The world is massive. It is. The internet, the amount of knowledge, the speed of communication, the international economy… Well, it’s daunting. I’m not exactly singing “It’s A Small World.”
This sentiment is a common one. Globalism has made a lot of us long for simpler times, for personalized customer service, for hometown pride. And this desire for what is “local” can work in a couple ways as an advertising tactic:
(1) Obviously, capitalize within your own community if you are an independent and local business. Most of the billions of daily transactions are not global; they are done face-to-face, buyer-to-seller. Remind consumers of that fact, and promote hometown pride in your business. Join together with other local or independent businesses to promote each other. Work your angles and highlight personalization of business. For example, Buying Local is an Investment in Your Community.
2) When your situation necessitates a large-scale approach, manipulate this sentiment to gain the trust of your customers. Often, good customer service is the best kind of advertising in which a company can invest. Consumers have come to expect poor quality service from massive corporations; but business—big or small—happens one transaction at a time. So when customer service is efficient, personalized and positive, they will surely take note. Think of HSBC’s slogan, “The World’s Local Bank”—combining access to international and global advantages with the personalization and knowledge of local place-specific situations.
Remember that consumers want to feel like people rather than transactions. And taking a Small World approach can help to reap Big World results.
Katherine Timm
Director of Business Development
