Look at the relationship (and it is a relationship) another way, well...actually two other ways. First, how your business interacts with the local community as a whole, and second, how your business interacts on a one-to-one basis with your prospects and your customers.

IT IS THOSE RELATIONSHIPS (BUSINESS-TO-COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS-TO-INDIVIDUAL) THAT DEFINES THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF YOUR BUSINESS.

In essence, your business does have two faces. One, the face it presents to the community as a whole, and two, the face it presents every time it interacts with a prospect or customer. Although they are separate and quite possibly managed at different levels, they need to be integrated and complimentary. Have you even thought about this? 

Your presence in the community can be "larger-than-life" or practically invisible. Guess which one is the most desirable? And as to how you relate to each individual your business comes into contact with...it can either leave a positive lasting impression, or no impression at all. Again, guess which one is the most desirable.

Both the methods you employ to connect with the local community and your message are equally important. Offline marketing and online marketing both play a part. Both need to work with each other, multiplying the effect of each other. Marketing offline? Then give your local community a reason to visit both you and your website. Marketing online? Then give your local community a reason to visit both you and your website. The results should be the same - to create an active relationship between you and your community. To connect your business with local customers.

Look to see how your business can add value to the community at the macro level -  business-to-community. Create ways to interact with the community as a whole. And yes, no matter how it takes form, you can use this level of interaction to drive sales and profits.

And as for business-to-individual - add value to each interaction, give more than is expected, offer incentives to do more business. Do this every time you touch a prospect or a customer. Ask for referrals the right way. Show prospects and customers that you understand their value to your business. Create structured marketing programs to handle the above in an almost automatic manner.

And in all communications, both with the community as a whole and with each and every individual, keep in mind your UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION. This is the overriding value proposition you offer your customers that makes you different (and better) than your competition.

It will take some time and energy to a) understand this concept b) understand how to make it work for your business and c) integrate and implement the various methods and messages into your marketing. But when you do, you will be so far ahead of your competition that it will absolutely astonish you.

There is structure in the above. The ideas behind this marketing philosophy can and should be implemented via a structured, step-by-step systemized program. In that way, the unknown is taken out of the equation, each step is laid out on the journey to more sales and profits through your business correctly connecting with local customers.