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Before I joined Square, I used to be a small business owner in St. Louis. I remember the frustration of waiting for walk-by traffic to come in and shop, but also the satisfied exhaustion of a non-stop day of sales. I know firsthand that the most popular neighborhood businesses stay busy because of smart local marketing that speaks to the customers they serve.
At the Mastering Local Marketing event at the Square Corner Store, I had the opportunity to interview two standout San Francisco entrepreneurs — Yana Zorina of ZORINA Nail Studio and Christopher Renfro of wine shop and bar Friend of a Friend. We got real about what’s working when it comes to driving foot traffic through creative local marketing tactics that you can put into practice even before opening up shop. Here are the five marketing strategies I know to be true, that also helped both owners build loyal San Francisco customer bases.
1. Study your target customers’ buying patterns
If you’re marketing to everyone, you’re marketing to no one. That insight rings especially true for Zorina, who opened her nail studio during the pandemic, which specializes in Russian manicures. She intentionally chose to open her two locations in different San Francisco neighborhoods with unique audiences. Her Union Street location attracts a younger crowd, while her Jackson Square spot caters to professionals. ZORINA Nail Studio’s marketing stays consistent across locations with its visual branding, and she keeps her services standardized so customers know what to expect no matter where they go.
Meanwhile, Renfro’s wine shop in North Beach curates inventory based on who lives in the neighborhood. “The neighborhood is pretty young, pretty diverse, but a lot of people don’t just like to party. They also like to go to nice dinners, take wine to friends’ houses, things like that,” he explained. Renfro knows his younger customers are buying wine from $32 to $60, while older customers stick with wine that’s under the $25 price point, according to his sales data. Knowing those demographic nuances lets him stock and sell strategically to each customer base.
2. Create Instagrammable moments
ZORINA Nail Studio’s marketing got a jumpstart with a viral post from local influencer @theapartmentplug, and Zorina built on that early win. Now she invests in influencer marketing as a key part of her marketing strategy by working with influencers who have engaged local audiences. Her team tracks performance monthly and focuses on making the partnerships feel authentic and relevant to the customers who frequent each of her locations.
Yana Zorina on Creating an Instagrammable Space
Zorina also optimizes her physical space for organic content by encouraging clients to take photos of their experience organically. When renovating one location she told her interior designer, “The main thing I need to do that the client really likes is the mirror.” Clients always take selfies after their appointments, so that mirror now serves as a crucial marketing tool.
Both Renfro and Zorina emphasized the importance of good storytelling when it comes to local marketing success. That brand story can be told by the business itself, but it should also come from customers who are sharing their honest experiences with their own local networks on social media or through review sites. And creating shareable moments fuels that type of authentic marketing.
3. Offer your space to the community
Renfro turned Friend of a Friend into a venue for community events, from art shows to music sets. His retail space is open for his San Francisco community to use, and every event brings in new people who also turn into customers. “I already pay rent, so I always think it’s ridiculous to have a space that’s closed and not doing anything,” Renfro said. “So I let people just use the space for free.”
Christopher Renfro on Building a Community Space
Some business owners forget about using the physical space outside their storefronts to reach local customers walking by. Renfro also capitalizes on that extra real estate by grabbing people’s attention through sidewalk chalk art, which has become legendary in the North Beach neighborhood where his wine bar is located. “Do you want to talk about life? Stop by 705 Columbus” is one popular sidewalk message Renfro uses that brings constant attention. “And people do. It’s just literally talking to the neighborhood.” It’s fun, hyper-local, and it works.
4. Curate an experience that builds trust
“We’re not just a space to get your nails done,” explained Zorina. “It’s an experience.” At ZORINA Nail Studio, her team depends on Square Appointments for online booking and Square Messages for messaging, which helps set the stage for a memorable experience. Her staff greets clients with tea, water, or champagne and includes special touches like device chargers and QR-code drink menus. Clients can even choose whether they want a chatty or quiet nail technician, making them feel in control. “The main idea is to make sure that the client feels special and comfortable and beautiful,” she explained.
At Friend of a Friend, that same hyper-focus on the customer experience applies. Renfro tastes every wine before adding it to his shop so he can ensure he’s offering the highest quality products. “It’s my shop, so I’m honest with everyone… you’re getting a glimpse into everything that I like,” Renfro shared. And that attention to the products he stocks builds trust and leads to return visits. “People keep coming back and they’re like, ‘you’ve never failed me,'” Renfro said. “I think if you just do your job well then people don’t have to second guess.”
5. Use loyalty and subscriptions to get people to return
Zorina’s team relies on Square Loyalty to incentivize regulars without depending on constant discounting. They also send email and SMS updates with time-sensitive salon promotions like happy hour services. “It’s like seven times you come to our salon and then you get a discount,” she explained.
Renfro’s wine club gives customers a curated experience every month through Square Subscriptions, which has turned into a valuable revenue stream for Friend of a Friend. Members receive curated bottles, tasting notes, and a 10% discount on any items they pick up in person. “Every month they’re coming back, and they’re always buying wine while they’re picking up wine they already paid for,” shared Renfro. “It’s amazing.”
Want more real-world marketing tips? Watch the full discussion to hear how these successful business owners are reaching new customers in their neighborhoods.
Booked and Busy: How to Master Local Marketing
