From the towering Rocky Mountains of the west to the rolling plains in the east, Montana is a beautiful state home to wonderful people and thriving businesses. Montana residents take pride in their slower-than-the-coast way of life and love to support small businesses. When it comes to marketing to these 1 million residents, here are three things to keep in mind.

 

No. 1: Montanans Love Local Businesses

Montana is a state full of small, local businesses and supportive consumers who do their best to purchase from these local businesses. When marketing to these consumers, focus on how buying from your company will support other Montanans. Here are a few ways you can do this:

• Highlight local employees on social media to share how a purchase directly impacts a real Montanan.
• Use words like “Montana Made,” “Locally Sourced” and “proud Montanans” in your copy and advertisements to relate to your audience. 
• If you use local materials or ingredients to build a product, share where they are from and why you chose to support that brand.

Partner with other local businesses to host events or giveaways to show you are serious about supporting other Montanans yourself.

 

No. 2: Montanans are Diverse

Montana is home to city dwellers and rural ranchers alike. The state is also home to 7 Indian reservations and many unique cultural pockets, such as the Irish population in Butte. Because of this, marketing campaigns targeting Montanans can not be one-size-fits-all. Here are a few ways you can appeal to the diversity of Montana in your marketing:

• Know who your target customer is and where they are likely to live. If you are targeting college students, spend more of your time marketing in Missoula and Bozemen, while if you are targeting ranchers you might want to exclude the larger cities from your marketing.
• Take some time to learn about the cultures in Montana and represent them respectfully in your website copy, social media posts and advertisements. 
• Use a website geopersonalization software to show relevant information to relevant website visitors. 

 

No. 3: Montanans are Spread Out

With over 147,000 square miles and just over one million people, there are only seven people per square mile in Montana. Many Montanans have to travel an hour or more to get to their nearest shopping mall or big-box store. This means that when these people trek into town to shop they likely won’t be back for a while. It also means that online orders are growing in popularity as companies begin to deliver more frequently to rural areas. Here are a few ways you can address this unique situation in your marketing:

• Be straightforward about your locations and shipping abilities so Montanans know what to expect when buying your product. 
• If your target customers live in a rural area, put effort into marketing in their area so you are sure to be on their shopping list next time they go into town. 

Create partnerships with small grocery stores, gas stations and other rural businesses so your product is easier to purchase.

Marketing in Montana

From loving local businesses to embracing diversity and long drives to the grocery store, Montanans are quite a unique group to market to. Here at Pintler Group we love marketing in Montana and are proud to call ourselves residents of the state. With a small office in central Missoula and clients all over the Big Sky State, we are the team you want to work with when choosing a marketing firm who knows and understands the unique Montana market.