Small local businesses who target their local community often overlook some very simple, easy and cost effective ways of advertising. These low-cost methods are not generally so suitable for big corporations with big budgets, but these ideas can be very effective (and highly cost efficient) for small businesses and self-employed people targeting the local area with small advertising budgets.
A quick list of these local advertising ideas, which with a little imagination and selective effort can be developed into a very effective local advertising campaign:
- Posters in windows and on notice boards, and in staff rooms of local businesses.
- A promotional stall at a famous store or the nearby convenient store.
- A stall or leafleting presence at a local relevant gathering or event. (School, College parties)
- Using leaflets or business cards in dispensers where local people sit and wait or queue or gather, for example at the doctors clinic, dentists, vets, tourist information office, outpatients departments, library, day care centers, post offices, hairdressers, salon, takeaways, cafes, restaurants, golf clubs, fitness centres, etc.
- Regularly giving news and interesting pictures about your work to your local newspaper , or perhaps even writing a regular column relating to your specialism in the local free newspaper or magazine.
- Offering existing customers an incentive (gift of some sort, or money off your next supply) for introducing a friend as a new customer for you.
- Door-to-door leaflet distribution through the postal service or other suitable service.
- Speaking at local networking/business events.
- Local trade directories - typically monthly publications distributed to the local community.
- Targeting special offers at local big employers, through their PR and/or HR/social activities.
While most of these methods are for small companies and local campaigns, a few can certainly be adapted and used effectively by big organizations with surprisingly good and cost-effective results.
