but if you ask me right now I would think don’t things going to travel but 90 days it’ll be twice as good as it is now that’s a great outlet I think you guys on something else is really important to being first sometimes there’s a difficult a lot of times being second or third in the market obviously is easier to someone leave the path for you so for something out there that’s got a really good idea and they’re struggling against being ahead of their time like you were what kind of lessons did you learn that maybe would help them well I mean I like to innovate so I mean I don’t want to be second I want to be third I want to be first if I have to go through the heartache for everybody else hallelujah but I think if you’re not first you’re you’re copying the first and I just like to be first you know as as they say the view never changes unless you’re the lead dog yeah because otherwise you’re just looking at the same you know on a sledding team the dogs are all chained up well other than the lead dog but you never changes the dogs behind you’re just looking at the same thing which is which is the first dog’s ass you know a lot about training and training employees and stocks as a business owner when you’re hiring what was the most important thing to consider when you’re developing a training program fair style accountability inspect what you expect in repetition see a lot of lot of companies when they set up a training program they think hey go through this okay they went through it now what well know go through it a million times I can sing a song right now and anybody that watches this video will be able to sing it with me and it’s based on repetition it’s your ABCs happy birthday to you any of those songs you know why you know those songs because of repetition they didn’t walk in and say okay welcome to first grade here’s your alphabet and then now the next day let’s move on to arithmetic you stayed on the same subject over and over so I think the most important thing a company or an entrepreneur can do to train their people effectively is to make sure that there’s repetition and accountability some people don’t realize that training is uncomfortable you know you go to the gym to get asked I don’t know anything about apps but I heard it’s very uncomfortable to get them it’s uncomfortable to give up that piece of cake it’s uncomfortable to get up early enough to do the work well that’s why people with ads you know have apps there willing to be uncomfortable to get that that goal training is the same way training is uncomfortable employees a lot of times bitch and moan about training or they’ll say I’ve done it well training isn’t something you did it’s something you do so any business owner has to understand that’s their business that’s their brand that’s their future and if you don’t insist on implementing a learning culture within your organization you’re going to be operating less than efficiently high-skilled well-trained employees makes the difference between you know really doing well and just doing all right is there a chance of motivating employees to want to do the training or follow through in the training have you found some good techniques for that the best technique ever is termination ok let me say so I mean people always think I’m joking would we bet you know a lot of companies we’ve seen a lot of successful implementations and the best one ever is if you don’t train you don’t work here how about that and they had a hundred percent adoption but you know the key is they were also the most you know one of the most successful groups in their field if you look at today because I look at training data all the time the number one people on earth trained the most the best athletes the best teams the best companies the best people they’re all reading and learning and growing and training all the time the highest paid people on the planet are the are usually a sales commission based or the most highly trained and even in the sales commission that’s true so companies are afraid to hold their people accountable I mean I’ve spent a lot of time money blood sweat and tears building this company if you come here if you don’t want to be trained you’re not interested in growing and improving well then I’m not interested in having you on my team so here if you don’t want to train you know go find another job and if something a business owners did that more often training would become normal training would become commonplace and when you got job somewhere you would almost expect it funny thing is is most of the most of the highest level employees come in here that I’ve hired have have inquired about the training like what training do you provide good employees will ask you what kind of training you provide you know the ones that say oh you know I know I don’t need to train those are the ones that won’t be there anyway a lot of companies will spend $50,000 advertising to get people in their door but they won’t invest in training you know $1,000 a month to train everybody on staff to keep them you know highly skilled motivated just chump changes but it’s the single highest ROI you can make but people don’t value it because it doesn’t work very well and they can’t measure it well if you trace back back it doesn’t work very well because they’re not doing it effectively they’re making people go through once they’re not testing anybody to see if they actually retain the information and they don’t hold them accountable to the information so anyway I’ll ramble about that for days man train your people topic and the question ever makes sense for you to do internal training or should you always be looking for a company that that’s what they do and they can do it better than no I mean you have to have a blend I mean there’s nobody that can teach my people here my philosophies better than me you know internally we teach culture we teach you know various things but you know I’m not an expert on sexual harassment so I just hire a sexual harassment expert or you know if our sales techniques need to be modified or motivational you know I’ll get Eric Thomas Grant Cardone Tony Robb and some of our clients we we assign training from our clients left and right it’s a blend just like it shouldn’t necessarily all be online you can train live the problem with live is that there’s no repetition and most times no accountability so what you do is you train live to answer questions and then you put them on a virtual or an online system to get the repetition and the accountability so you a blended approach is best and it works the same with content you’re going to want some of your own stuff you know watch some of the other people’s stuff I think that brings up a good question – do you think that a web-based and virtual training are going to be the gold standard of the future for everything right here in college well the gold standard will only be if you’re on the Lightspeed VT platform because everything else out there is kind of antiquated because it’s built by techies and they’re not looking to cater to the user experience so no plug intended the gold standard will be light speed or it already is but I think what you’re asking is do I think our online learning your web-based learning is going to grow and be what everyone does I think yes because it’s more efficient it’s more scalable it’s less money it’s more effective you know it’s just a better mousetrap but I don’t think live training will go away and it shouldn’t I think there’ll be a bigger and bigger blend but studies show that the online learning industry will increase by 300% in the next five years we also do conferences we also talked to people about to do lab obviously but I do see you know the virtual reality comes along we’re actually working with companies doing virtual reality medical training now where you know it forces your patients and the different things they can do it through them and some of their content so it was something I would have even considered possible but you know probably thanks to people like you we’re going to see a lot more of that so I discovered that it was gonna dominate in your opinion is your Tom mating force it can be where if you don’t have a virtual training system I call it virtual online learning whatever success takes me but if you have web-based learning system you’re eventually going to go out of business by the people who do I think that’s absolutely true let’s take a look at a ship from that pretty a business to your marketing so I think you do some really creative marketing and you have a lot of good content how important it is to be creative with your marketing and not just do that the standard thing is you obviously kind of go outside the box with a lot of your video content a lot of your online content how does that paid off do you think that’s like really important if you think being real is more important than you can kind of be boring as long as you’re yourselves now people don’t like boring you guys give me some examples cuz I’m not sure what it is I’m doing this all created well I got your video that you know people will come in and there’s filters behind them where they’re a different planet and also a movie clip will pop in next to that and you know they’re picking up different themes that you’re working with other people obviously love these videos but you know the video editing techniques you’re doing we’re not seeing a lot of I don’t see a lot of that leaves to see a lot of people that are you know certain angles once in a while but it’s just that one person talking here literally you disappear that the person you’re talking with reappears behind you you know just something that you don’t see a lot of people do and even some of the topics I think you’ve talked about beards and one time you know that kind of stuff well yeah that you’re talking about the bottom line series I have well the bottom line are basically two minute opinions but they’re not opinions if there’s a bottom line on whatever subject you want Trump pickup lines money investing success motivation beards like anything anything you want to know about by the way you can send in what you want my bottom line hot and all film one matter of fact I was just filming two before we jumped on here but the special effects I guess you would say are the editing that goes into them is because I have a staff of editors so most people don’t so you know they hold up their phone or turn on their camera and they have a little bit of editing talent so they lightly edit it and put it out there but in some cases I just hold up my phone and make the video like you go to my Instagram you might see a bottom-line clip on there just to share it there but most of the content is just holding up my phone and talking regardless of whether you have editors or not you just want to make make it interesting I mean you want to you want to try to show an interesting life which by the way even if you don’t get any followers and it doesn’t have any benefit the benefit is you’ll have an interesting life I mean think about it if I held up you know me sitting there eating a sandwhich watching television for 20 min everyone’s gonna be like what’s going on so literally every day I think you know what what’s interesting today oh there’s a customer that’s interesting let me talk to the customer the