Local lead generation used to primarily take place in the physical world—door-to-door sales, signs in shop windows, and local events at the town’s favorite watering hole.

And it still does, to some extent. 

But your business can now reach hordes of local leads on the internet. Cost-efficient digital marketing tactics, from local SEO optimization to location-targeted email campaigns, make this possible. 

What Is Local Lead Generation?

Local lead generation is any marketing or sales strategy designed to attract and engage potential customers in a specific geographic area. That area could be as broad as the NYC metropolitan area or as narrow as your brick-and-mortar store’s adjacent towns. 

Here are some examples of local lead generation: 

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  An HVAC contractor running local SEO so local restaurant owners find them on Google 

  
  
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  A catering business using cold email to promote their services to local corporations  

  
  
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  A real estate startup running targeted Facebook ads to building owners in San Francisco 

  
  

There are many benefits to local lead generation, from reaching more best-fit customers to positioning your business as a community leader. 

However, the most powerful benefit of local lead gen campaigns is that they separate you from the global competition. 

Who does a restaurant owner want to work with? 

The interior restaurant designer who understands the area’s local regulations and public taste through years of serving other restaurants in their area? Or the designer who serves restaurants all over the country? 

Easy choice. They’re going with the insider. 

7 Effective Strategies for Local Lead Generation

From hosting local events to managing your online reputation, there are many strategies for local lead generation. 

Let’s cover the top seven. 

1. Local Business Databases

Local business data is the lifeblood of outbound lead generation tactics like cold emailing and cold calling. 

Today, thanks to AI, it’s easier than ever to get accurate data on local leads.  

For example, Artisan, an AI-powered sales automation platform, comes with a local business database that you can use to generate lists of decision-makers at local businesses. 

Artisan scrapes social profiles, review sites, and other sources to build detailed, accurate profiles of these leads, which include email addresses, job titles, and even hobbies.

2. Local SEO Optimization

Local SEO optimization helps local leads find your business when they search for related products and services on Google. 

It ensures your business appears in the results for relevant searches with local intent, like “truck repair near me” or “best merger and acquisitions lawyer in Boston.”

Here are five steps for perfecting local SEO:

1. 

   Create a Google Business Profile: Create a free business profile and add your business hours, address, photos, and other details. This helps your business appear in Google Search and Maps. Customers will also be able to leave Google reviews. 

   
   
   
   
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   Find local keywords: Identify high-volume search terms that local customers are asking in search engines, like “corporate event caterer in Kansas City” or “lunch caterer Kansas City.” Use a tool like Semrush or Ubersuggest to find these keywords. Once you have one keyword, you can also check out the “People also ask” section on Google results pages for other ideas. 

   
   
   
   
3. 

   Optimize your site for keywords: Make sure your website’s homepage, contact page, landing pages, and about us pages include variations of your chosen keywords. Neil Patel recommends creating one page for each high-volume keyword. Lastly, put your address on the bottom of your website so Google knows where you’re located. 

   
   
4. 

   Create blog content: To drive traffic to your site, write blog posts that answer your local buyers’ most common questions. For example, if you were an exterminator serving NYC property owners, you might write blog posts about local critters—for example, “NYC Pests: How to Eliminate Cockroaches for Good.”

   
   
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   Rack up positive Google reviews: Ask every customer to leave you a Google review. The more positive reviews you have, the more Google will promote your Google business profile and company website in the search results. 

   
   

With Google being the most popular way to research new businesses, according to a recent survey, local SEO is your most crucial inbound lead gen strategy. Don’t skimp here. 

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3. Targeted Social Media Advertising

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram let you run ad campaigns that target new leads in specific locations. 

Here are some tips for social media advertising: 

1. 

   Pick the right social platform: Choose the platform your target buyers are most active on. Not sure? Check out where your competitors are posting content and generating engagement. 

   
   
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   Define your target audience: In addition to defining the location with radius targeting, also specify other criteria like age, gender, and interests. 

   
   
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   Customize your budget: Most platforms let you choose how much to spend on advertising. Best practice is to start small ($100-$200) and double down when something works. 

   
   
4. 

   Offer a lead magnet: Rather than advertising your services, advertise a valuable free resource, such as a trial, consultation, or ultimate guide, in exchange for their phone number and email address. 

   
   
5. 

   Create intriguing ads: Make sure your ad copy speaks to the pain points and desires of your leads. Mention local issues, trends, and landmarks to boost credibility if it’s appropriate to do so. 

   
   

To maximize your ROI, consider adding in retargeting ads aimed at people who have already interacted with your website. 

4. Hosting Local Events or Webinars

Hosting local events and webinars is a great way to establish yourself as an area’s go-to resource on a specific topic. Plus, target leads must submit their contact info to attend the event. 

Here are some tips for hosting local events and webinars: 

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  Host webinars on topics of immediate interest to your target buyers, like a new local law or major event. 

