The Local Shop Bay Area

Keep a CRM (customer relationship management) database of your customers. (You can do this with CRM programs you purchase or a simple Google sheet for free.) Make notes of likes and dislikles so you can personalize your customer's experience each visit.

Photos on your website should be professional; photos on your business social media should be taken with a phone. The idea is to keep your social media less "produced", more authentic and more relatable.

The beauty of being a #localbusiness is that you can be a holiday hero and offer last minute gifts to customers . Make sure you promote this along with details on your website and in your social media!

Think outside the traditional gift box. Offer gift certificates redeemable for your product. Purchase decorative boxes to make those certificates that much more attractive to your customer and easy to wrap and give!

Offer a Q&A or chat option on your website or social media. Answer every question. Not only will the customer who asked the question appreciate your quick response - other customers seeing your response will appreciate your care for customers.

Holiday shoppers are already "window" shopping this year's gift ideas to check your stock and delivery options before they shop. Make sure you're ready with everything clearly presented on your website!

This week, create a goal for your holiday sales. Make it measurable, something you can easily execute and a campaign that will truly engage your customers!

Use a similar picture or logo on each of your business social media profiles for brand awareness and easy recognition!

Collect photos of your product or service whenever possible and save them for future posts. Ideas can include before and after pictures, new product arrivals, new staff, historical photos of your business, your location, etc.

Yes, you should have a Facebook Business page that's separate from your personal page to promote your business. A Facebook Businesss page allows you to direct posts to your target customer's age, geography and interests.

Don't focus on the number of followers you have but rather on what you're doing for those customers. Take great care of the the customers you have and they will spread the word about that experience with potential new customers.

Customers become more engaged with your business when you share moments behind the scenes. This could be your morning ritual before opening, showing newly implemented safety precautions, a new product arrival, a staff celebration or visits with your favorite vendors or customers.

Go through your business website to make sure it's giving your customers a great experience. It's better to have a smaller site that offers relevant content than a robust site that has error messages and dated content.

Take a good look at your website. Go through everything from the perspective of your customer. Is it eye catching and easy to navigate? Does it catch your attention right away? Does it get you to your business goals?

Local Businesses: Don't forget to include the local surroundings in your posts whenever possible. When you include local scenery in your photo your business becomes that much more relevant to your customers as they recognize where to find you!

Running a Facebook ad allows for better targeting than boosting a post BUT if you're in a hurry go ahead and boost posts ONLY when they're getting greater engagement (likes, comments, views).

If you haven't done so already, make sure you have a way to receive online payments. Zelle, PayPal and Venmo are easy to set up, offer your customers a contactless way to pay and keep your business relevant.

If you still haven't begun a content strategy for your business social media, take time this weekend and get started. Think about your business goals, your ideal customer and start creating posts that help your business connect with both!