One of our most compelling speakers at the 2012 Local Search Association annual conference was Mary Boysman, VP Brand Marketing and Advertising at Aspen Dental, a fast-growing, multi-market health care provider.

Speaking to a crowd of local search leaders from around the world, Boysman described in detail how she and her team developed a comprehensive strategy that drove meaningful local leads for her business and elicited support from the highest levels of her organization.

The presentation left the group buzzing because it outlined the type of innovative and integrated local marketing plan that many local search providers are trying to explore and develop with their clients.

I want to share some of the key learnings I walked away with after Boysmans presentation. Its a model for local businesses everywhere looking to navigate the complexity of todays fragmented media environment. Lets talk through the steps it takes to create a powerhouse marketing organization.

The first priority is to clearly understand your companys mission and create a marketing plan to help achieve it. Pinpoint ideal customers by drilling down their ages, genders, education levels and incomes to create distinct customer target profiles.

Then, research those profiles intensively to determine associated attitudes towards your companys services and the specific obstacles in the way to getting target customers in the door and spending on services.

These findings inform strategic marketing messaging and programs that address those concerns directly, as well as provide insight on the types of media channels that should be used. By having clarity on your companys mission and target customers, youll be able to start thinking about ways to bridge gaps between the two.

Just a few years ago, many companies advertising strategies relied nearly entirely on print; newspapers, magazines, direct mail, and Yellow Pages. But, with a deep understanding of your target customer, youll be able to identify areas to diversify and expand the your marketing approach.

Think about refining your advertising model. You may find that directories continue to deliver sales volume, but newspapers do not. Or you may find your magazine spend isnt performing as well as direct mail. Reallocate your budget where it makes sense and build out your advertising portfolio to channels youre not reaching if the research supports it.

By adding channels over time, youll be able to continuously track progress and position the company to reach a greater number of target customers in the places they are searching most whether through television commercials, direct mailings, or search engine-sponsored ads.

The rest is here:
Five Key Learnings From A Local Marketing Success Story