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Whether you’re a business lawyer in the Albury-Wodonga region of Australia, a plumber in the isolated township of Westminster, Vermont, or any other hard-working business owner trying to run a successful business in a rural location, you’re bound to have encountered some challenges.
Many rural business owners can’t rely on foot traffic, nor can they afford to lose customers to their competition in neighboring towns and cities. If you’re struggling to experience the success you hoped you would in your own little rural slice of paradise, here are a few helpful tips for getting back on track.
Involve Yourself in the Community
Involving yourself in your community can be one of the most effective ways to help your business stand out. Get to know the people who shop with you, sponsor local events, and involve yourself in community gatherings. As you contribute to the community more, locals will get to know you and feel more enthused about supporting your business.
Keep Prices Competitive
There’s no denying that stocking goods in a rural location can cost more than in a densely-populated city. Alongside the cost of the items themselves, you often have to factor freight and higher unit rates into your pricing and overheads.
To combat this problem, consider keeping your gross profit margin at a reasonable level. Customers know as well as you do that they don’t have any other options in your town, so you can make a name for yourself by valuing their needs and setting reasonable prices. Moreover, if you price your goods and services too high, customers might start looking out of town, meaning you could lose their business altogether.
Don’t Forget About Your Online Presence
Digital marketing is an effective way to share your products, services, and business offerings with new and existing customers. While you might have a small target market in your rural community, that doesn’t mean you can’t make a name for yourself online, boost local tourism, and even bring in out-of-towners to see what you have to offer.
Create a website, focus on search engine optimization, and don’t underestimate the importance of content creation. Make your voice loud online, and you might enjoy a much larger customer base than you thought possible.
Look After Your Employees
Finding skilled employees can be challenging in a small town, so you should do everything possible to keep them once you have them. Treat them well, pay them a competitive salary, and go above and beyond to help them maintain an excellent work-life balance.
When you look after your employees, they look after you by staying on as long-term workers, providing excellent customer service, and bolstering your reputation.
Work with Local Businesses
Small towns generally have very few businesses providing products and services, and it’s not uncommon for each store to have little to no competition. If your town has businesses you could benefit from, and vice versa, consider working with them to ensure you can both continue looking after your customers.
For example, if you own a plumbing business next to an electrician, you can refer customers to each other and work as a team on some jobs. Or, if you run a copywriting agency, you could set up a business mentoring group or networking events to foster strong connections within the community.
Running a successful business in a rural area requires a different approach than working in a densely-populated city. If you want the best chance of success, implement the abovementioned approaches. Hopefully, you’ll soon be pleasantly surprised by how popular your rural business has become.
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