10 Ideas to Promote Your Small Business Locally

With the internet literally at our fingertips and offering so many free marketing resources, it’s easy to forget that there are plenty of other ways to promote your small business, too. We’ve put together ten easy ideas for promoting your small business right in your town. 

Sponsor a Good Cause

Buy jerseys for a local Little League team or sponsor the town’s annual art fair. Local good causes are always fundraising, and you’ll build goodwill with the community and get your name out in front of everyone in town. 

Rent a Booth at Local Events

Speaking of good causes, local events will often allow sponsors to rent a booth and give a demonstration of their product or simply talk to the public. Bring some swag and great marketing collateral about your business and prepare to meet the town face to face! 

Take Out an Ad in a Local Directory

Sure, many people turn to the Internet first when looking for a product or service, but not everyone is connected or digitally savvy. Take out an ad in the Yellow Pages or an even more local directory like the town’s free magazine, a newsletter for a large neighborhood, or a local website. 

Place an Article in a Local Magazine

Speaking of magazines, many towns have free magazines that make their money from advertising and distribution to all the mailboxes and PO Boxes in town. Though it will usually cost an advertising fee, you can write an article on your area of expertise and have it sent out to nearly everyone in town! 

Write a Press Release

Does your business have a big announcement? You signed a key international client or are bringing more jobs to the area? Send a press release to your local newspaper or local news website. Local papers, especially in small towns, love to cover their citizens’ good news. Just make sure that the story is news for everyone in the community, and not just for your business. 

Write a Letter to the Editor

Just as with a press release, this idea relies on timing. If a local issue that impacts your business has come up recently, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to have your voice heard on the issue. Again, as with a press release, this isn’t a way to overtly promote your business. Instead, it’s a way to make yourself known as a thoughtful leader in the local community. 

Attend a Networking Event

Most towns are rife with networking groups, professional associations and social clubs. Find the ones that are filled with your customers and get involved. Once you’ve found some likely targets… 

Offer to be a Speaker

Local groups are always looking for speakers to entertain, educate and inform. Once you’ve become involved with a local group that you feel will benefit your business, offer to speak or do a presentation there. Be sure to keep it informative and not overly sales-y. 

Participate in Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday takes place every year on the Saturday after Black Friday. An enormous marketing campaign encourages consumers everywhere to shop small and local rather than spending all their money at big box stores and huge chains. Does your town celebrate Small Business Saturday? Get in on the action by offering a discount or freebie to potential customers on this special day. 

Form a Cash Mob

The idea behind a Cash Mob is for a group of people to get together and patronize one small, local or struggling business in a single day. In their own words: “We target the small, local businesses that make each community special in order to give the business owners an economic stimulus. We help businesses grow, we make people happy, we get stuff for ourselves, we have a great time, and we get a drink to celebrate afterward!” Form a Cash Mob in your town or find one to participate in! These are just a few ideas for promoting your business in your town.