Local businesses are the lifeblood of the home and garden sector, and marketing them effectively requires a tailored, boots-on-the-ground approach.
At Evergreen, around half our portfolio is made up of local brands: garden centres, hot tub showrooms, furniture stores, and more. Whether they’re serving a single town or multiple sites across a region, they all share one thing in common: geography matters.
In this episode, we’re breaking down how we grow local businesses using a mix of online and offline strategies, from SEO and paid media to old-school leaflets and in-store events.
What do we mean by “local”?
When we talk about “local businesses,” we mean those whose customer base is limited to a specific area, usually within a 30–45 minute travel radius. These are bricks-and-mortar stores or service-based businesses that rely on footfall and proximity, not national reach. You might sell online, but your core audience is still local.
Start with the basics: SEO that works
We’ve been doing SEO for years, and when it comes to local, it’s all about simplicity. You don’t need to get buried in jargon, you just need to answer two questions clearly across your website:
What do you do?
Where do you do it?
Most businesses are great at the first. Their homepage explains they sell kitchens, install fencing, or run a garden centre. But many forget the second. If your website doesn’t clearly mention your location, town names, service areas, and postcode coverage, you’re missing the biggest SEO opportunity available to local brands.
Google needs to know not only what you do, but where you do it. And your website needs to make that obvious on every core page.
A full-funnel advertising strategy
Once your website is optimised, it’s time to think about your funnel. That means planning your ads around three distinct stages:
Top of funnel (TOF): awareness
These ads are all about introducing your brand. Think local Meta Ads or YouTube videos that say: “We’re here. We’re local. Come visit.” These should highlight your product or service and your location.
Middle of funnel (MOF): consideration
Now your audience knows who you are, this is where you show them why you’re different. These ads focus on USPs, product range, showroom walkthroughs, testimonials, and team content. They nurture interest.
Bottom of funnel (BOF): action
This is where you go for the sale or lead. Strong calls to action, time-sensitive offers, retargeting, and lead forms all work well here. But they only perform if your TOF and MOF ads have done their job first.
Don’t underestimate the power of print
Leaflets still work. Seriously.
They’re cheap, targeted, and incredibly effective for local businesses. We’ve used them for countless clients, often with phenomenal results. Why? Because in a world of digital noise, something physical stands out.
The best leaflets combine:
- Clear “what and where” messaging
- Strong visuals (products, people, locations)
- A call to action (discount, event, incentive)
And the best part? You can team them up with Royal Mail or distribute them through local businesses and community groups. For pennies, you stay front of mind in your postcode.
Host in-person events
Local businesses should feel local. Running open weekends, clearance events, festive experiences or launch parties is a brilliant way to drive footfall and deepen community ties.
The key is to market them well:
- Use social media and Meta Ads to invite your audience
- Send leaflets and emails with clear dates and reasons to attend
- Create content during the event to repurpose online
The best events are more than just selling opportunities. They’re relationship builders.
Humanise your brand
The businesses that win locally are the ones that feel real. Whether it’s the owner posting on LinkedIn, a staff member doing walkthrough videos, or your team appearing in Meta Ads, people buy from people.
We always encourage our clients to get in front of the camera in some way. That doesn’t mean polished talking heads. A simple behind-the-scenes photo, a team spotlight, or a founder-led Instagram story is enough to bring your business to life.
Local marketing is about trust. Visibility builds trust. And trust drives sales.
Plan promotions strategically
Promotions aren’t just about discounts. They’re about attention.
Instead of reacting to slow weeks, plan your promotional calendar in advance. Whether it’s a summer sale, Black Friday, or a garden party weekend, bake promotions into your marketing plan and build campaigns around them.
Done well, a seasonal promotion can drive serious short-term revenue and long-term loyalty, especially if paired with creative content, local ads, and a compelling reason to visit in person.
The Evergreen approach: online + offline, always
Every tactic in this post; SEO, funnel ads, print, events, human content, and planned promotions, is part of our proven playbook for growing local home and garden brands.
We don’t believe in digital-only marketing. We believe in using every tool available to create a joined-up, full-funnel strategy that makes your business famous to the people who matter most: your local community.
Whether you’re a one-site brand or scaling across multiple locations, the principles remain the same.
Final thoughts
If you run a local business and want to grow, don’t overcomplicate things. Focus on the fundamentals: be clear about what you do, where you do it, and why someone should choose you over the business down the road.
Mix online and offline. Build your funnel. Show your face. And give people a reason to take action.
It works. We’ve seen it first-hand, across dozens of businesses, from garden centres to hot tub showrooms, and everything in between.
And if you ever need help? You know where we are.
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