Probably that they don’t know how, don’t have time, or simply don’t want to. I used to cater my SMMA to local gyms, and you wouldn’t believe just how bad most of their social media presences are, and not out a lack for trying.

Other objections are that they don’t really need marketing, and they aren’t completely wrong. While every business needs to get its name out to grow, many local businesses simply have a set amount of people they can potentially turn into paying clients or customers- i wouldn’t travel 2 hours to go to a dentist, i would go to the nearest one with the best reviews. They may also be doing just fine without the need to market themselves, or that they simply just don’t care about expansion.

Local businesses are pretty hard to work with in my experience, as there are many objections to face unique to that sector with very little to no upsides. They are typically ran by people that dont care much for making a great life for themselves, but instead are ran by people looking to either make their own job or to be their own boss.

I have never catered to startups, but one of my past clients is in capital venture, and in his words, they come with a slew of unique issues but can be VERY profitable very quickly if you are good at your job. They usually have a large amount disposable via a grant or loan, so you can charge what you are worth, but you have to be up to caliber to actually make it worth their while as the risk is much higher- theres the chance you can kill it before it even starts. A plan going in is always needed, but for a startup, it is more than imperative. They will be immediately losing money on you unless your offer meets their needs, like not having to pay a single retainer until their doors open- you need those wins and that support, and you need it now, as they aren’t even making money yet.

Overall, im very hesitant with local businesses as their objections aren’t exactly wrong, but when it comes to startups, than can be very lucrative if you got your gears behind you.