Seven Essential Tools for Local Marketing

Winning locally is where channel marketing delivers its highest return. When manufacturers, distributors, and retailers align around shared tools, partners can launch compliant, co-branded campaigns faster—and convert more shoppers. At SHIFT, we’ve spent decades helping brands optimize communication, align incentives, and drive sales at the local level. Here are the seven essential tools for local marketing and how they work together to accelerate dealer growth.

Channel Marketing Automation Platform

A purpose-built marketing automation platform centralizes brand-approved assets, promotions, and product collateral so partners can find, customize, and launch campaigns with confidence. SHIFT’s platform streamlines access to compliant materials, co-branded templates, and promo products—reducing friction and bringing local campaigns to market faster.

Co-Op and Funds Management

Co-op and MDF programs fuel local activation, but manual claims and compliance slow everything down. An integrated funds management solution automates approvals, tracks balances, and ties spend directly to outcomes. With SHIFT’s funds management, partners know what’s eligible, submit claims easily, and reinvest faster—so brand dollars translate to local demand.

Sales Incentive Enablement

SPIFFs, rebates, and dealer incentives motivate frontline behavior, but only if the data flows. SHIFT’s sales incentive enablement solutions simplify data collection, connect downstream processes, and integrate with marketing and funds platforms. The result: real-time visibility into performance, faster payouts, and programs that truly move inventory.

Ad Builder

Local marketing wins when creative is on-brand and relevant. SHIFT’s Ad Builder tool allows dealers to customize portions of advertising templates that are pre-populated compliant copy, imagery, offers, and disclaimers—across print and digital—without breaking brand standards. The Ad Builder’s capabilities scale personalization, ensuring every dealer can launch polished, localized marketing materials in minutes.

Listings and Reputation Management

Accuracy and trust drive local traffic. Maintain consistent business listings, optimize Google Business Profiles, and manage reviews to improve visibility/conversion. Centralized tools help partners respond to feedback, showcase promotions, and keep name/address/phone data current—foundations of local SEO success.

Local Search and Paid Media

Combine organic local SEO with targeted paid media—search, social, display, and CTV—to reach high-intent buyers. SHIFT’s channel partner services support co-op-eligible campaigns, from geo-targeted search to retailer-specific offers, ensuring media aligns with brand priorities while meeting dealer sales goals.

Analytics and Attribution

You can’t optimize what you can’t measure. Unified dashboards connect marketing activity, incentive participation, and sales data. SHIFT’s people, processes, and platforms collect and analyze critical metrics so brands and partners can double down on what works and continually improve.

The Bottom Line

The right local marketing tools remove friction across your channel—making it easier for partners to promote, sell, and win. SHIFT’s integrated approach brings marketing automation, funds and incentive management, ad builder, and channel partner agency services together to drive measurable sales at the local level.

Ready to propel your channel marketing ecosystem forward? Contact us to get started!