bottom lines are interesting because most people are afraid to get the perspective I give or keep it real like I do and people are finding it interesting and what’s funny is you know we’re getting you know thousands of views on videos that really might offend some people when in reality nobody’s offended they’re all liking it which is crazy because on some of them I drop them to get a little bit you know I wanted to get a little controversy and all thumbs up and they liked it question about that a lot of marketers will tell you with your content would be very specific actually your target audience obviously you’re approaching some probabilistic you know concepts there is that’s more about you putting out your real ground there when you’re doing that like is this about your personal brand or are you expecting or utilizing that effectively to bring people into your your online business as well people don’t usually follow businesses so people people follow people you know I don’t follow Virgin America or Virgin Airlines I follow Richard Branson so I’m establishing myself as a brand or or a person really I’m not brand but people say that um I’m just establishing my life and I think by doing that they’re going to say who is this guy well he owns Lightspeed what’s Lightspeed it’s a natural progression to what it is you do but I don’t connect them I mean when I’m on as Bradley you know that’s me my life and you know what’s in it and that’s it it does however start connecting to real life I’ve had a lot of deals happen because they saw me on social media they liked what I had to say they started looking me up realized I started and founded the most you know innovative training platform there is started looking into that next thing you know they came and became a cost so social media and especially Facebook I think is a must and nobody wants to see you know a company they want to see people so I was a long way of saying you know I I don’t connect them I was just curious example you get like you’re Richard Branson his persona is a Spencer mercenaire life every two clinics are adventure you know like your Steve Jobs was you know if you were in Geneva tea and different of that kind of connect with Apple yours kind of this is me and these are all the things that we’ll talk about it does I just was curious if that is to build your training problems if I hang on a virtual train of thought what we can do everything or we building a personal brand that was just your personal brand you know you can do other things well again you know more the ladder it’s just for me I’ll talk about anything I want to talk about I’ll give any opinion you people want to know of me and it has nothing to do with with the company however it is driving business to the company so it wasn’t intentional like Bradley social solution I’m just trying to do my social media and I’m trying to you know give out information and nuggets so a lot of the Millennials you know don’t make the same mistakes I do I’m right in the middle of writing a book called the hard way and basically it’s you know should I learn the hard way so you don’t have to because I didn’t I didn’t do the smart thing I didn’t you know read books and find mentors and apply what they’ve taught I did it on my own I was you know to cool so I thought I knew everything which I didn’t and I had to go out and bloody my knuckles and get that lip and do it the hard way and now I guess entrepreneurs or entrepreneurialism nowadays kind of the cool thing to do so I put a lot of that social media out there to try and help those that are forging into the entrepreneurial world so they don’t have to do it the hard way like I did because I mean the smart ones you learn from other people’s mistakes you don’t have to make them yourself which was actually exactly I was curious about what was being yourself also attracting business which obviously it is tell you not to do it that way you know your interesting case study I’m doing the opposite of what a lot of people will tell you that’s when is a question that’s great you know it’s funny because one time we had an employee that was questioning some things at the office and so our HR director said read handbook which caused me to go read the handbook and I’m like who wrote this handbook and it was all corporate II like we got it from IBM or something and I said you know we we need a better handbook so I spent three days at home over the weekend and I wrote every word in the handbook and the first the first word of the handbook is sup so but it says you know we fly in the face of conventional wisdom because a lot of times by conventional wisdom is wrong you know just because they do it doesn’t mean it makes it right and most people follow conventional wisdom and if you look at the stats how many people make it how many people are successful they always talk about the 1% well why isn’t there more I mean its conventional wisdom for Pete say that you’re competing with everyone else doing the same exact thing we actually definitely talked to you before he was John Carter and he’s a trading expert in stock market he said everyone’s read the same books everyone’s using the same techniques he’s like in the first know that so when they look for a movement they know how to knock out all this people they’re trying to practice that you know the conventional wisdom becomes a trading so he’s like if you can go a little bit outside that I prepared for that be aware of that it’s like you’ll actually find more success that way now you know both this out there so you know created value something similar concept yeah well again I mean I think I think in most cases I agree in some cases conventional wisdom is you know something to consider you know again you don’t ever want to throw away advice you want to process it see if it applies to you in your situation and apply it when necessary there’s a lot of conventional wisdom that I that I do take like you know don’t don’t rob banks you know there’s good bodies out there where you don’t need to be the pioneer but you’ll usually you know ask any pioneer in any industry and they’re the ones you know with the arrows in their back you know the Pioneers get the arrows the settlers getting to land so sometimes it’s not fair but I would highly recommend you fly in the face of conventional wisdom most times now in degree we have another possessor of the conference let’s talk about his confidence think wrong you know it’s actually don’t be afraid to think robber one of the government believe you’re wrong for the same concepts you know all the pioneers everyone thought they were crazy every little bit of wrong a lot of them I mean we know in history like some people were literally killed or you know ostracized for a concept that now we all believe is perfectly correct but in their time you know nobody could except so I think that’s a great advice one thing I really like to ask you about you’re obviously really good up electricuted partnerships you’re bringing as you said a lot of people on your show you do videos with celebrities you’ve used that to leverage your personal brand really really well what’s your strategy for creating those kind of strategic partnerships for growing your brand you know I wish I had some genius answer or I don’t really have a strategy again I’m lucky in the fact that I get to interact and hang around a lot of successful powerful you know people including celebrities and so I like to take advantage of opportunities I mean they’re in my office Hayes I mean let me throw a video together to teach somebody something or let me get their opinion on something and so I’ll just throw it on social media also you know a little bit of strategy if I feature for example Tony Robbins in a video there’s a lot of people who love Tony Robbins so Tony plays it for his people and then people are exposed to me so they have a chance to say hey I like that guy he’s real of course it’s backfire to where someone said it was bad idiot so whatever well you cut a lot but obviously there’s if you’re in the right places to meet those right people there’s something to that whether it’s just you being realyourself and happening so how does for example how do you get the other video and Tony Robbins was it just to your training you know a company or did something lead up to those kind of connections well you know I would ask everybody in the world you know Tony Robbins because I need to show him like my sister I showed him my system won’t make a deal so eventually someone knew Tony Robbins and so they got me a five-minute meeting in his hotel room while he was in San Francisco and that five minutes turned into an hour and a half then actually down to his new place in Florida and closed him you know I a lot of people say I’m the guy that closes the guys that teach you how to close come on obviously I think it’s explained a lot that was through severe Jerry you went out and said I gotta find this guy somebody find this guy and it made it happen so yeah luck is when preparation meets opportunity I mean I I sought him out and didn’t stop it wasn’t lucky that I got to him it was worth how I got to him so again a lot of people you know saying well that guy’s lucky or that girl’s lucky man come on I know although I’d rather be lucky than good I don’t think luck is a consistent thing rely upon hard work is though are actually smart work again I don’t really work hard I work I work smart but you know when people are starting a business if they can rely on lot good for that but it’s not luck it’s you know and ingenuity and work I think we probably one more question so you the second person in this conference that talked well you haven’t talked about it but you used reinvention to really find your success you started off with a program geared you’re least training program for summits for teaching people items on cars better and you realize you need a better platform which was an offshoot of your original business and that’s really what you’ve developed your bond with as a business owner how do you figure out when it’s time to kind of reinvent your business and how do you decide which I know about because I assumed you had a lot of other options besides saying hey I’m going to develop the most you know the thickness ingenuity and develop this way ahead of its plant platform that nobody else has ever seen you know you could have gone a different way program what made you decide to go that way and how do you know it’s time to look somewhere else to really grow well when I was born I was born in a bucket of common sense like my common sense is like ten times normal of anybody else so the common sense told me to do it I mean when you go out and start trying to train people live and you’re getting paid to do it and it’s not working very well common sense tells you to find a better way you don’t just keep doing it so I built I built the platform for myself just out of necessity just out of common sense I mean this live stuff isn’t giving me the repetition I’m not able to test every one of them I leave and then the people that were half-trained your training new people because they weren’t even hired when I was there so it was just common sense that this live training stuff doesn’t work as well and I need to find the solution so it was just common sense but but to make