Local marketing - do you have any ideas on the best ways to market a business locally?

Those are all great options to get things started! Some other things, which I have had personal success with, would be: ~ Depending on the startup capital buying ad space on buses or bus stops is a great way to get the company name out there so long as the ad is something that is quick and easy to understand. ~ Check to see if there are any free music/event publications in the area and place ads in them (often these are extremely cheap and have a large reader base that is loyal to the publication)... here is an example of the local Cleveland publication in this space freetimes.com/ ~ Stop into local coffee shops and see if they have bulletin boards where ads can be put up, while there see how many carry coffee related magazines (some of these are free like the idea above) and once you have an idea of what is out there start advertising in the ones that are found the most.

~ Check out local events/festivals and see if you can become a sponser... these can be as small as a local Roller Derby to something as big as a Fair. ~ Find businesses that might go hand in hand with the product/service offered and hit them up... talk about how their customers might benefit from hearing about the business and see what can be worked out with referal payments perhaps. I will keep thinking about things I have done and post more as they come to me!

Your friend can start a Facebook page Google his company name and edit the company listings Google Adwords for local businesses Submit his domain name to various search directories. Some are free but the major ones are Google, MSN/BING and Yahoo Good Luck!

Get a local vanity number for your business. This number is easy to remember and partner it with click to call system, Click to call system is a text code embedded into you web site so that when your readers click the icon, they are directed to your business phone number. This will then lessen the occurrence of web site abandonment.

My answer won't be as long as some of the others above, but one form of promotion I've had good success with is charity golf tournaments. They're always looking for players, sponsors, and donated products to give away as door prizes. While some tournaments require you to sign up in teams of four, it's a good idea to go by yourself (if allowed) and be teamed up with three other people as you'll get to spend the afternoon with them and possibly talk about your business.

Everyone does the standard stuff like Yellow Pages, newspaper advertising, etc., but this is unique and something people are quite passionate about - especially if it's a charity that's touched them close to home.

Oh, so many ways... what I like to do though is get the advertising paid for so you are advertising free... a couple of ideas for that are approaching a local printer and asking for rates for some type of giveaway item... like telephone book covers and also for flyers and postcards (4"x6") three different possibilities there with the same general principle...get others to pay for your advertising and even advertise for you. Figure out how many ads you can fit on the item... for the post cards the number of ads is determined by how many cards you will mail in one envelope at one time, say 15-20. Determine the cost per ad x the number of total items you will purchase.

For post cards it is just the cost of the card with however many colors you are going to offer x the number of cards + the cost of a local mailing list and envelopes and postage. Add enough to the cost per ad to give you a bit of a profit margin, say 10-15% for example... just make sure it is at least enough so that the cost of your ad is covered if it is just one of the ads. Anything over that is pure profit.

Then you approach other local businesses that compliment but do not compete with your business and ask if they would be interested in an advertising co-op since your businesses compliment but do not compete. Tell them the cost of the ad and all the details, the item, how big the ads are, whether they are b/w, 2 color, 4 color, etc. and how they will be distributed. For distribution: if it is an item, like a telephone book cover, or a flyer, then each advertiser will receive x number of items or fliers to distribute to their customers or clients.

For the postcards, you will assemble them into mailing envelopes and mail them to local households. (you can get a list by demographic and zip code from a list broker) be sure to have the demographic information available to them. ( by demographic I mean buy a list of women, or men or seniors, mothers, teachers, etc.) this does a couple of things for you: it pays for your own ad it can give you a nice profit so you get paid just for sending your own ad out and in the cases where it is an item or flyer, it puts your ad in the hands of people that you might not have reached any other way... those other businesses are advertising for you and each other.

And for those just looking to make some money and don't have their own business, this can make a nice little sum for you... you can be in business for yourself. For those like you looking to advertise locally, it covers the cost and opens new markets as well as helping you to network with other local business owners... this can help in many ways down the road. Bonus tip: negotiate with the printer to give you free printing in exchange for ad space for his business and lower your costs even more.

It is a bit of set up work on your part, but it can pay off big... and from reading other posts you've made, it sounds like you might be up for this kind of thing. As far as other ideas, locally circulated papers, like the thrifty nickel give great exposure, and they have online ads, too. And you could alternately print your own fliers and distribute them locally.

Here's a website that has done a great job telling people where they can distribute their fliers: peacefulsolution.org/get_involved.html and i've done the check thing myself. It is easy to put your website on all your personal checks in a text field. Checks unlimited is one company that offers that.

It should already be on your company checks as part of your address section. Then everyone who touches your check through its travels has the opportunity to see your website or ad slogan.

Good starter ideas! Although I'm not sure how much targeted exposure Yellow Page listings get these days with many searching the internet first. With that being said, I would work on marketing online and building a strong web presence.

This can all be easily done with a website, blog, web 2.0 properties, email marketing, article marketing, social media, video, and audio just to name a few. Not saying it won't take work, but it will work! Find out what people want, provide quality content, solve their problems and you'll see your/his business grow.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.