7 Ways To Build Brand Awareness in a New City From Our Experts
If you’re opening a store or launching an awareness campaign in a new city, you start with no recognition. Your reputation from elsewhere doesn’t follow you, and local customers don’t yet have a reason to choose you over businesses they already trust. In this blog, we’ll share with you seven strategies that our clients who open new offices and franchise locations have used to boost recognition.
Your First 90 Days at a Glance
This table shows what most of our clients order and start to boost awareness.
Sponsor Local Clubs and Community Groups
Getting involved with local sports clubs, school fundraisers, and charities is one of the fastest ways to connect with a community. When your logo appears on a junior netball team’s shirts, local parents see it every weekend.
- Best merch: team shirts, drink bottles, club umbrellas, canteen aprons
- Tip: ask the club what it needs rather than choosing for it
Show Up at Outdoor Markets and Festivals
Locals often spend their weekends at farmers markets, food festivals, and fun runs. Setting up a stall with samples and giveaways lets you meet hundreds of people in one event.
- Best merch: sunscreen, frisbees, fans, cooler bags
- Tip: match products to the season and crowd, like sunscreen in summer and beanies in winter
Put Your Team in Uniforms From Day One
Every staff member in branded apparel is a walking introduction. In a new city, a consistent uniform also helps locals recognise your team at the café, on site and at networking events.
- Best merch: polos, embroidered shirts, jackets, caps
- Tip: hold a small buffer of extra sizes for new hires in the first few months
Partner With Established Local Businesses
Working with a local café, gym, or another business for co-branded promotions helps you gain credibility quickly. Mary Aguirre-Cruz, one of our account managers, recommends choosing items that align with what both companies are offering.
- Best merch: keep cups, totes, event lanyards, unique stress balls
- Tip: agree on logo placement and approvals early to avoid delays
Take Part in Cultural and Community Events
Each city has its own cultural festivals, NAIDOC events, Harmony Week celebrations, and local traditions. Joining in respectfully shows you want to contribute, not just make sales.
- Best merch: items featuring locally relevant or commissioned artwork
- Tip: involve local artists and community organisations early
Make Sure Stock Arrives Before You Do
Missing uniforms or an empty giveaway table can hurt your launch. Sending stock to a new address, especially in a regional area, takes more planning than restocking an existing location. Wendy Li, General Manager at Cubic Promote, oversees exactly this kind of coordination. “For a new location, we plan deliveries around the opening date and confirm the address, access, and receiving contact well ahead,” she says. “It sounds basic, but it’s what keeps a launch running without hiccups.”
Before launch, confirm:
- The delivery address, loading access and on-site receiving contact
- Transit times to the new city, especially for regional locations
A delivery date with a comfortable buffer before opening day
Reward Your First Local Customers
Your first customers in a new city become your earliest advocates. A small welcome pack or thank-you gift gives them a reason to return and mention you to friends.
- Best merch: welcome packs with a mug or notebook, referral gifts
- Tip: add a local touch, such as a voucher from a partner café
Matching Tactics to Budget
Most businesses cannot do all seven strategies at once. The table below can help you decide which ones to focus on based on your budget.
Getting Known Takes Consistency
To build brand awareness in a new city, you need to be seen often in the right places. Pick a few of these strategies, stick with them for your first few months, and let your merchandise help spread your name to the people you want to reach.
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