adjustments I think you need to listen to the data you know there’s a lot of bad advice out there there’s a lot of cliche memes all kinds of things like you know never give up which I understand never give up never stop however sometimes you need to stop and sometimes you need to give up because if I would have do you know try to do the same thing over and over and never gave up I would I would be really out of business and still trying to be whatever if that was I would have been out of business so the cliche I’d never give up men do give up you have to listen to the data watch what’s going on around you you know open your eyes look look and see what’s happening if nobody wants your product it might be it might be data to alter or change your direction your product your presentation your value proposition like change it make adjustments I’m not saying to stop your entrepreneurial dream or give up on the product look at the data and figure out what’s the problem why is why is this happening and then analyze that data use a lot of common sense and just make adjustments one of my five factors to success I call them is the first thing you got to do is take a chance the second thing you have to be is a good problem solver because you’re going to have a lot of problems and the better you are at solving problems the better you are I don’t personally call them problems I like to call them challenges because you know they’re not really problems they’re challenges and I make it more like a game which is a technique I used to you know get through problems without getting discouraged I make it like a game and then you make adjustments the third ones make adjustment fourth ones train your ass off fifth ones never give up so again that never give up gets up there people think it means never stop when that’s not necessarily what it means it means never give up trying to reach your goal but it but it doesn’t mean you know being so myopic that you are missing data that’s coming at you the third one make adjustments it’s funny because I was doing a speech for some chiropractors and you know when I said make adjustments you know they were like pretty much you know that’s perfect for them isn’t it well I think you actually a lot of compasses I want to do all the co-founders and that flex close and it’s actually here exact concept and I want to take away hat from him he’s to focus on solving a problem not a product you’ve created he’s like if you do that you’ll find success and just like you did you were trying to figure out how to solve that problem but you weren’t married to that initial product and I think that’s exactly what your process is is no key you know don’t give up on solving that problem but don’t get married your initial solution or the second solution that’s where I think a lot of business owners and you know people that have that spirit of engine do when you make that mistake it’s whatever the first answer is I think Netflix he said their first idea was the meal VHS tapes and oh they really started they looked at it they’re like well this is the practical then somebody found out you know a CD and they herded up a DVD and he said they mailed themselves a CD and arrived the next day and I’m like okay well maybe now we could do something you know but they went from there the first year 99 percent of sales was from people buying movies and they said well if we’re going to be on my rental we got to kill that you know it was interesting he said it’s reality hits a real hard when you shut down 99 percent your sales in one day just because you’re focused on the thing you want to do but obviously that works for them so I think you know your system that’s really about an important point they’ll focus on solving that problem don’t ever give up on that but don’t be afraid to give up on your solution that you initially came up with if it’s not working that missus means to making assessments on blog Leslie not so much he had agreed three about their meeting actually if you ever had looked it up where they won the first meeting I basically got a lot last out of the room and that was after the they rented Vanna White private jet apparently because of the only way that you get there and they were coming from a retreat and shorts and sandals so they’re like a course we walk in andthere’s twelve corporate lawyers all looking at us like we’re hideous considers two guys in sandals but just LuAnn I’m ban awaits jet but he said they left a meeting and he’s like that’s really too bad if they were gonna have to kick their ass and he’s like a near Chinese leader he’s like look what we’re doing kind of a things yeah I love that story love that’s great well this has been really great blockbuster could purchase that yeah one of them so meeting they’re talking about beneath they offered to sell for fifty million dollars a blockbuster laptop out of the room that was the exact meeting a couple story about it like we went in and we asked for fifty million here like get out of here and he’s like if they don’t need oh man you know so well that’s what I mean but you have to listen to the data I mean blockbuster was so big so cool that they’re not listening to the data they’re not listening to the public they’re not listening to their consumers listen to everything that’s going on that’s the data listen to it and and most importantly put yourself into consumers choose I mean a blockbuster lawyers would have said do I want to be just tape mailed to me do I want to drive down to the store press a button you know the answers are obvious if you’re listening this is all kind actually really great thank you very much for your time I’m sure everyone here get a lot out of it so the people don’t want to keep following you or find out more about your training business probably a lot of business owners would probably like to learn more about that where should we stop well if you want the best training system on earth go to Lightspeed VT comm if you want to follow me you go to the real Bradley that’s Ellie a on any of the social nieces and you know that’s where you find me I’m just messing around putting up videos trying to give up lessons and things to avoid people having to make mistakes I have one meme it’s coming out I believe in Forbes that says it’s not a mean it’s just a quote that I said once it says it’s only lonely at the top if you don’t help anyone else get there so I don’t want to be lonely up there I want to I want to help everybody else get there with me so it’s one big party when we get there.


SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

FOLLOW US

an image that shows an invitation for people to join the waitlist and register for small business freedom summit

by Sean Hyde 8 July 2025
Local Business Reputation Management: How to Improve Ratings and Handle Customer Feedback In today’s hyper-connected digital world, your online reputation can make or break your local business. Whether someone discovers you on Google, Bing, Facebook, or Yelp, that star rating and customer feedback might be the deciding factor between gaining a new customer—or losing them to the competitor down the street. That’s why local business reputation management is no longer optional. It’s a core part of your digital marketing strategy, and when done right, it can drive web traffic, strengthen your brand credibility, improve your local search rankings, and boost customer loyalty. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to improve ratings, handle feedback effectively, and choose the right tools to manage your reputation at scale. What is Local Business Reputation Management and Why Does It Matter? Reputation management refers to the process of monitoring, responding to, and improving how your business is perceived online. For local companies, this includes everything from Google Reviews and Yelp to Facebook comments and customer feedback surveys. A solid reputation builds trust. It helps your business stand out in organic search results, strengthens your customer relationships, and increases your overall return on investment across every marketing channel—from content to email to Google Ads. How Does Reputation Management Impact Local Business Success? Your online reviews are digital word of mouth. They influence your conversion rates, impact your customer lifetime value, and shape your brand reputation before a prospect even visits your website or storefront. Positive reviews contribute to: Higher click-through rates in local search Stronger Google Business Profile visibility Better customer engagement and satisfaction Increased revenue through improved customer experience Negative or unmanaged reviews, on the other hand, can erode trust quickly—especially if you’re not responding to them. Key Components of Reputation Management for Local Businesses To successfully manage your local reputation, you’ll need a few essential strategies in place: Review monitoring: Track feedback across Google, Facebook, Yelp, and other platforms relevant to your industry Timely responses: Respond to both positive and negative reviews with professionalism and empathy Review generation: Actively request feedback from satisfied customers using ethical and personalized strategies Analytics and reporting: Use reputation analytics to track sentiment, spot trends, and improve overall business performance Which Platforms Should You Monitor? Your primary focus should be platforms that influence local search and consumer behavior, including: Google Business Profiles Facebook Reviews Yelp TripAdvisor (for hospitality and tourism) Better Business Bureau Niche industry-specific platforms (e.g., Healthgrades, Avvo, Houzz) These platforms impact not only your reputation, but also your visibility in search engines like Google and Bing. How Can Reputation Management Software Help? If you’re juggling multiple platforms and hundreds of reviews, reputation management software can save time and boost efficiency. These tools provide a centralized dashboard to monitor reviews, respond quickly, generate new feedback, and even automate reports. What Features Should You Look For? The best solutions include: AI-powered sentiment analysis Automated review requests and response templates CRM or POS system integration Multi-location management Mobile app access for on-the-go visibility Data dashboards that connect with tools like Google Analytics How Does AI Sentiment Analysis Help? AI tools can scan hundreds of reviews and distill key insights around customer emotion, recurring pain points, and behavioral trends. This gives your team a clearer picture of what’s working—and what’s hurting the experience. Benefits of a Centralized Dashboard Using a centralized platform allows you to: Manage reviews across all platforms in one place Assign team roles and ensure consistent tone Maintain a strong brand voice Benchmark performance across locations How to Manage and Respond to Reviews Positive Reviews: Celebrate and Strengthen Thank the customer personally Reinforce your brand values Encourage them to visit again or refer others Consider embedding glowing reviews on your website or using them in a testimonial campaign Negative Reviews: Stay Professional Respond promptly and calmly Acknowledge their concern, apologize, and offer to resolve the issue offline Avoid emotional or defensive replies—your response