Put a Pin in It: The Definition of a Place is Transforming

Domino’s just launched a new product (and is running campaign ads), enabling consumers to have pizza and other treats delivered wherever they “drop a pin.” It’s aptly called Pinpoint Delivery^™.  The definition of a “place” is transforming.

Pre-Internet, it was simply a physical brick-and-mortar location. You went to those places to shop, dine, stay, meet, and get services.

Then, a place became a website and a geographic space.

Now, places are everywhere — social media, Google My Business listings, multiple tabs, and bookmarks on your desktop, laptop, and phone. And, according to Domino’s, at a stadium, in the woods, or in your backyard.

Their place is delivering to your place.

Mom-and-pop businesses usually have a small handful of places — a storefront, a website, and perhaps a social media presence.

But MULO (multi-location) brands have many many many places.

And the “Street Fight” is no longer just SMBs competing with big brands. It is all about finding the demographic and psychographic place in a consumer’s or business’ mind, heart, and life stage and reaching them with specific listings and messages so you can meet their needs at exactly the right time.

We are fighting for a share of attention and using our marketing superpowers to deliver the proverbial pizza to the proverbial pin.

What does that mean for marketers and agencies?

1. We need to use all the data at our disposal (assisted by AI) to find the right place in prospects’ consciousness.
2. Location optimization and accuracy are no longer just the role of an IT department. If local listings are outdated, inaccurate, or unappealing, we lose buyer trust, and an entire brand reputation may suffer. Plus, viewers are much smarter and more thorough these days when making buying choices. That small section of online real estate can define your entire business.
3. When launching or expanding a MULO business — privately held, franchise, or other — choosing the right places (in the physical and digital worlds) is critical to success.

So, where is the Place you can learn about all these places and how to leverage them?

Duh — it’s Place 2023.

Run by a local presense thought leadership group called Localogy, it’s a conference (another kind of place) where leaders in both the physical and digital worlds gather to talk about how to ensure your business is found (and visited) for the right reasons.

We at Street Fight (presenting two sessions at the conference) are creating a whole new category known as MULO. Multi-location businesses must:

• Compete with local brands.
• Keep their brands relevant and appealing at both a local and national (or global) level.
• Treat the “places within the place” as important customer touchpoints. That includes drive-thrus, curbside pickup areas, and customer service locations (both physical and digital).
• Scale smartly so they don’t wind up on the list of MULO brands that are going BUST this year.
• Balance their marketing and sales between physical and digital locations.

Although companies often define themselves just by the industry they’re in, MULO brands have common issues and challenges.

So, think about the many places your own business or agency is currently found, how both digital and physical media impact your traffic, awareness, loyalty, and shopping/buying/dining behavior.

And then register (using code FON for a $300 discount) and put a pin in it on your calendar!