Throughout the greater Richmond area, local businesses are adopting innovative, strategic and unique marketing tactics that are producing successful outcomes. Business owners are facing challenges head-on by adjusting their marketing strategies, campaigns and tactics. Instead of telling you the benefits of adjusting your marketing approach, we are showing you the success stories of businesses that gained measurable results from implementing a new marketing idea.

Chris Houlihan
Vice President of Haunts of Richmond

Haunts of Richmond

There are a few things scarier than an outdated website, and Haunts of Richmond learned that firsthand. When Chris Houlihan, vice president of Haunts of Richmond, realized that the famed ghost tour company’s website was outdated, he knew it was time to ignore the ghosts of website past and summon the spirit of a future website. While Haunts of Richmond specializes in sharing the old and spooky, Houlihan recognized that modernizing the website would attract new customers and better highlight the spirit of the business. He knew the project would be a challenge that would require extensive time, skills and knowledge.  

“The time and skill set required led us to contract the work to a website development firm that took the time to understand our needs, including our service offerings, company culture and website plug-ins that we wished to carry over from the old website,” said Houlihan.

The result was a faster, more engaging experience for guests and an easier platform for the team to manage, ensuring that Haunts of Richmond’s online experience is just as memorable as the ghost stories they tell.

“The improved SEO aspects of the site have kept us as a recognized leader in the ghost tour industry and made the site easier for guests to navigate and for us to manage,” explained Houlihan.

The revamped website and ongoing digital efforts will draw in a new generation of haunt-seeking visitors, ensuring fresh audiences will hear Richmond’s ghostly tales for years to come.

Helen Montgomery
Owner of Bugle Call Coffee

Bugle Call Coffee

Creativity and collaboration led to a special brew for Bugle Call Coffee’s newest release: whiskey barrel–aged coffee. While barrel-aged coffee was not a new concept to Bugle Call, they faced the challenge of elevating the release to attract more consumers.

“Over the years, we’ve learned that great coffee alone isn’t enough,” said Helen Montgomery, owner of Bugle Call Coffee. “Packaging and presentation play an equally powerful role in capturing attention, whether that’s on a retail shelf or in an online store.”

To carry out this caffeine collaboration, they partnered with Three Crosses Distilling, which supplied the barrels, and local creative agency THINK, which led the creative process. When designing the product, the team recognized the importance of connecting with consumers through presentation. The collaboration, Buckshot Blend, resulted in two unique package designs, tailored to different demographics and sales channels. Along with artfully highlighting the partnerships, these two packages demonstrate Bugle Call Coffee’s understanding of its audience and its ability to market the product directly to them. The spirit of partnership didn’t end with the coffee production: the product was launched at Green Top’s annual Hunting & Fishing Expo.

Buckshot Blend received an overwhelming response of excitement and buzz. However, the biggest win Bugle Calls achieved with this new product launch goes beyond sales. The partnerships formed during the development and release boosted product visibility and created opportunities for future successful collaborations.

“This project completely changed how I think about creativity and collaboration in marketing,” said Montgomery. “What I’ve learned is that partnering with specialists, whether designers, printers or other local businesses, results in more thoughtful, inspired and effective outcomes.” 

Allison Smith-Mackey
Owner of Pop of Confetti boutique

Pop of Confetti

When “confetti” is in a boutique’s name, you know they know how to celebrate! Allison Smith-Mackey, owner of Pop of Confetti boutique, was faced with the challenge many small businesses face: competing with big-box stores and online giants. Although she could not outspend these colossal corporations, she could out-connect them. Instead of just showcasing the products in her store, she began highlighting the stories, makers and meanings behind them. To tell these stories, Smith-Mackey relied on digital marketing and social media.

“I leaned into storytelling platforms I already had Instagram, Shopify blogs, and Flodesk for email flows,” she said. “I invested more time than money, focusing on consistent visuals, SEO-driven captions and community features that spotlighted artisans.”

She quickly found that her efforts were well received. Consumers were drawn to the stories she was telling, and traffic increased not just across social channels but in-store too. Most notably, customers began using Smith-Mackey’s new brand language, becoming a proof point that the message was sticky—and working. By using stories and identity to connect with customers, Smith-Mackey successfully increased engagement, interest, and visibility for her boutique, which led to media attention and collaboration requests. 

“Marketing isn’t about chasing trends, it’s about building emotional equity,” she said. “When your audience feels seen, they don’t just buy, they belong. Now every campaign starts with the question: What does this make people feel about themselves?”

Through this emotional equity and audience connection, Pop of Confetti turned its marketing into a celebration of connection and community.

Advice For Making Your Own Marketing Moves

Our three featured businesses achieved success through a variety of marketing moves. From launching a new website to collaborating and storytelling, these approaches and small adjustments produced significant results.

When advising local business owners about their marketing efforts, they share some of their best advice, based on lessons they’ve learned from marketing their business:

• “Don’t underestimate the importance of keeping up with your website and digital presence,” said Houlihan. “While some businesses can get by or even thrive via word-of-mouth, they tend to be the exception to the rule. If a new expertly curated website is not in the budget, start with free online features like social media and Google tools that will help you analyze your website for errors and issues that can impact its ability to show up in search results.”
• “My biggest piece of advice is simple: collaborate,” added Montgomery. “The best ideas almost always get better when other people are involved. Bring in your partners, your staff, even your customers. The people who experience your brand every day often have the most insightful ideas.”
• “Start small but start intentionally,” concluded Smith-Mackey. “You don’t need a big budget to tell a powerful story; you need clarity and consistency.” “Highlight the human element behind your work. People crave authenticity and connection more than perfection. When you market your why, your customers become your best marketers.”

Ready to make a marketing move that increases your company’s visibility? Update your Find Local listing today to improve your SEO, gain backlinks, and make your business easier to find online. Find Local is a collaborative effort powered by InUnison that helps Richmonders discover and support local, independent small businesses. Every business listed is certified as locally owned by InUnison.