Marshall Hardware is a hometown hardware and rental store in Marshall, Michigan, and a Do It Best member. The store has been around since 1887, and the people who work there are a big reason customers keep coming back.

Bonnie Lampert handles the store’s marketing. When she first started posting on social media, she didn’t feel sure of herself. Mark, the owner, sent her to a local social media class. Everyone there talked about editing apps and tools she had never used.

“I had no idea what they were talking about,” Bonnie says. “All I do is take pictures and videos in the store.”

It turns out that’s exactly what a store needs to do.

The Problem

Most store owners and staff aren’t marketers. They know their products and their customers, but social media can feel like it has its own language. It’s easy to feel like you’re doing it wrong, or to stop posting because you aren’t sure what works.

How Marketing Pro Works for Marshall Hardware

Marshall Hardware joined Marketing Pro and launched a new rental website with New Media Retailer in July 2026. Here’s how each month works:

1. Bonnie takes photos and videos in the store and sends them over.
2. Bel, her Marketing Specialist, plans the month and gives feedback and ideas.
3. Our production team writes and schedules posts for Facebook, Instagram, and Google, and builds the monthly email newsletter.

For Bonnie, the biggest change isn’t the time she saves. It’s the confidence.

“From a personal stance, it’s just knowing I’m doing things properly,” she says.

One Photo, a Lot of Love

In August, Bonnie sent in a photo of the Marshall Hardware team standing together in the store. Our team turned it into a Facebook post about helpful people and hometown service.

The post got 223 reactions, 17 comments, and 11 shares.

The comments said a lot about the store. One customer called it one of the only real hardware stores in the whole region, “never ever a big box store.” Another said they order a plant for their mom every Mother’s Day, and the staff deliver it and even hang it up for her. A former employee said it’s still her go-to place for help. Others simply said the team is always friendly and helpful.

That post didn’t need fancy editing. It was a real photo of real people, and the community showed up for it. That’s the kind of content Bonnie was already capturing. Marketing Pro makes sure it gets seen.

The Results: September 2026

More people saw the store on Google. In September, Marshall Hardware’s Google Business Profile was viewed 6,178 times. Over 5,000 of those views came from Google Search, and almost 1,100 came from Google Maps. Those people saw 9 new Google posts and 22 new photos and videos, so they found current, useful information about the store instead of an old listing.

Posts kept reaching the community. Our team published 23 posts on Facebook and Instagram, reaching 1,127 people. Fall decor, gloves, and Halloween yard ideas led the way.

People are reading the emails. Almost half of the people on the email list opened the September newsletter.

What’s Next: Getting the Word Out About Rentals

Bonnie shared one goal she wants to work on. Marshall Hardware has offered equipment rentals for years, but customers still tell her, “Oh, you have rentals? I had no idea!”

So that’s the next focus. Bonnie is working with the store’s rental team to find out which equipment people will need this fall, and our team will build content around it. People are already finding the rental pages on the new website, with rental equipment as the most-viewed section in September.

Want This for Your Store?

You don’t need to be a social media expert. If you can take photos and videos in your store, Marketing Pro can do the rest: the posts, the scheduling, your Google profile, and your monthly email newsletter. Talk to our team to learn how it would work for your store.