Marketing Strategy; Explore The 2010 Local Marketing Trends According To Balihoo

Balihoo Inc. out of Boise, Idaho, is a "Local Marketing Automation" provider, and works in several different industries, including the franchise industry.

I've interacted with the folks up there more than a few times, (It's been way too long, guys!) and I like what I see.

Just go to their website for some specifics on how they help local small businesses get customers.

Balihoo just released some of their predictions for the upcoming year, and I feel that they're worth sharing with you. We all need some local marketing help, right?

Here's a couple of local marketing and media trends that Balihoo sees for 2010;

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• Direct Mail: There has been a resurgence in direct mail as no-call lists, e-mail spam rules and untargeted broad media affect local marketers’ ability to reach audiences.

Prediction: Better targeting and new, advanced tools to personalize messaging and track results will lead to a surge in direct mail.

• Mobile: Smart phones are becoming more popular, and technologies are moving mobile advertising from primarily text messaging-based to including images and video. However, Balihoo still sees mobile at the local level as more sizzle than steak.

Prediction: The next year will bring the biggest jump yet in text-based mobile advertising, but more advanced options such as image and video will be limited to all but the trendiest of trendsetters.

• Integrated Marketing Communications: Historically, local businesses have not done a particularly good job at integrating their marketing communications across multiple channels. As audience sizes shrink and targeting options increase, there has been a renewed interest from local business in pursuing an integrated marketing communications strategy.

Prediction: Local marketers will continue their 2009 trend of pursuing an integrated strategy.

How important is local marketing to your company?

Here's the rest of the 2010 Local Marketing/Media Trends

* Here's a New Year's Resolution; You'll only subscribe to blogs that will help you make money in 2010.