From Regional to National

Here's a tweet showing the pre-season crowd at a 49ers / Raiders game in Las Vegas. Do you see black, or do you see 49ers fans?

One of the comments suggested that the 49ers can't get that many fans to attend their own regular season games.

When the Raiders moved to Las Vegas, they traded a somewhat regional environment (Oakland, part of the Bay Area) to a national presence. This comes with benefits and risks. You get the new stadium you couldn't get in Oakland, you lose the loyal fans who watched you in a run-down stadium.

I have clients from all over the world. I have two regions that deliver a disproportionate number of projects.

1. Vermont / New Hampshire.
2. California.

The VT/NH group is the epitome of a regional environment. This segment of e-commerce views their customer as their neighbor. Their style of marketing is regional and specific. Their products are often regional and are the reason customers from outside the region purchase. Attend a conference in their region and you'll learn all about best practices that don't have relevance in other regions of the country.

California brands (generalizing here, obviously) have gone national. Their e-commerce tactics are somewhat sterile. Their products "can" be sterile as well. They shave off personality to appeal to a larger audience. Not all of 'em, obviously, but there is a difference.

It's difficult to make the leap from regional to national (and much harder to go from national to international). You can sell in all fifty states, but "who" you are and "how" you do it is fully regional. You can be bland (Home Depot) and appeal somewhat to many people.

Choices.

P.S.:  Speaking of "regional" (click here) ...