I always enjoy the looks that I receive from clients when I
mention "SoLoMo". I can only imagine what they are thinking
("has he finally lost his mind?" Comes to mind a lot). In fact, I've
memorised the explanation and have learned to quickly throw it out as soon as I
bring it up. Still, SoLoMo is my favorite marketing method for local
businesses, mainly because of the success that it has brought our clients, so
it's a conversation that must be had with each and every local business owner
that comes through our doors.
So, what the heck is SoLoMo?
SoLoMo is an acronym that stands for Social, Local, Mobile,
and it taps into the buying patterns of more that 80% of consumers in today's
connected world. Here's how it works:
Social
How many times have you scrolled your Facebook or Twitter
feed and saw one of your contacts (or maybe you've even done it as well?)
asking others about the best "insert cuisine here" restaurants in the
area? Or how many times have you checked online reviews on Facebook, Google,
Yelp etc. before going to a local business? I'll bet you're just as guilty as
the other 62% of all online shoppers who do the exact same thing. And of that
62%, 75% of them end up clicking through to the business's website in the process.
Having a social presence online is no longer a choice for
local businesses. Nearly EVERYONE has a smartphone these days and has
near-instant access to information on any business in their local area. If your
business isn't in that mix, you're going to lose customers to the ones that
are... lots of customers.
Local