Build Local Buzz for Your Business

By Lisa Humrich, Steelbloom

f you’re running a small business, chances are you don’t have a ton of time for marketing or a large marketing budget. The truth is you don’t need a big budget or a fancy marketing team to build up your local brand awareness. With a few time-saving strategies, you can boost your visibility and grow your business without spending all day on it. Let’s break down some quick and easy ways to market your shop locally without getting overwhelmed.

Raising Your Profile Around Town

Leverage Google My Business - If you haven’t already, spend 30 minutes setting up your Google My Business (GMB) profile. It’s a quick win for getting your shop noticed online. Add your address, business hours, and a few pics of your best work. It’s free and takes no time at all, but it’ll make your business more searchable locally. For more detailed information about Google My Business, check out my article “Three Free and Easy Ways to Boost Your Shop’s Online Presence” in the October issue of WrapFam Unleashed. Encourage Review Requests - Reviews are a goldmine for local businesses. After you finish a wrap, send your customer a quick text or email asking for a review on Google. Set this up as part of your normal workflow, and you won’t have to keep reminding yourself to ask for them.

Focus on Local SEO - You don’t need to go deep into SEO strategy. To increase your visibility on local searches just make sure your website includes a few local keywords that make sense for what you do like “vehicle wraps in [your city] ” or "wrap installers near me." This helps search engines match your business with local customers looking for your services. These terms should naturally appear in your website copy, blog posts, and metadata. When people in your area search for these services, you’ll have a better chance of ranking higher in the search results.

Keep Social Media Stress-Free - Don’t let anyone else grab your business name on social media! Even if you don’t plan to be super active, make sure you claim your spot on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or wherever your customers might be. Social media can be a huge time-suck if you let it, but it doesn’t have to be. You can manage your online presence with minimal effort if you focus on a few key strategies.

Pick One Platform and Own It - Instead of trying to post everywhere, pick one platform where you think your customers hang out—whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, or something else—and stick with it. For a lot of wrap shops, Facebook is a solid choice since local groups and businesses are active there. But if you’ve got great visuals, Instagram is the better way to go. The key is to focus your energy on one platform and do it well.

Highlight Customer Success Stories

- Showcase a few striking before-and-after images of vehicles you've wrapped. This not only highlights your work but also demonstrates the impact of a good vehicle wrap.

Share Customer Testimonials - Incorporate glowing testimonials from satisfied customers into your marketing materials and social media posts to build trust and credibility.

Batch Your Content - Don’t worry about posting every day. Dedicate just one hour each week to create and schedule a handful of posts. You can showcase photos of your latest wraps, share customer testimonials, or highlight any exciting happenings in your shop. Consider using Facebook’s scheduling tools or, for a small fee, sites like Social Sprout will automate your posts for the week/month, allowing you to focus on other tasks until your next session. To save time, remember to repurpose some of that social media content for your Google My Business profile to keep it updated.

Use Local Tags - On both Instagram and Facebook, throw in some local hashtags (like #WrapsDallas or #SmallBusinessWraps) and use location tags on your posts. It’s a super quick way to help local customers find your work.

Get the Community Buzzing

Team Up with Local Businesses - One of the easiest ways to grow your business without spending a ton of time is by teaming up with other local businesses. You’re probably already doing this informally but making it official can bring in more clients.

Find Complementary Partners - Reach out to other local businesses that aren’t direct competitors, like car detailing shops, auto dealerships, or custom body shops. Offer to recommend each other’s services. This simple cross-promotion requires little effort but can bring in new customers from a partner’s client base.

Co-Branding = Double the Exposure - Cobranding is a fancy way of saying, “Let’s work together to promote both our businesses.” For example, if you’re partnering with a car dealership, you could offer their customers a discount on a wrap when they buy a new car. Or team up with a detailing shop to offer bundled services. You’re sharing the marketing load while getting double the exposure.

Participate in Local Events and GroupsLocal events and groups are a great way to get your name out there, but with a small team, you don’t want to spend all your time attending every single one. Pick a few key events, and go all in.

Go for High-Impact Events - You don’t need to show up everywhere. Pick a couple of high-impact local events or groups—think car shows, festivals, Lion’s Club, business expos, or community fairs—that are most likely to have your ideal customers. By focusing on a few targeted events, you can maximize your exposure without spreading yourself too thin.

Maximize Your Time at Events - When you do attend an event, make it count. Set up a simple booth or if you are attending the event be sure you have pictures on your phone to show examples of your work, hand out business cards or small branded items, and collect contact info for follow-ups.

Offline Marketing

Can Still Work for You

- Don’t forget about good old-fashioned offline marketing. Even though most marketing is done online these days, handing out flyers or getting local media coverage can still bring in business.

Flyers and Posters - Where are people hanging out in your community? Design a flyer that highlights your services and drop it off at local businesses, community centers, and anywhere your potential customers hang out. This is a simple one-time effort that can generate ongoing visibility for your shop.

Get Featured in Local Media – Submit a press release to local newspapers, blogs, or radio stations and pitch them a story about your shop. Maybe you’ve wrapped a cool vehicle for a local charity or done something unique. Local media coverage gives you free publicity and helps build trust in the community.

Keep it Simple with Analytics

Set up Google Analytics on your website - The amount of information available can be overwhelming but start small, like determining where your traffic is coming from. Use Facebook or Instagram Insights tools to track your social media engagement. These platforms offer easy-to-understand data, and you can check it quickly once a week to see what’s working.

Focus on What Matters - Look at how many new leads or inquiries you’re getting, how well your posts are performing on social media, and how you’re ranking in local searches. By keeping an eye on these core areas, you can adjust your marketing without diving into too many details.

Wrapping It UP

Marketing your small business doesn’t have to take over your life. By focusing on simple, timeefficient strategies you can build brand awareness and grow your business without stretching yourself too thin. Plus, co-branding with local partners can double your exposure with half the effort. The idea is to pick ONE thing you aren’t doing, keep it simple, stay consistent, and let your local presence grow!

Lisa Humrich SteelbloomLLC@gmail.com Founder, Steelbloom

Leveraging experience at ORAFOL, Mimaki, and General Formulations, Lisa helps businesses improve processes and marketing.