1. Go local, not loco! The people who know your demographic best are the ones who live, work and play right in your back yard. Local marketing companies are more in touch with like minded businesses and events in your neighborhood and can better recommend business to business partnerships that will benefit your business. Additionally less time will be spent on research because a local company will have the information you need on your target market readily at hand, chances are they've studied the same information for other clients so they are well versed on what it takes to succeed in your area first and foremost. Everything from business meetings to executing your marketing initiatives will go smoother when your marketer is within arms reach helping you to be effective and efficient and most of all keep your sanity intact!
2. If you're a start up business or a small business with modest funds local marketing is key. Sure it can be fun to envision your brand on big billboards or channeling it's way through some other glamorous medium but that doesn't mean you'll be successful! You should first win the hearts of your fans at home with individualized, special messages. By building your brand close to home you'll be less likely to fail when you start casting a wider net. The best way to do this is to hire a marketing company who experiences your brand and your competition on a daily basis.
3. Small is the new big. You're small and humble and you want those same qualities in your marketing company. Hire a company who understands both the advantages and pitfalls of being small especially when it comes to budget. It's easy to spend a lot of money but harder to get results on smaller budgets, small marketing companies for this reason usually implore a higher level of creative thinking and can present you with out of the box ideas on how to increase brand recognition and sales. The more values you have in common with your marketing company, the longer lasting the relationship will be.