Market your local business like the big brands
🧠 What Local Business Owners Can Learn from Big Brands (Without the Big Budget)
Back in the Mad Men era, marketing meant million-dollar TV ads and massive billboard buys. Today, it’s about smart, consistent presence — and you don’t need Wall St. money to pull it off.
In fact, many of the best strategies big brands use are now affordable (and automatable) for local businesses. Here’s what you can borrow — and how to do it without burning your whole budget.
📌 1. Consistency Wins Attention
Big brands like Starbucks and Target win because they’re consistent. Same tone. Same style. Same customer experience.
What to steal:
• Use the same colors, logos, and tone on everything — from your signage to your Instagram.
• Post weekly (or even daily) on Google, socials, and email. Not perfect, just present.
🧠 Main St. Tip: Our Builder plan includes automated posts across Google and social — branded just like the big guys do it.
📌 2. Google = Your Home Page
McDonald’s doesn’t need to win Google searches — you do.
What to steal:
• Treat your Google Business Profile like your main website.
• Post weekly, respond to every review, and make sure your hours, services, and photos are always up to date.
📊 Stat: Businesses that post weekly to their GBP get up to 17% more clicks and 42% more direction requests
📌 3. Customer Reviews Are the New Billboards
Big brands pay to be trusted. You get trust for free — if you ask.
What to steal:
• Automate review requests after every transaction.
• Feature your best reviews on your website, window signs, and social media.
• Respond to all of them — even the awkward ones.
📊 Stat: Just 5 reviews can make you 270% more likely to be chosen over competitors.
— Source: Capital One Shopping
📌 4. Email Still Converts — If You Use It Right
Nike doesn’t send newsletters because it’s cute. They do it because email still works.
What to steal:
• Send a monthly or biweekly email with real value (offers, tips, updates).
• Highlight your best reviews, promotions, or community involvement.
🧠 Pro Tip: Even our $50/mo Essentials plan gives you built-in email marketing that looks polished and runs itself.
📌 5. Local = Your Superpower
Big brands wish they could be you. Local businesses have trust, character, and heart — use it.
What to steal from yourself:
• Tell your story. Show your staff. Celebrate your customers.
• Get visible in your neighborhood (flyers, partnerships, events).
• Mention your city in posts — it helps SEO and builds loyalty.
💡 A local mechanic in Salt Lake City, Utah isn’t just “affordable” — he’s “Salt Lake’s most trusted mechanic since 1996.” That’s branding, without the ad agency.
✅ Bottom Line
You don’t need millions — just consistency, automation, and community.
We built Main St. Marketing to give local businesses the tools big brands use, without the complexity or cost.
📬 Ready to Market Like the Majors?
If you want your business to show up like Starbucks and sound like Nike — without paying like them — we can help. Let’s Talk.