is public and serves as social proof for future customers Save Time With Response Templates Response templates aligned with your brand language and tone can reduce response time while maintaining consistency. Just make sure to personalize them before hitting “send.” How to Generate More Positive Reviews The best way to improve your rating? Ask happy customers to leave a review. Smart Feedback Strategies Train staff to ask in person Include review links in email receipts or SMS follow-ups Use QR codes on printed materials or signage Offer non-monetary incentives, like a loyalty program entry or early access to promotions Ethical Review Collection Always ask honestly. Don’t gatekeep or filter for only positive reviews. Authenticity builds trust and long-term reputation. Use Analytics to Guide Strategy What Can Reputation Analytics Tell You? Customer sentiment trends by location or service line Common praise or complaint themes Staff or service areas that need attention Competitor benchmarking in your local market Use this data to improve customer service, staff training, and even inform your content marketing strategy. Overcoming Common Challenges Dealing With Fake or Inconsistent Reviews Flag inappropriate or fake reviews on the platform Encourage more real customers to leave feedback—volume builds accuracy and credibility Customer Service = Reputation Management Every interaction is part of your brand experience. Ensure your team treats all feedback as an opportunity to learn and improve. During Crises or Negative Publicity Be transparent Communicate proactively on your Google Business Profile, social media, or via email Address concerns head-on, explain next steps, and show empathy Choosing the Right Reputation Management Software Key Evaluation Factors Size of your business and number of locations Industry-specific features (e.g., HIPAA compliance, franchise support) Integration with your existing CRM or marketing automation tools Onboarding Best Practices Define internal workflows and assign roles Set review goals and performance KPIs Train staff on tone, response templates, and escalation procedures Final Thoughts: Reputation Is a Strategic Asset Your reputation isn’t just a reflection of your business—it’s an extension of your marketing strategy, your brand identity, and your customer experience. By using the right tools, creating a culture of responsiveness, and aligning your approach with your business goals, you’ll turn your online reputation into a driver of revenue, retention, and real-world growth. Let Us Help You Protect—and Promote—Your Reputation 📊 Get a free Reputation Audit from Ideation Digital. We’ll review your online reviews, visibility, and sentiment trends—and provide actionable insights to grow your business. 🛠️ Need help selecting the right reputation software? We’ll guide you based on your industry, goals, and team. 👉 [Request Your Free Audit Now »]
by Sean Hyde 4 July 2025
Local Business Google My Business Guide: How to Optimize Your Profile for Better Local SEO and Customer Engagement In the world of local search , your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the first thing many customers see when they search for your company on Google Search or Maps. This free tool plays a major role in boosting visibility , building reputation , and improving your chances of showing up in organic search results . Whether you're running a retail shop, service-based business, or professional firm, optimizing your Google Business Profile listing is a cornerstone of any successful digital marketing strategy. At Ideation Digital, we help businesses take control of their online presence with strategies built around search engine optimization (SEO) , Google Ads , and real-world customer experience . Here’s everything you need to know to claim, optimize, and manage your GBP for better local ranking and deeper customer engagement. How to claim and verify your Google Business Profile How do I claim and verify my GBP listing? Before you optimize your profile, you need to access Google and claim your business listing . This ensures you're the rightful owner of your business location on Google and have full control over updates. What are the steps to claim your GMB/GBP? Visit google.com/business and log in with a Google account . Search for your business location . If it appears, click “Claim this business.” If it doesn’t appear, select “Add your business” and provide key information like your name, address, and phone number. Choose your business category based on what your target audience is most likely to search. Submit your business profile for verification. How can you verify your Google Business Profile? Most businesses verify through a postcard sent to their address, but depending on eligibility, you may also verify by phone , email , or Google Search Console . Verification ensures your business profile appears in the Google Knowledge Panel and is eligible for full Google listing features. What are common verification issues and how to fix them? Verification postcard never arrived? Wait at least 14 days before requesting a new one. Someone else claimed the listing? Use the request ownership tool to file a claim. Inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone)? Correct errors across your database of citations to improve relevance in local search results . How to optimize your GBP for local SEO Which business categories should I choose? Choosing the right business category helps Google understand what your company offers and which consumers to show it to. Start with a clear primary category and add secondary categories that reflect your full inventory of services. How do I write a compelling business description? Use your business description to highlight what sets your brand apart. Incorporate relevant keywords , highlight your customer service strengths, and communicate your value to your target audience . Tip: Keep it under 750 characters, but make every word count. Good descriptions improve your relevance in local search and reinforce your social proof . What are best practices for adding photos and videos? Use high-resolution images and short videos of your location, team, and work. File names should include relevant keywords (e.g., digital-marketing-charleston.jpg). Visual content enhances consumer trust , improves click-through rates , and strengthens your Google Business Profile . How do I set accurate business hours and contact info? Inaccurate information hurts your customer experience and can lead to lost business. Use special hours for holidays, and regularly review your listing to ensure accuracy. How can I add a website URL and effective CTAs? Link to a relevant landing page, not just your homepage. Include a clear call-to-action like "Book Now" or "Get a Free Audit." Make sure your URL loads quickly on both desktop and mobile devices for better accessibility and improved search engine performance. How to manage and engage with customers What’s the best way to respond to reviews? Google Reviews directly impact your reputation , local ranking , and even your ability to attract new customers . Respond professionally to all reviews—thank happy customers, and resolve issues politely. Pro tip: Responding to reviews regularly also signals to Google that your business profile is actively managed. How do I create effective Google Posts? Use Google Posts to share promotions, events, blog content, or company updates. Posts increase activity on your business listing , improve relevance , and provide additional ways for customers to engage. Use clear headlines and CTAs Include visuals Keep it updated—posts expire after 7 days What is GMB Messaging and how does it work? Enable messaging so customers can reach you directly through your Google Business Profile . Respond quickly to increase conversions and improve your customer service rating. Pro tip: Use saved replies to maintain fast, helpful communication even during busy periods. How can I interpret and use GMB Insights effectively? GMB Insights show you: How customers found your listing (direct search, discovery, branded search) What actions they took (visits, calls, requests) What keywords triggered your listing Use this analytics data to refine your marketing strategy , improve your business description , and run more effective Google Ads campaigns. Local SEO strategies that work How do I conduct keyword research for GBP? Use tools like Google Search Console , Google Analytics , and keyword planners to identify relevant, high-volume phrases your target audience uses. Add those keywords strategically to: Your business description Google Posts Photo metadata What are citations and why do they matter? Citations—mentions of your business’s NAP on other sites—help Google verify your business location . Consistency across platforms strengthens your organic search results and local SEO . How can I get more Google Reviews? Ask via email Link to your review form in your social media , receipts, or email signatures Offer exceptional service and make it easy to leave a review Avoid spamming or incentivizing—focus on authenticity for long-term reputation building. What role does local link building play? Getting backlinks from local directories, chambers, and media outlets tells Google your business is trusted in the community. It also enhances your visibility in local search and complements your broader digital marketing strategy. Troubleshooting and compliance What if my Google Business Listing is suspended? Common reasons: Using a PO Box Misleading business categories Multiple listings for the same business location To fix it, update your information , provide proof of address, and appeal through your account dashboard. How do I correct inaccurate or outdated information? Edit directly from your Google Business Profile dashboard. Check for incorrect hours, phone numbers, or URL entries regularly. How to report fake reviews? Flag any reviews that are spammy, misleading, or violate Google’s guidelines. Provide context if prompted. Don’t argue publicly—handle issues with class and calm. Staying current with Google Business Profile Why is regular profile updating important? Google favors active profiles in local search results . Regular updates show you're engaged and trustworthy. Post frequently, update photos, and refresh your description if needed. How can I stay informed about updates? Follow the Google Business Profile blog, subscribe to SEO or digital marketing newsletters, or simply partner with an expert agency (like us) that stays on top of changes for you. What are the key GBP features you should be using? Bookings and reservations Messaging Products and Services Google Q&A Attributes like "Black-owned" or "Wheelchair accessible" Final thoughts Think of your Google Business Profile as your second website—often the first thing people see on a mobile device . A fully optimized GBP drives traffic , supports your Google Ads and SEO efforts, and improves your overall customer experience . Free GMB Audit From Ideation Digital Not sure if your listing is helping—or hurting—you? 📍 We’ll review your Google Business Profile , check your visibility , and flag opportunities 📊 Our audits use real analytics data—not guesswork 💡 You'll leave with a clearer marketing strategy and next steps , not a sales pitch 👉 [Get Your Free Audit Now]
