A high-stakes segment of local marketing is occupied by multi-location (MULO) brands. Indeed, they have their own set of dynamics, given the need to raise their marketing game across thousands of zip codes. We’re talking about everything from social strategies to SEO. What’s a MULO marketer to do?

Key Takeaways

Here are a few key messages or insights that we gleaned from this session (takeaways assembled from session moderator Nancy Shenker).

• Multi-location marketing, like everything else, is evolving rapidly due to AI, sophisticated analytics, and the practical use of behavior data in growing customer bases.
• Bennett Maxwell, founder of Dirty Dough Cookies says this is all about scaling a local business to a national one. He emphasized the importance of operational efficiency, ensuring your store footprint is no bigger than it needs to be, and choosing the right markets for expansion.
• Craig Winning of Batbox meanwhile espouses opportunity within the “eatertainment” and “sportainment” mashups. In both these areas, restaurants need to serve today’s consumers with experiences rather than just food.
• Andrew McCarthy of Aikito adds that MULO brands have logistical considerations. For example, they can scale faster by automating the build-out process and making sure operators can open faster and cost-efficiently without compromising brand standards.
• Last but not least, Emily Steele just secured funding for her groundbreaking company Hummingbirds. A new take on local influencer marketing, the company engages real fans of products and services as field marketers. Because authenticity is so critical today, the recommendation of a friend or neighbor can be more powerful than that of a random social media poster. (For more, see our recent podcast episode with Steele).

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StreetFight Presents: 5 Multi-Location Trends That Every Marketer Must Know

The power of the consumer has evolved over the years. In today’s digital age, it’s not just the consumer, but also their devices that play a crucial role. Multi-location brands are not only vying against each other, but they are also faced with the challenge of triumphing over local brands and online sellers in the fierce “street fight”.

Speakers

Bennett Maxwell, Dirty Dough Cookies
Craig Winning, BatBox
Andrew McCarthy, Aikito
Emily Steele, Hummingbirds
Nancy Shenker, StreetFight