  
  
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  Focus on educating target buyers about how they can overcome challenges unique to their specific location. 

  
  
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  Bring in local experts and other business owners to discuss topics that interest your target audience.

  
  
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  Advertise the event and webinar across your social media profiles, Google ads, website, and other marketing channels. 

  
  

Let’s look at a company doing this well. SiteCompli is a proptech company focused on NYC property managers. They often host webinars breaking down new government regulations that affect their customers. 

During Covid, they hosted webinars focused on best practices for keeping their tenants safe.

Every year, they also host an industry event called RealFocus, an in-person event where current and potential NYC clients come together to hear experts speak on current best practices for running a thriving property management business in NYC. 

5. Partnerships with Local Businesses

Consider partnering with complementary local businesses that serve the same customer base. This way, you can tap into each other's audiences and generate leads for one another. 

Here are the three proven business partnerships:

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  Referral programs: Ask complementary businesses to promote your services for a kickback. For example, a corporate office designer might give 10% of closed revenue to a commercial real estate firm that referred their business. 

  
  
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  Joint webinars and events: Host joint workshops, classes, and networking events with another business. A yoga instructor and meditation teacher might host a one-hour free class to teach mindfulness and promote their services to local offices. 

  
  
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  Neighborhood discounts: Group up with several businesses in your area to offer a “professional discount” to employees working in nearby offices. 

  
  

6. Online Reviews and Reputation Management

Online reputation management establishes your business as a trusted provider. Since so many people read business reviews, generating positive ones is the most important reputation management strategy for local lead generation. 

Besides offering excellent service, here are the main ways to generate positive online reviews: 

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  Create a business profile on relevant directories like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and G2. 

  
  
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  Send automated emails that ask new customers for reviews after specific customer journey milestones or outcomes. 

  
  

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  Incentivize staff to ask for reviews by offering financial rewards to the employee who generates the most positive reviews from customers in a given time period. 

  
  
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  Offer gift cards and other rewards to customers who leave reviews on your preferred review site. 

  
  

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  Add review reminders to receipts, packaging, pamphlets, menus, and other materials. 

  
  
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  Use QR codes that enable customers to easily leave reviews using their mobile devices. 

  
  

In addition to earning good reviews, you also have to mitigate the effects of bad ones. 

If you get a negative review with a legitimate complaint, take responsibility and express your apologies and intention to fix the problem. Everyone makes mistakes, and people respect those businesses that accept fault. 

You can also offer to right the wrong, giving them your customer support number, as this tax consultant business has done: 

If you receive a spam or mistaken review, don’t respond. Instead, report it to the directory. If a review is highly damaging, you may want to seek legal advice or hire a brand management company. 

7. Location-Specific Email Campaigns

Cold email campaigns target local leads with specific, results-based promises to solve pressing pain points. 

Here’s how to run a location-specific email campaign:

1. 

   Find local business contact data: Build a list of decision-makers and their email addresses. Use a searchable B2B contact database to speed this up. You can find addresses manually for smaller campaigns. 

   
   
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   Segment your list by cities or neighborhoods: Create separate campaigns for different locations and use the city or town in subject lines to boost open rates.   

   
   
3. 

   Invest in an email automation platform: Leverage an outbound sales tool that helps you write and send personalized emails at scale. You can dramatically speed up your outreach by learning to use AI for cold email. 

   
   
4. 

   Write educational emails: Sometimes, a direct pitch is best. At others, content that helps your customers achieve their specific goals will resonate most. 

   
   
5. 

   Personalize emails with local context: Mention local weather, news, trends, businesses, or landmarks to show you’re familiar with the area. 

   
   

If outbound email marketing sounds overly time-consuming, an AI lead generation tool like Artisan could be the answer. AI BDR Ava finds local leads, researches them, and writes and sends personalized emails at the best times. 

How to Generate Local Leads

Let’s look at a straightforward six-step framework for creating a revenue-driving local lead generation strategy. 

Step 1: Identify Key Local Areas to Target

Start by determining which neighborhoods, cities, and regions to target. Your geographic reach will guide all individual lead gen tactics. 

Here’s how to pick which local areas to target:

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  Analyze your customer base: Review your customer data and look for location patterns. Do a high percentage of them reside in a few specific neighborhoods? What do those neighborhoods have in common?

  
  
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  Identify industry-specific hubs: Find areas where there is a cluster of target businesses, such as industrial parks, commercial zones, or tech hubs like Silicon Valley.

  
  
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  Look for areas with limited coverage: Identify areas where your competitors are mostly absent. These low-competition towns might be parched for your offering. 

  
  
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  Consider logistics and travel time: Determine which neighborhoods you can efficiently serve without spending too much time on travel or money on gas. 

  
  

You can also use Google Trends and its location filter to determine interest patterns in specific areas. Simply head over to the search page, enter your industry, and filter by location. 