by Sean Hyde 2 July 2025
Local Social Media Strategies: How to Boost Engagement and Target Your Local Audience Effectively In today's digital landscape, social media has become an essential marketing channel for businesses of all sizes. However, for local businesses, a generic approach to social media marketing often falls short. To truly connect with your community and drive meaningful results, you need targeted local social media strategies that speak directly to the people in your area. Local social media marketing focuses on engaging with customers in your specific geographic location, creating content that resonates with local interests, and leveraging platform features designed for location-based targeting. When executed effectively, these strategies can transform your social media presence from a broad broadcasting tool into a powerful local engagement engine that drives foot traffic, builds community relationships, and increases revenue. This comprehensive guide explores proven local social media strategies that help businesses boost engagement and effectively target their local audience. From platform selection and content creation to targeting techniques and measurement strategies, you'll discover actionable insights to enhance your local social media marketing efforts. What Are Local Social Media Marketing Strategies and Why Do They Matter? Local social media marketing strategies are specialized approaches that focus on connecting with and engaging audiences within a specific geographic area. Unlike broader social media marketing efforts that might target national or international audiences, local strategies prioritize community engagement, location-specific content, and geo-targeted advertising to reach people in your immediate service area. How Does Local Social Media Marketing Differ From General Social Media Marketing? While general social media marketing and local social media marketing share many fundamental principles, several key differences set them apart: 1.Geographic focus: Local social media marketing concentrates on reaching users within a defined geographic radius—typically within driving distance of your physical location or service area. 2.Community emphasis: Local strategies prioritize building relationships with community members, highlighting local involvement, and fostering neighborhood connections. 3.Personalization level: Local approaches often feature more personalized content and interactions, with businesses recognizing regular customers and addressing community-specific interests. 4.Event integration: Local social media marketing frequently incorporates promotion of and participation in local events, festivals, fundraisers, and community gatherings. 5.Platform priorities: While general marketing might emphasize platforms with the broadest reach, local strategies often prioritize platforms where local targeting features are most robust. 6.Content specificity: Local content references neighborhood landmarks, local news, regional weather, and community-specific topics that resonate with nearby audiences. 7.Measurement focus: Success metrics for local campaigns often include store visits, local engagement, and community sentiment rather than just broad reach or general brand awareness. These distinctions make local social media marketing particularly valuable for businesses that primarily serve customers within a specific geographic area. What Are the Key Benefits of Focusing on Local Audiences? Concentrating your social media efforts on local audiences offers numerous advantages: 1.Higher conversion rates: People who see relevant, local content are more likely to visit your location or purchase your services, as proximity removes a significant barrier to conversion. 2.Improved targeting efficiency: Local targeting reduces wasted ad spend by focusing resources on people who can realistically become customers based on their location. 3.Enhanced community relationships: Regular engagement with local audiences builds stronger community connections and fosters brand loyalty. 4.Increased word-of-mouth marketing: Local social media strategies encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences with friends and family in the area. 5.Greater content relevance: Location-specific content resonates more deeply with local audiences who recognize and relate to the places, events, and issues mentioned. 6.Competitive differentiation: Many businesses fail to properly localize their social media approach, creating an opportunity for those who do it well to stand out. 7.Complementary marketing integration: Local social media efforts naturally complement other local marketing initiatives like community sponsorships, local SEO , and neighborhood events. For businesses with physical locations or service-area limitations, these benefits make local social media marketing an essential component of their overall digital strategy . Which Social Media Platforms Work Best for Local Marketing? While virtually all major social platforms offer some local marketing capabilities, certain platforms excel for specific local business objectives: 1.Facebook: •Robust local business pages with hours, services, and location information •Sophisticated local targeting options for advertising •Community groups organized by neighborhood or interest •Local events features for promotion and discovery •Check-in functionality that generates social proof 2.Instagram: •Location tagging for posts and stories •Local hashtags to increase discoverability •Visual showcase for products, services, and location •Location-based stories and explore features •Shopping features tied to physical inventory 3.Google Business Profile (while not traditionally considered social media, it has social elements): •Customer reviews and Q&A features •Post functionality similar to social platforms •Direct integration with Google Maps and local search •Photo sharing capabilities •Direct messaging with customers 4.Nextdoor: •Exclusively neighborhood-focused platform •Highly targeted local advertising options •Business pages designed for local discovery •Recommendation features from neighbors •Community discussion participation 5.Twitter: •Location-based trending topics •Geo-targeted advertising options •Real-time local event engagement •Community hashtag participation •Local news and information sharing 6.TikTok: •Growing location-based discovery features •Trending local sounds and challenges •Behind-the-scenes content that humanizes local businesses •Creative ways to showcase products and services •Increasing local advertising capabilities 7.LinkedIn: •Valuable for local B2B businesses •Community engagement through local business groups •Professional networking within geographic areas •Local hiring and recruitment •Business location targeting for ads The ideal platform mix depends on your specific business type, target audience demographics, and marketing objectives. Most local businesses benefit from focusing on 2-3 platforms where their audience is most active rather than trying to maintain a presence everywhere. How Can Small Businesses Use Social Media Engagement Strategies Locally? Engagement is the lifeblood of effective social media marketing, particularly for local businesses. Here's how to foster meaningful interactions with your local audience: What Types of Content Drive Local Engagement on Social Media? Certain content types consistently perform well for local audience engagement: 1.Behind-the-scenes content: Show the human side of your business with employee spotlights, workspace tours, or production processes. This transparency builds trust and connection with local customers who value supporting real people in their community. 2.Local event coverage: Share photos and videos from community events, whether you're participating as a business or simply supporting as a community member. This demonstrates your involvement in local life beyond just commercial interests. 3.User-generated content: Reshare posts from customers enjoying your products or services, especially when they've tagged your location. This provides authentic social proof while making customers feel appreciated. 4.Local partnerships and collaborations: Highlight joint initiatives with other local businesses or organizations. This cross-promotion benefits both parties and shows community support. 5.Location-specific offers: Create special promotions exclusively for local followers, such as in-store discounts, local delivery options, or neighborhood appreciation days. 6.Community milestones and celebrations: Acknowledge local achievements, anniversaries, sports victories, or community improvements to show you're paying attention to what matters locally. 7.Seasonal and weather-related content: Reference current local conditions with timely content, like snow day specials during winter storms or refreshing product recommendations during heat waves. 8.Local trivia and history: Share interesting facts about your neighborhood, building, or community history to educate and engage locals who have a connection to the area. 9.Staff recommendations: Have team members share their favorite local spots, activities, or complementary businesses to position your brand as a local authority. 10.Community questions and polls: Ask for local opinions, recommendations, or preferences to start conversations and gather valuable insights while making followers feel heard. The most engaging local content often combines several of these elements while maintaining an authentic voice that reflects your brand personality and community culture. How to Encourage Community Interaction and User-Generated Content? Building a participatory local social media community requires intentional strategies: 1.Create branded hashtags: Develop unique, location-specific hashtags that customers can use when posting about your business, making it easier to find and reshare their content. 2.Run local photo contests: Encourage customers to share pictures at your location or using your products around town, with prizes for the best submissions. 3.Implement check-in incentives: Offer small discounts or perks when customers check in at your location on social platforms, increasing visibility among their local networks. 4.Host social media takeovers: Invite local influencers, community leaders, or even customers to temporarily manage your social accounts, bringing their followers and perspective to your channels. 5.Create shareable photo opportunities: Design Instagram-worthy spaces or moments in your business that naturally encourage customers to take and share photos. 6.Acknowledge and reward engagement: Regularly recognize active community members with shout-outs, feature customer of the month spotlights, or provide loyalty rewards for social participation. 7.Ask for specific feedback: Rather than generic questions, ask for detailed input on new products, services, or improvements to make participants feel like valued advisors. 8.Create location-based challenges: Develop fun, branded challenges specific to your area that encourage participation and sharing. 9.Leverage local events: Set up photo booths or branded backdrops at community events that make it easy for attendees to create and share content featuring your business. 