The Voice of Local Businesses Relies on Local Cable TV Advertising to Be Heard

Did you know that 120 million Americans are employed by 28 million entrepreneurial businesses making up nearly 98% of all employers across the US (according to the National Small Business Association and the US Census Bureau)? Small business is the lifeblood of the US economy. So let’s take a step back and look at the “big” picture -- local small business exists to connect with their local consumers.

But how can a small business break through all this noise and get their message across to consumers? Where can they find a voice?

The answer is simple: Local businesses need local TV advertising, and nothing tells a story and connects better than a 30-second video spot on a cable network.

Local small businesses benefit from the connection to their community, an advantage that large corporations lack. But this connection doesn’t just happen on its own. For this connection to be made, a small business needs to develop relationships and engage with the community around them. And local advertising is the key to making this all happen; it’s an important component to fostering relationships and establishing customer loyalty.

Local cable TV advertising is uniquely suited for local business success. Here’s why:

1. Consumers prefer locally relevant advertising. Consumers want to shop locally, and prefer locally relevant advertising. According to Screenwerk, consumers would rather shop at local businesses versus a national outlet because it helps support the community and more often than not, local small businesses have the ability to personalize services.
2. Local advertising is the best way to reach potential customers. Local television reaches 9 out of 10 US adults according to a State of the News Media study. The site, sound and motion of TV is the most engaging platform. Advertisements give customers just enough information to make them curious about the business, thereby driving traffic to small businesses.
3. Local businesses need local TV advertising. By choosing not to advertise, local businesses run a large risk of losing potential customers because their competitors will. How can a consumer shop for a product or at a store if they don’t know the business exists? TV advertising creates an even playing field between the small businesses and the large national outlets which also advertise on TV.
4. Local cable TV advertising uniquely gives small business a voice. It’s not feasible or practical for a small business to be advertising on a national or even regional (aka DMA) scale, but they can still reign in potential customers on a geo-targeted basis via local cable TV advertising through their local cable company.

It’s undeniable: The best way for small businesses to have a voice is through local cable TV advertising. After all, small businesses need local advertising and America needs vibrant small businesses.

Image courtesy of Corbis. The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet, Inc. management or associated bloggers.