Be very honest—did you ever think your local business would someday run in more than one location? But here you are, running a growing brand, whether it’s a chain of coffee shops, fitness studios, or boutique stores across different cities.
A business operating in more than one location means more opportunities to reach people, build a brand, and make serious money.
But there is also a challenge, and that is marketing. Strategies that work in one location don’t always work in another. It’s a whole new marketing ballgame with different communities, customers, and vibes.
So, how do you grow your business without wasting a ton of money on one-size-fits-all marketing? We’ll share a few strategies that will help you grow your multi-location business sustainably.
#1 Maintain Brand Consistency But Add a Personal Touch to Each Location
Your customers should recognize your brand no matter which location they visit. That will only be possible if your messaging, visuals, and overall vibe are consistent across the board.
Whichever store customers walk into, they must instantly feel that familiar connection.
The basis of brand consistency is brand guidelines. Establish it right away if you haven’t yet.
This is important because businesses that use off-brand content risk providing an inconsistent experience to their customers while missing out on the opportunity to strengthen their brand values, says Forbes.
However, if every store’s marketing is too standardized, you risk losing that personal, local connection. So, what you should do is keep the core branding strong—same voice, same quality, same overall experience—but let each location add its own flavor.
Starbucks is a case in point. The coffeehouse company follows a multi-domestic strategy.
While it maintains consistency in branding, it tailors its store designs to reflect the local aesthetic and create a welcoming environment.
#2 Create Location-Specific Landing Pages on Your Website
Generic “Our Locations” page won’t do you any favors. If you want each store to stand out and attract customers, you need dedicated landing pages.
Designing multi-location landing pages can take up a lot of your time. Why not save yourself time and effort and use AI-powered website builders to relaunch your website?
All you have to do is instruct AI to create a website that features landing pages for all locations you operate in. And in a matter of minutes, your website with location-specific landing pages will be ready.
Once your landing pages are ready, Hocoos advises optimizing them for search engines so that they appear in local searches. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of optimizing landing pages manually, go for a website builder with a built-in SEO tool.
Note that each of your landing pages should feature the exact address, phone number, and updated hours. Bonus points if you add real customer testimonials from that specific location—it builds trust instantly.
Don’t just copy-paste the same content with different city names. Search Engine Land says that creating location-specific pages is pointless if the content isn’t useful. So, highlight what makes that location special—maybe it has exclusive products, bilingual staff, or a killer rooftop patio.
#3 Run Geo-Targeted Ads to Boost Store Traffic
Shoppers want to know whether your store has the products or offers services they are seeking.
Websites are great for showcasing your offerings. But if people aren’t aware that your brand exists, how will they visit the website?
Digital ads are a great way to showcase your products or services. Don’t run broad, generic ads that target everyone. You’ll only burn money.
If you want more foot traffic, geo-targeted ads are the way to go. Instead of blasting ads to people who will never visit your store, focus on the right audience in the right location.
Platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram can help you target users within a specific radius of your store. Someone five miles away? Perfect. Someone in another state? Not so much.
Burger King is an excellent example. In 2019, the fast food restaurant company stole its arch-rival McDonald’s customers through geo-targeting.
The “It Chapter Two” movie, featuring the terrifying clown Pennywise, was a huge cultural hit. The fast-food restaurant company ran ads after its screenings, featuring the tagline, “The moral is: never trust a clown.” This was done when customers were sitting in McDonald’s.
Then, it sent customers a message to download its mobile app and search for ‘It Chapter Two’ in McDonald’s magazine. Once customers did that, an augmented reality red balloon was launched, and customers received a one-cent Whopper—Burger King’s signature burger.
Running a multi-location business is no piece of cake. But you can scale without losing that local touch with the right marketing strategies.
At the end of the day, customers want to feel like they are supporting a business that gets them. So get creative, get personal, and watch your brand grow.