10.Respond consistently: Maintain high response rates to comments and messages, showing that participation leads to actual conversation rather than disappearing into the void. Remember that building a participatory community takes time and consistency. Start with smaller engagement initiatives and gradually expand as your local social media presence grows. What Are Effective Ways to Respond to Local Customer Comments and Messages? How you handle interactions significantly impacts your local social media success: 1.Respond promptly: Aim to reply to comments and messages within a few hours during business hours. For local businesses, customers often have time-sensitive questions about availability, hours, or offerings. 2.Use a personal touch: Sign responses with team member names and reference specific details from the customer's comment or message to show you're really listening. 3.Maintain local voice: Respond in a tone that reflects your community's culture and your brand personality, avoiding generic corporate-sounding replies. 4.Address location-specific questions thoroughly: When customers ask about parking, nearby landmarks, or local delivery areas, provide detailed information that demonstrates local expertise. 5.Take complex conversations private: For detailed customer service issues, direct customers to direct messages, phone, or email while still acknowledging their initial comment publicly. 6.Show appreciation for feedback: Thank customers genuinely for both positive and constructive comments, emphasizing how valuable their input is to your local business. 7.Follow up on resolved issues: Circle back to public comments after resolving problems privately to show others that you follow through. 8.Create response templates for common questions: Develop customizable templates for frequently asked questions to ensure consistency while saving time. 9.Use local context in responses: Reference neighborhood details, weather conditions, or community events when relevant to show you're actively engaged in the local scene. 10.Monitor tagged and untagged mentions: Use social listening tools to catch conversations about your business even when you're not directly tagged or mentioned. Effective response management builds a reputation for attentiveness and customer care that distinguishes your business from competitors who may treat social media as a one-way broadcasting channel. What Are the Best Practices for Local Audience Targeting on Social Media? Precise targeting is essential for maximizing the impact of your local social media efforts: How to Use Geo-Targeting and Location-Based Features in Social Ads? Social platforms offer powerful location-targeting capabilities for advertisers: 1.Radius targeting: Set specific distance parameters around your business location or multiple locations to reach users within those areas. Adjust the radius based on your business type—smaller for urban cafés, larger for destination retailers or specialty services. 2.Address targeting: Target specific addresses plus surrounding areas, useful for reaching people near shopping centers, event venues, or competitors' locations. 3.Zip code targeting: Select specific postal codes for more precise neighborhood targeting, especially valuable when demographics vary significantly between adjacent areas. 4.City targeting with exclusions: Target an entire city but exclude specific neighborhoods that don't match your customer profile or service area. 5.Custom location targeting: Draw custom geographic boundaries on maps in platforms like Facebook to create highly specific targeting areas that match natural neighborhood boundaries or service territories. 6.Location-based retargeting: Create audience segments of users who have previously visited your location and show them tailored follow-up content. 7.Geofencing for events: Set up temporary location targeting around event venues when participating in farmers markets, festivals, or conferences. 8.Layered demographic targeting: Combine location parameters with demographic filters to reach specific audience segments within your geographic area. 9.Seasonal location adjustments: Expand targeting during tourist seasons or special events when visitors from outside your usual service area might be present. 10.Competitor location targeting: Ethically target people who visit locations similar to yours or direct competitors (where platform policies allow). When implementing geo-targeting, start with tighter radius parameters and gradually expand based on performance data. This prevents wasting budget on areas too far from your business to generate meaningful results. What Demographic and Interest Data Should Local Marketers Prioritize? Beyond location, these targeting parameters help refine your local audience: 1.Age and family status: Align targeting with your typical customer profile, recognizing that different age groups may have varying levels of mobility and spending patterns in local contexts. 2.Income levels: Target household income ranges that match your pricing and offerings, particularly important for luxury services or budget-friendly options. 3.Homeownership status: Differentiate between homeowners and renters when relevant to your services (especially important for home services, real estate, and home improvement businesses). 4.Length of residence: Some platforms allow targeting based on how long someone has lived in an area, helping you reach newcomers or established residents depending on your offering. 5.Commuting patterns: Target people who regularly travel through areas near your business location during specific times of day. 6.Local interests and activities: Focus on interests with local relevance, such as community organizations, regional sports teams, or area-specific recreational activities. 7.Complementary business affinities: Target users who follow or engage with non-competing local businesses that share your customer demographic. 8.Life events with local impact: Focus on life changes that drive local service needs, such as moving, home purchase, new job, or new child. 9.Device usage: Consider targeting mobile users when they're near your location for time-sensitive offers or awareness. 10.Language preferences: In multilingual communities, target content based on language preferences to increase relevance and connection. The most effective targeting combines multiple parameters to create highly specific audience segments. Rather than creating one broad local campaign, consider developing several narrower campaigns with tailored messaging for different local audience segments. How to Tailor Messaging for Different Local Neighborhoods or Segments? Even within a single city or service area, effective messaging often varies by neighborhood: 1.Neighborhood-specific references: Incorporate local landmark mentions, area nicknames, or community inside references that resonate with specific parts of your service area. 2.Varied value propositions: Emphasize different benefits based on neighborhood needs—convenience for busy urban areas, exclusivity for affluent suburbs, or value for price-sensitive communities. 3.Localized visuals: Use imagery featuring recognizable neighborhood backdrops, architectural styles, or community spaces specific to different areas. 4.Cultural sensitivity: Adjust messaging tone and references to respect and reflect the cultural composition of different neighborhoods. 5.Targeted solutions: Address specific challenges or opportunities unique to each neighborhood, such as parking solutions in congested areas or outdoor options in residential zones. 6.Local partnership highlights: Feature collaborations with neighborhood-specific businesses or organizations when targeting particular areas. 7.Community pride elements: Tap into neighborhood identity and pride by acknowledging local achievements, history, or distinctive characteristics. 8.Dialect and terminology adjustments: Subtly modify language to match how people in different areas speak and the terms they use for local features. 9.Neighborhood timing considerations: Schedule posts and ads to align with different area rhythms—later for entertainment districts, earlier for residential neighborhoods. 10.Segmented offers: Create special promotions or services tailored to specific neighborhood needs or preferences. This micro-targeting approach requires deeper local knowledge but typically generates significantly higher engagement and conversion rates by making content feel personally relevant to each neighborhood audience. How Do You Measure the Success of Local Social Media Campaigns? Effective measurement helps refine your local social media strategy over time: Which Key Metrics Indicate Local Social Media Marketing Effectiveness? Focus on these metrics to evaluate local social media performance: 1.Local engagement rate: Calculate engagement (likes, comments, shares) as a percentage of your local follower base rather than total followers to assess community resonance. 2.Foot traffic attribution: Measure increases in physical visits correlated with specific social media campaigns or posts using check-in data, special offer redemptions, or customer surveys. 3.Local follower growth: Track the growth of followers within your service area rather than total follower increases. 4.Post reach by location: Analyze what percentage of your content reach occurs within your target geographic areas versus outside those boundaries. 5.Click-to-visit rate: Measure what percentage of users who click on your location information or directions actually visit your business (available on some platforms). 6.Local search uplift: Monitor changes in "near me" search visibility and Google Business Profile views correlated with social media activity. 7.Neighborhood engagement distribution: Analyze which specific neighborhoods or zip codes within your service area show the highest engagement with your content. 8.Local conversion rate: Track how effectively your social media traffic from local areas converts compared to non-local traffic. 9.Cost per local result: Calculate your advertising cost divided by meaningful local outcomes (store visits, local sales, local leads) rather than just clicks or impressions. 10.Local sentiment analysis: Monitor the tone and content of comments and mentions from local users versus non-local engagement. These metrics provide a more nuanced view of local social media performance than standard platform analytics alone. Consider creating a custom local social media dashboard that combines these metrics for easier tracking over time. How to Use Social Media Audits to Improve Local Strategies? Regular audits help identify opportunities for local strategy refinement: 1.Geographic engagement analysis: Review which specific locations within your service area show the highest and lowest engagement, then investigate potential reasons for these disparities. 2.Local competitor comparison: Analyze how nearby competitors approach local content, engagement, and targeting to identify gaps or opportunities in your strategy. 3.Content performance by locality: Determine which content types perform best with different neighborhood audiences to inform future content planning. 4.Platform effectiveness evaluation: Assess which social platforms deliver the best results for different local objectives to optimize your channel mix. 5.Local hashtag performance: Analyze which local and neighborhood-specific hashtags generate the most discovery and engagement. 