Step 2: Research Local Businesses to Build Your ICP

Start researching local businesses in your designated areas to build out an ideal customer profile (ICP): a semi-fictitious, category-level description of your ideal customers (for B2B, that’s ideal businesses). 

This ICP will help you understand your target buyer so you can create marketing content and sales messaging that pique their interests. 

Here’s an example of an ICP that a B2B lead generation company might use: 

To research these businesses, use platforms like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Maps. It’s also worth talking in person to as many business owners as possible. This is an immediate path to understanding the problems unique to doing business in their area. 

If you’re already in business, tap into your current client base operating in target areas. Run surveys, conduct interviews, and ask customers about why they decided to work with you. As you learn about their experiences, take notes on similarities and add these insights to your ICP.

Step 3: Build a Local Lead List with Artisan’s B2B Local Business Data

Now that you know which types of businesses to target, it’s time to build a list of high-quality potential leads. 

You can do this manually, but it’s going to take a lot of time to find the businesses, identify their decision-makers, and find contact information and other relevant information. 

Instead, consider using a B2B database. 

For example, Artisan offers a searchable B2B local lead database with up-to-date information on every type of business, from gyms and spas to restaurants and stores. 

Here’s how to use Artisan to quickly generate local lead lists that fuel your outreach:

1. 

   Select local data: Artisan has local data on over 200 million local businesses. 

   
   
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   Define targeting preferences: Decide which job titles to target, whether that’s the business owner or director of sales.  

   
   
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   Filter by business ratings: Want to focus on struggling businesses? You can use the rating slider to select businesses with low ratings on Google.   

   
   
4. 

   Choose your location: Narrow down your search with specific geographic criteria. 

   
   
5. 

   Select your target audience: Choose the business type you want to target, whether that’s gyms, shops, or cafes. 

   
   

Just like that, you have a narrow list of businesses and professionals that fit your ideal customer profile. You can easily review their profiles, which include contact info, demographic data, interests, company size, and more. 

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Step 4: Reach Out with Personalized Messages

Generic, spray-and-pray outreach is dead. 

In fact, 76% of consumers get annoyed when companies fail to deliver personalized interactions, according to research by McKinsey. 

Highly targeted and relevant outbound sales messages, on the other hand, still perform across all of the following sales channels:

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  LinkedIn direct messages

  
  
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  Email

  
  
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  Direct mail 

  
  
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  Phone calls

  
  
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  Social platforms like Twitter and Facebook

  
  

However, personalizing emails is tedious work, especially when you’re doing it for hundreds of local businesses every day. 

Fortunately, AI business tools can help. Take Artisan, which automates the entire cold outreach process. Ava, Artisan’s AI BDR, automatically researches your leads using the Data Miner feature. She then sends personalized emails and LinkedIn messages to these leads, essentially booking meetings on autopilot. 

Step 5: Engage with the Local Community

While spending your nights at the local pub and buying whiskey shots for strangers isn’t the worst idea, it’s far from the only way to engage productively with your local community.   

There are far more strategic, not to mention sustainable, techniques for generating local business leads.

Here’s how to engage with your local business community: 

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  Participate in local events: Attend local industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events to grow your public profile in the community. At these events, consider hosting workshops or teaching sessions to position yourself as an expert. 

  
  
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  Sponsor community initiatives: Sponsor fundraising initiatives, charity events, and local sports teams and other organizations. In return, you’ll likely have the option to promote your business in catalogs and other published materials. This builds brand recognition while painting your business as a good neighbor. 

  
  

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  Host a giveaway tailored to local interests: Give your ideal leads a chance to win free consultations, professional development classes, or useful tools or guides. Collect contact info from entrants. And follow up regardless of whether they win. 

  
  

By consistently showing up and providing value, your community peers will be more likely to think of, engage with, and recommend your business. 

Step 6: Measure and Refine

As you run local lead generation and implement new strategies, be sure to measure the results and refine accordingly.  

Here are the key local lead gen metrics to track:

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  Lead response rates 

  
  
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  Conversion rates

  
  
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  Meetings booked per channel

  
  
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  Web traffic from local searches

  
  
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  Email open, reply, and click-through rates 

  
  
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  LinkedIn connection rates 

  
  

Most lead generation tools provide real-time analytics and custom reporting to make this automatic, so you can make changes based on data insights rather than digging through the data yourself.  

Start Building Stronger Local Connections Today

For the best results with your local lead gen, you should combine inbound and outbound strategies. This ensures you’re hitting leads from multiple angles while casting a wide net. 

Fortunately, modern lead generation software facilitates multi-pronged lead gen, all from one easy-to-use platform. 

Artisan’s outbound sales software offers access to a huge local lead database. It also allows you to run automated email campaigns. Best of all, AI BDR Ava finds, researches, and emails local leads all on her own. 

Automate your outbound with AI employees

Equip your team with the best-in-class outbound tools and our AI BDR Ava, who automates your entire outbound workflow.

Yes! I want to book a demo.