The great irony of the moment is that we have never been so ‘connected’ but so alone.

We are both connected and isolated by the digital tools that have emerged. This contradiction is slowly leading to the emergence of hyper-local initiatives that have the objective of reversing this trend, at least in their communities, and recovering some of the human contact at the core of our humanity.

I have spent a bit of time recently thinking about this challenge, as it seems to me that  ‘going local’ rather than reflecting the ‘go Global’ mantra is a strategy with real opportunities as we enter a new decade. The idea just ‘feels right’, an antidote to the relentless focus on breadth of relationships typified by ‘digital friends,’ at the expense of the depth of the relationships with a small number (Dunbar’s number) we evolved with.

The foundation question is: can it be commercially sustainable?

Hopefully a number of modest efforts I see around me currently underway with a small scale finished product in a limited geography will give some answers. The broader question, of what it requires to be ‘locally’ successful in a globalising world has caught my attention.

Following are 6 factors that seem to be worth your consideration.

Purpose. It is just a necessary for a micro geographic effort to  have a clear and attractive purpose articulated,  as it is for a global aspirant. Just because you are focussing attention just down the street does not absolve you of the necessity of articulating why that person down the road should care.

Business model. As for purpose, a commercially viable business model is required that is sustainable from the locality. Scaling is always a question, and the business model should be fit for purpose which includes the possibility of scaling, but first, it must be locally sustainable. Build your business model with this notion of locality scaling in mind from the outset, so should it become a viable option, you are ready.

Have a compelling value proposition. Marketing is about stories articulating the value to be delivered to which the audience relates. Without one, local or global, you are just another urger flogging a product. However, at a local level, where word of mouth is ultimately the determinant of success, it is even more vital.

Community engagement. Targeting a specific community with a product requires that you engage on a very personal level. You simply do  not have the luxury of numbers to service the revenue needed to run the business, so engagement on all sorts of levels is necessary. Gaining acknowledgement, engagement and  credibility in the community you are seeking to serve is essential. I suspect there is a tipping point that may become evident only with the benefit of hindsight.

Sustainable competitive advantage. Success locally will breed copycats originating in kitchens and garages around the locality. Price will be their only competitive weapon, to  be successful, there must be something else, not easily copied, that adds value. Competitive advantage is essential in any business, but sometimes in a larger scale, the urgency will be covered by the available numbers of possible customers. On a local level, this camouflage is not available to you.

Access. Communities work on reciprocity, the mutual benefit that comes from collaborating, and  trusting other parties in the community. Facilitating this communication and accountability loop will be  a foundation of success over the long term.

Becoming a success in any context is never an overnight thing. How often have we seen someone called ‘overnight success’ come after a decade or more of toil?.