6.Posting time optimization: Identify ideal posting times for reaching local audiences when they're most active and receptive. 7.Local partnership impact assessment: Evaluate which local business or community organization collaborations drive the strongest results. 8.Seasonal trend identification: Recognize patterns in local engagement that correlate with seasonal events, weather changes, or community activities. 9.Ad creative performance by location: Compare how different ad visuals, copy, and offers perform across various neighborhoods. 10.Local audience growth sources: Determine which tactics most effectively attract new local followers to prioritize those methods. Conduct comprehensive local social media audits quarterly, with more frequent check-ins on specific high-priority metrics. Use findings to develop test hypotheses for the following period's strategy adjustments. What Tools Provide Actionable Reports for Local Social Media Performance? Several tools can help track and analyze local social media effectiveness: 1.Facebook Business Suite Location Insights: Provides detailed data on local page performance, audience demographics, and post reach by area. 2.Google Business Profile Insights: Offers valuable data on how customers find your business locally and what actions they take after discovering you. 3.Sprout Social: Features location-based reporting and audience analysis to track engagement across geographic segments. 4.HubSpot: Offers social media tools with location-based contact attribution to connect social engagement to your CRM. 5.Hootsuite Impact: Provides detailed analytics on social media performance with some geographic filtering capabilities. 6.Brandwatch: Offers advanced social listening with location filtering to monitor local conversations and sentiment. 7.Localistico: Specializes in location-based marketing analytics across multiple platforms and directories. 8.Hearsay Systems: Provides tools specifically designed for multi-location businesses and franchises to track local social performance. 9.Reputation.com: Combines social media monitoring with reputation management for comprehensive local presence tracking. 10.Native platform analytics: Most major platforms now offer some level of geographic data in their built-in analytics tools. When selecting tools, prioritize those that integrate with your existing marketing technology stack and provide actionable insights rather than just data. The ability to segment reports by specific geographic boundaries is particularly valuable for local strategy refinement. What Paid Advertising Strategies Work Best for Local Social Media Marketing? Strategic paid advertising amplifies your organic local social media efforts: How to Create Targeted Local Ad Campaigns on Facebook and Instagram? Follow these steps to develop effective local campaigns: 1.Define precise geographic parameters: Rather than targeting an entire city, use radius targeting around your location, custom boundaries, or specific zip codes to reach your most valuable potential customers. 2.Create location-specific ad sets: Develop separate ad sets for different neighborhoods or areas with tailored messaging and visuals relevant to each location. 3.Implement local awareness ads: Utilize Facebook's local awareness ad format specifically designed to reach people near your business with options for directions, calls, or messages. 4.Leverage store visit optimization: If eligible, use Facebook's store visit objective to optimize delivery to users most likely to visit your physical location. 5.Utilize location-based retargeting: Create custom audiences of users who have previously visited your location or engaged with your local content. 6.Incorporate local social proof: Feature authentic customer testimonials or user-generated content from local customers in your ad creative. 7.Add map cards and location extensions: Include interactive maps and location information directly in your ads to reduce friction for visits. 8.Schedule ads based on business hours: Align ad delivery with your operating hours, increasing bids during peak times when customers can take immediate action. 9.Create lookalike audiences from local customers: Build expanded targeting based on your existing local customer base to find similar prospects in your area. 10.Test local-specific offers: Develop special promotions exclusively for local audiences that require in-person redemption to drive measurable foot traffic. For multi-location businesses, consider creating location-specific ad accounts or campaigns to maintain clear performance data and budget allocation for each location. What Budget Considerations Optimize Local Ad Spend? Maximize return on your local social advertising investment: 1.Dayparting strategy: Allocate higher budgets during hours when local customers are most likely to engage and convert rather than spreading budget evenly throughout the day. 2.Seasonal budget adjustments: Increase spending during peak local seasons and reduce during slower periods based on historical business performance. 3.Event-based budget spikes: Temporarily boost spending around local events, festivals, or community gatherings that align with your business. 4.Weather-triggered campaigns: Implement automated budget increases tied to specific weather conditions relevant to your products or services. 5.Neighborhood budget weighting: Allocate spending proportionally based on the revenue potential of different areas within your service radius. 6.Competitive conquest budgeting: Strategically increase spending in areas with strong competitors when you have a compelling differential advantage. 7.New vs. established location budgeting: Allocate higher initial budgets for new locations to build awareness, then optimize based on response. 8.Platform budget distribution: Divide spending across platforms based on their proven ability to drive local results rather than general popularity. 9.Testing budget allocation: Reserve 10-15% of local ad spend specifically for testing new targeting approaches, creative concepts, or offer structures. 10.Conversion value bidding: When possible, use value-based bidding strategies that optimize for the actual revenue value of local conversions rather than just conversion volume. Regularly review performance data to refine budget allocation, shifting resources to the geographic areas, times, and campaign types that deliver the strongest local results. How to Test and Refine Local Social Media Ads for Better ROI? Systematic testing improves local advertising performance over time: 1.A/B test neighborhood-specific messaging: Compare different value propositions and messaging approaches across similar neighborhoods to identify what resonates best locally. 2.Radius comparison testing: Run identical campaigns with different targeting radiuses to determine the optimal geographic range for your business. 3.Local creative variation testing: Test different visual approaches featuring local landmarks, team members, or neighborhood-specific imagery to measure impact on engagement. 4.Offer structure experiments: Compare different promotion types (percentage discounts, free add-ons, loyalty incentives) to identify what motivates your local audience. 5.Call-to-action optimization: Test various CTAs to determine whether directions, calls, website visits, or messages drive the most valuable customer actions. 6.Local testimonial effectiveness: Compare ads featuring testimonials from recognizable local customers against generic testimonials or no testimonials. 7.Daypart performance analysis: Test ad delivery during different times of day and days of week to identify peak performance periods for your specific location. 8.Local targeting layering tests: Experiment with adding different demographic, interest, or behavioral layers to your geographic targeting to find the optimal balance between reach and relevance. 9.Platform comparison testing: Allocate test budgets across different platforms with similar campaigns to determine which channels deliver the best local ROI. 10.Landing page localization testing: Compare performance between generic landing pages and neighborhood-specific landing pages that continue the localized experience. Document all test results in a centralized location to build institutional knowledge about your local audience preferences over time. Use these insights to continuously refine your targeting approach and creative strategy. How Can Local Marketing Agencies Personalize Social Media Strategies for SMBs? Agencies serving local businesses need specialized approaches to deliver value: What Role Does a Hyperlocal Focus Play in Strategy Development? A hyperlocal approach offers distinct advantages for local business marketing: 1.Micro-neighborhood targeting: Develop strategies that recognize and address the unique characteristics of individual neighborhoods rather than treating an entire city as homogeneous. 2.Local influencer partnerships: Identify and collaborate with neighborhood-level influencers who may have smaller but highly engaged local followings. 3.Community calendar integration: Align content and campaign timing with hyperlocal events, from school sports games to neighborhood association meetings. 4.Local business ecosystem mapping: Understand the relationships between complementary businesses in specific areas to develop strategic partnerships and cross-promotion opportunities. 5.Neighborhood sentiment monitoring: Track conversations and trends at the neighborhood level to identify emerging opportunities or concerns. 6.Hyperlocal content series: Create neighborhood spotlight content that showcases different areas within your service region, demonstrating deep local knowledge. 7.Local problem-solving content: Address specific challenges faced by particular neighborhoods, positioning your business as a solution provider. 8.Micro-targeting by commute patterns: Target content based on neighborhood-specific commuting behaviors and routes that bring potential customers past your location. 9.Localized competitive analysis: Evaluate competition at the neighborhood level rather than city-wide to identify underserved areas or opportunities for differentiation. 10.Community leader engagement: Build relationships with neighborhood-specific community leaders who can amplify your message within their local spheres of influence. This hyperlocal focus requires more research and customization but typically delivers significantly higher engagement and conversion rates by making content feel personally relevant to each neighborhood audience. How Do Data-Driven Insights Shape Customized Local Campaigns? Effective agencies leverage multiple data sources to inform local strategy: 1.Local search trend analysis: Examine neighborhood-specific search patterns to identify what information or solutions local customers are actively seeking. 2.Foot traffic pattern data: Use location analytics to understand how people move through different areas and when they're most likely to visit certain neighborhoods. 3.Local consumer spending analysis: Analyze transaction data to identify spending patterns and preferences that vary by neighborhood. 4.Social conversation mapping: Monitor location-tagged social conversations to understand the topics, concerns, and interests dominating discussion in specific areas. 