Member Article

The national appeal of being regional

The age-old comparisons made between national corporations and SMEs often lead to conclusions of large businesses being business savvy, as opposed to ‘naïve’ small businesses. Not only is this not true, but it belays the importance of SMEs nationally and their contribution to the economy – around £1.8 trillion in annual turnover according to the Federation of Small Businesses.

This sort of thinking also distracts from one of the key assets that being a small regional business brings to the table; an approachable, communicative identity. A clear identity – one that resonates with consumers and becomes synonymous with a product or service – is something that big brands desperately search for, spending enormous amounts of money and constantly shifting their position to get it ‘just right’. There’s no getting away from the fact that developing this identity comes much more easily and naturally to SMEs. Often operating in niche markets with a more local target audience, they can play on either their specialist services or products, together with their regional source to create an appealing brand identity. In this way, being regional is an enormous advantage and is a key reason as to why more and more small brands are popping up across the UK.

There’s also an increasing trend of consumers that are concerned about the provenance of products, favouring local goods and seeing them as more authentic. This is a characteristic that is even prevalent in big brands, with a number leaning on their roots to increase their appeal. The authenticity of a product naturally increases brand equity, and should come easily to SMEs that are entrenched in their local surroundings.

That being said, there is a danger that SMEs can become too regionally focused and shut themselves off to national influences. The most successful and sustainable small businesses that we work with have a unique identity, but one that translates to a national (and even international) audience. This is how they can scale and grow; widening their customer base so that everyone buys into their unique brand identity.

But it is more than just identity that translates into success. We work with SMEs across the UK to develop tailored delivery options that are as individual as their customers, enabling them to reach their target consumers in the easiest way possible. Successful firms use our national delivery network coupled with our locally-focused depots for quality on-the-ground service, but might also embrace our click-and-collect inPost lockers or AMI export options for customers further afield. This balance between a regional, national and even international outlook allows the very best small businesses to grow and succeed.

Business owners should never forget their regional routes and avoid falling into a ‘me too’ approach. As regional centres grow in power and influence in line with devolution plans – already seen in Manchester’s Northern Powerhouse – those with an in-depth understanding of local markets will flourish. Over 70% of our depot owners across the APC Overnight network founded their depots in the same area in which they were born and bred; this local grounding, mixed with an understanding of trends and opportunities further afield, is a recipe for success.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jonathan Smith .