How to Market Your Web Business Locally

By Herman Drost

Since you may spend most of your time on the Net with your business, you may overlook the significance of finding highly targeted customers in your local area. Why should you bother? Isn't it easier to just do all the marketing from your computer without getting your hands dirty?

Well, let me share with you some of the reasons why you should try this method:

1. Highly Qualified Chances are, that you live in a small town in a big city, where you may run into the same people throughout the year. It may be at the local bookstore, church, coffee shop or supermarket. Many folks are always starting up new businesses, looking for a new one or searching for some residual income.

2. Easily Accessible They live in the same neighborhood, so you can easily meet them, build great friendships and share your ideas about your business. Networking with others is one of the key factors to a successful business. I find this especially true, when I need help in an area of business I have limited knowledge in. If you are the sole proprietor of your business, networking is a must in order to survive and prosper.

3. Builds Your Reputation Fast If you provide a good product or service, are a person who can be trusted and get recommendations from satisfied customers, you can begin to build a strong reputation in your local area as THE person to do business with. After being on the Net for several years, I find word of mouth still gets me the most customers. This saves a lot on advertising costs.

How to Find Your Local Customers 1. Get a list of new businesses – these are people who are generally more open to new ideas and services than established businesses. You can get lists of new businesses from infoUSA.com. Subscribe FREE to Marketing Tips Newsletter

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2. Join local organizations - one of the most active business organizations is the Chamber of Commerce. Joining them (for a small yearly fee) helps you to network with others in your town those also own businesses. Often they refer work to each other. They also hold meetings, do fundraisers and hold fairs, where you can introduce your business to the public.

I often get business from my local church – a great place to make strong eternal friendships. There may also be interest clubs in your area of expertise. You can also start up your own interest club on Internet Marketing, Nettrepreneuers etc. Holding small meetings, giving presentations, inviting guest speakers, will all contribute to the building of your club or organization.

3. Local bookstores - go to your large bookstore in town and search for publications related to your field of interest. While there, you may run into others that are reading the same magazines or books. Strike up a conversation with them. These are definitely highly qualified customers. While there you can also research your targeted publications.

4. Ads in local publications - your local newspapers and magazines provide readership to possibly millions in your area. By placing a small inexpensive ad in a highly targeted area of the paper, you will get many leads.

The yellow pages are a more expensive way to go. I still go there immediately when I need something quickly, like a plumber or electrician. I find it still faster than researching the Web. A well-placed ad can produce many local clients for your business, throughout the year.

5. Press Releases - sending a Press Release to your local newspapers may have more of a chance in getting published, than one which is sent around the Web. This is because local papers are always looking for human interest stories and events. Therefore, focus your release on how your business will benefit the community, to make it stand out from the others.

Get a free interactive press release builder at CanadaOne

6. Postcards - send out 10 postcards each week to a highly targeted list in your area. You can get a list of businesses from the yellow pages or Chamber of Commerce. Postcards only cost 23c in the USA to mail. Write a few strong benefits on the card and a contact number and return address. The beauty of this method is that it is low cost and people can see your offer immediately without having to open an envelope.

7. Web Decals - get your web site address in front of everyone by placing a web decal on your car. I always read bumper stickers, especially when stuck in traffic behind someone. Park in the most visible location when shopping. Try to make your message very attractive or humorous – it's great free advertising.

8. Business Cards - always carry around your business cards. Introduce yourself at parties, meetings, and organizations or while standing in line at the store (if you aren't shy). You are always running into people everywhere, so keep those cards handy. You can get 250 FREE full color business cards from Vistaprint.com (a good place for post cards also).

Tip – use your ad as the first step in contacting your customers. It often takes several steps to win their trust and make the sale. Place the most prominent benefit(s) of your business in the ad with a web site address and telephone number. Following up on these leads is better than trying to make the sale with one a one shot ad, where you try to make the sale immediately (thereby losing your customer forever).

Incorporate local marketing for your business in the next few months of this year. Add it to your marketing arsenal, together with Internet Marketing. You may be pleasantly surprised if you do better. If not, you still benefit by building new friendships.

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Herman Drost is the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW)
owner and author of http://www.iSiteBuild.com
Affordable Web Site Design and Low Cost Web Hosting

Subscribe to his “Marketing Tips” newsletter for more original
articles. subscribe@isitebuild.com . You can read more
of his in-depth articles at: http://www.isitebuild.com/articles
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Article reproduced with kind permission from Herman Drost

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