5.Competitive location intelligence: Analyze competitor locations, offerings, and customer sentiment at the neighborhood level to identify gaps and opportunities. 6.Local event impact assessment: Measure how community events affect engagement and conversion patterns in different neighborhoods. 7.Weather-correlated performance data: Analyze how weather conditions impact engagement and conversion across different neighborhoods and business types. 8.Demographic microtrends: Identify shifting population characteristics at the neighborhood level that may create new opportunities or challenges. 9.Local platform usage patterns: Determine which social platforms have the highest penetration and engagement in specific neighborhoods rather than relying on general usage statistics. 10.Cross-channel attribution modeling: Track how local customers move between social channels, search, and physical visits to optimize the customer journey. Agencies that invest in these data capabilities can develop significantly more effective local strategies than those relying solely on platform-provided analytics or general marketing best practices. What Client Goals Should Agencies Align With in Local Social Media Plans? Effective agency-client relationships focus on these key local objectives: 1.Foot traffic generation: Develop strategies specifically designed to drive physical visits to the business location, with clear measurement protocols. 2.Local brand differentiation: Create positioning that distinguishes the business from local competitors in meaningful ways that resonate with community values. 3.Community relationship building: Foster authentic connections with the local community beyond transactional interactions. 4.Local customer loyalty: Develop programs that encourage repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals within the community. 5.Neighborhood authority establishment: Position the client as a trusted local resource and knowledge center for their industry. 6.Local reputation management: Monitor and influence how the business is perceived within its community across all digital channels. 7.Event attendance maximization: Drive participation in client-hosted events or sponsored community activities. 8.Local talent attraction: Support recruitment efforts to attract employees from the surrounding community. 9.New resident acquisition: Develop strategies to connect with people who have recently moved to the area. 10.Local cross-promotion optimization: Facilitate mutually beneficial relationships with complementary local businesses. Agencies should establish clear key performance indicators for these objectives and provide regular reporting that demonstrates progress toward these locally-focused goals rather than just general social media metrics. How to Build and Maintain Community Engagement Through Local Social Media? Sustained community engagement requires strategic approaches: What Are Effective Tactics for Fostering Ongoing Local Conversations? Create a vibrant local social media community with these approaches: 1.Community question series: Regularly post questions specifically relevant to local issues, preferences, or experiences to spark conversation. 2.Local expert Q&As: Host live sessions with local experts, community leaders, or interesting residents to discuss topics relevant to your audience. 3.Neighborhood spotlight features: Create recurring content that highlights different neighborhoods, inviting residents to share what they love about their area. 4.Community challenge campaigns: Develop fun, participatory challenges specific to your location that encourage user-generated content and sharing. 5.Local problem-solving threads: Pose common local challenges and invite community members to share their solutions and experiences. 6."Remember when" nostalgia posts: Share historical photos or memories of the area to evoke emotional connections and storytelling from long-time residents. 7.Community decision involvement: When appropriate, involve your social audience in business decisions like new products, hours, or services to create investment in outcomes. 8.Local milestone celebrations: Acknowledge community achievements, anniversaries, or improvements to show your business is paying attention to local developments. 9.Behind-the-scenes local content: Share the local aspects of your business operations, from where you source materials to how your team contributes to the community. 10.User-generated content campaigns: Create branded hashtags and incentives for customers to share their experiences with your business in local contexts. Consistency is key to building ongoing engagement. Develop a content calendar that incorporates these conversation-starting tactics regularly rather than as one-off efforts. How to Leverage Local Events and Partnerships on Social Media? Events and partnerships create powerful local content opportunities: 1.Pre-event buildup content: Create anticipation with behind-the-scenes preparation, interviews with organizers, or countdown content for local events. 2.Live event coverage: Share real-time updates, photos, and videos from community events, whether you're participating officially or simply supporting as a community member. 3.Post-event recaps: Publish summaries, photo galleries, and highlight reels after local events to extend their social media value. 4.Collaborative content series: Partner with complementary local businesses to create joint content that serves your shared audience. 5.Cross-promotion campaigns: Develop structured cross-promotion agreements with local partners where you promote each other's content to expand reach. 6.Community cause amplification: Support local charitable initiatives by sharing their content, creating awareness, and encouraging your audience to participate. 7.Local influencer takeovers: Invite community figures to temporarily manage your social accounts, bringing their perspective and followers to your channels. 8.Joint contests or giveaways: Partner with other local businesses to offer prize packages that introduce your brands to each other's audiences. 9.Collaborative local guides: Work with complementary businesses to create neighborhood guides, local itineraries, or "best of" lists that feature multiple businesses. 10.Shared hashtag campaigns: Develop community-wide hashtag initiatives that multiple businesses and organizations can participate in and promote. The most effective local partnerships create mutual value while providing audience benefits beyond simple cross-promotion. Focus on collaborations that tell a cohesive story about your community or solve a shared local challenge. What Role Do Reviews and Testimonials Play in Local Social Proof? Reviews significantly impact local business success on social platforms: 1.Testimonial highlight series: Regularly feature brief customer testimonials with permission, especially those that mention specific local benefits or experiences. 2.Review response showcasing: Share your thoughtful responses to reviews (both positive and constructive) to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction. 3.Local influencer reviews: Invite respected community members to experience your business and share authentic feedback with their followers. 4.Before-and-after testimonials: For service businesses, share customer stories with visual evidence of the transformation or problem solved. 5.Neighborhood-specific success stories: Group and share testimonials by neighborhood to show your effectiveness throughout your service area. 6.Review milestone celebrations: Acknowledge significant review achievements (number of reviews, rating milestones) with thank-you content for your customers. 7.Customer spotlight features: Create more in-depth content about loyal local customers (with permission) that tells their story and relationship with your business. 8.Review generation campaigns: Develop systematic approaches to encouraging satisfied customers to share their experiences on your social platforms. 9.Social proof incorporation in ads: Feature authentic customer testimonials prominently in your paid social campaigns targeting local audiences. 10.Review response templates: Create customizable templates for different types of reviews to ensure consistent, thoughtful responses while saving time. Remember that authenticity is paramount with review content. Never fabricate testimonials or offer inappropriate incentives for positive reviews, as these practices violate platform policies and can damage trust if discovered. Conclusion: Implementing an Effective Local Social Media Strategy Local social media marketing offers tremendous potential for businesses seeking to connect with their community and drive meaningful results. By focusing on geographic targeting, community engagement, and location-specific content, you can transform your social media presence from a generic broadcasting channel into a powerful tool for local business growth. The most successful local social media strategies combine several key elements: 1.Platform selection based on local audience behavior rather than general popularity 2.Content that reflects genuine community knowledge and involvement 3.Precise geographic and demographic targeting to reach your most valuable potential customers 4.Consistent engagement with local conversations and feedback 5.Strategic partnerships with complementary community businesses and organizations 6.Measurement focused on business outcomes rather than vanity metrics Remember that effective local social media marketing is not about reaching the largest possible audience—it's about reaching the right audience with relevant, valuable content that drives meaningful business results in your community. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide and continuously refining your approach based on performance data, you can build a local social media presence that not only increases visibility but also fosters genuine community connections that translate into business growth. Ready to transform your local social media strategy? Contact our team of specialized social media experts today for a personalized approach tailored to your local business needs.
by Sean Hyde 4 June 2025
Marketing Chaos to Clarity: How to Fix a Broken Funnel Fast
Digital Marketing Charleston
by Sean Hyde 29 May 2025
Expanding your online presence quickly starts with choosing the right strategy—and Digital Marketing Charleston offers a powerful way to do just that.
by Sean Hyde 27 May 2025
Davis SEO Strategies for Unmatched Online Visibility 
DIGITAL MARKETING
by Sean Hyde 23 April 2025
Digital Marketing Charleston is undergoing a major shift, redefining how local businesses connect with their audiences. As consumer behavior continues to evolve
DIGITAL MARKETING
by Sean Hyde 1 April 2025
Expanding your business online requires well-planned digital marketing strategies to attract and engage your target audience. With more consumers turning...
Digital Marketing
by Sean Hyde 12 February 2025
Digital marketing plays a crucial role in driving business growth by enhancing visibility, attracting customers, and building lasting relationships...
Marketing Agency
by Sean Hyde 3 February 2025
Choosing the right marketing agency for your brand can be a game-changer. With so many options out there, it’s essential to find a partner.
More posts