As a local DIY store, it’s important you’re reaching as many people in the community as possible who have an interest in the types of products and services you can provide. But how do you raise awareness and promote your business to the people that matter?
Here’s three ways your local DIY store can get your message out there and reach new customers just by advertising with your local newspaper.
1) Share your story
Your local newspaper is at the heart of the local community and is a trusted source for people to find out what’s going on in the local area. With this in mind, advertising with them is a great opportunity for you to share your story and create some positive buzz around any events your DIY business has coming up by creating and submitting a press release.
You could be celebrating a new store opening, or 10 years serving local DIYers. Coupled with a great offer to incentivise people to visit your store, such as 10% off for a limited time, a well-timed press release in your local paper can really help to reach new people and drive more visitors to your business. Remember, if you’re submitting a press release, make sure it’s written in a format that’s easy for journalists to pick up and run with so that they’re more likely to share. Check out our article to find out some quick tips on writing an effective press release.
Another opportunity to share your story via your local newspaper is by creating useful content that your customers will find interesting in the form of native advertising, or sponsored content. This is usually an online article designed to look like any other content on the news website but with clear sign-posting, such as ‘promoted’ or ‘sponsored’ by, that states it’s a paid-for post. For example, you could promote an article on 10 top tips for DIY beginners.
Sharing your expertise in the context of a trusted news provider is a great way to get seen as a reputable and trustworthy business by more people online.
2) Target your ideal customers in the local community
One of the great things about advertising in your local newspaper is the ability to target and appeal to readers more specifically by appearing on particular pages. For instance, you could choose to display your adverts in the lifestyle section of the paper. By doing this, you’re reaching people who are more likely to be interested in your type of business and who may take action after seeing your advert; whether it’s visiting your website, making an enquiry or even visiting your store.
Also, it’s worth finding out what upcoming features or supplements your newspaper has planned. They may be running a Home & Lifestyle feature or a local DIY guide, for example. These would be great publications for your DIY store to be included in as they’re designed for people with a specific interest and need, so you should be advertising in them to ensure you’re reaching as targeted an audience as possible.
Advertising in your local paper doesn’t just mean just having a print advert though; your reach can extend even further by advertising across their news site too, helping you to reach an online audience.
You even have the option of using targeting criteria with online adverts so that your business is only promoted to specific people. For example, you could target people aged 30-50, living in Harrogate and with a home & garden interest. This way, you know your budget is being spent wisely as your adverts are only appearing to your ideal customers and to those who are more likely to engage with what you have to offer.
3) Reach active and passive audiences
It’s important to remember that your local paper serves both as a source of news in the community and as a source of local business information.
A lot of people will look for DIY-related products and services in their local paper, so if you’re advertising with a print advert, you’re reaching an audience in the market to buy. But a lot of people also read their local paper to keep up-to-date with local news and generally what’s going on in the area. They may not have a need for your products or services just yet, but by advertising your business regularly, you’re more likely to be remembered when they do need what you can offer.
So when it comes to thinking about the different ways you can try and reach more of the local community, start with your local paper as they have a variety of avenues you can use to get your business in front of DIY customers.
For more tips and advice on how to get the most out of advertising with your local newspaper, check out the following articles:
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