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What Are People Looking for in Local Businesses?

If you’re a local business, you want to engage as many people in the area as possible. While you want to remain true to your vision, it doesn’t hurt to get in the groove of what everyone in town is after and try to adjust your brand look accordingly.

So regardless of what you are selling - be it ice cream, outdoor wear or massage services - you always need to have a solid brand. 2025 is seeing some new trends in branding that every business should think about.

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Personalize

Especially if you are serving a local community, you should take the time to personalize your merch. If you have a shop where you greet people by name, you should take your products even further when it comes to personalization.

Thanks to AI, you can now do this in innumerable different ways. If you make coffee mugs, why not splash a customer’s favorite morning greeting onto one? Create some food wrappers with the local sports team’s motto on them? The possibilities are endless, and you can even find free digital mockups online so that customers can make the best choice for themselves. 

Be inclusive

Inclusivity is a major thing these days, regardless of where you live. But particularly if you are in a tight-knit community, you want to make it clear that your business is open to everyone. 

What does this mean in reality? Several things:

  • Acknowledge holidays. Whether they are local or national, you want to be spirited. So obviously this means putting up decorations in December, but think about what else you might do to make yourself look extra spirited. Remember, this can take any number of forms, from baby apparel to food. And creativity can reap rewards.
  • Celebrate diversity. Different businesses do this in different ways, but it could mean any number of things for you. Think about all the categories of people that you might want to serve and how you can reach out to each of them. For every group you touch, you will be rewarded with increased devotion and a bigger following.
  • Consider accessibility. Not everyone has the means to create specialized products and services for every group of people, but it doesn’t hurt to explore the options. If you own a restaurant, could you create a braille menu? Would installing a handicapped ramp allow more people to access your building? Any efforts you make will be welcomed by the community, and your reputation will improve, as well.

Join forces

Another common theme for local businesses these days is joining forces to create large-scale events, combine products or services, and help grow brands. Local businesses can do this in any number of ways. If you have a food service operation, consider partnering with a local fitness club to offer special deals after New Year’s. If you run a dental office, think about partnering with a nutrition store to promote both of your businesses at a local fair. 

Whatever you think could be a good match for your business, pursue it. And think about banners, social media ads, or even merch that you could create together. If you are in the service industry, perhaps even offer a free service to people who will buy from a partnering business. The right combination could make both businesses grow like crazy.

Love your community, and it will love you back

The main thing to remember is that you should put your heart into your business. If you do this sincerely, even writing someone’s name wrong on a birthday cake will pale in importance. Communities are places where people come together and show consideration for one another. As a business owner, your task is to do this as effectively as possible.

 

 

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