Small business owners can easily get too involved in the day-to-day operations of their retail stores to spend any time brainstorming marketing ideas or promotional events. Some retailers worry that marketing is too expensive, others may find it too time consuming. Without announcing who you are and what you sell, how will anyone know?

Local Marketing Ideas

1. Place an ad in a local magazine or paper.
2. Write an article for a local magazine or paper.
3. Advertise on a billboard
4. Advertise on buses or taxis.
5. Have well designed business cards.
6. Always carry a business card with you.
7. Advertise in the local yellow pages.
8. Hang up flyers, posters or business cards at community halls, libraries, or other local businesses, with their permission of course.
9. Hand out trinkets: keychains, pens, magnets, etc. with your contact information on it.
10. Purchase advertising spots on local TV channels or in movie theaters.
11. Advertise on the back of ticket stubs.
12. Advertise on travel brochures and maps.
13. Volunteer to be interviewed on a local radio station.
14. Volunteer to speak at local events.
15. Teach a class.
16. Join a toast masters or other local speech group
17. Attend Chamber of Commerce and other local business meetings.
18. Ask those you know to help you find leads. Give them business cards or trinkets and ask them to hand them out if they run into someone interested in your product or service.
19. Sponsor a portion of a freeway or highway
20. Get shirts, hats and other fashionable accessories printed with your logo or business slogan on it. Wear them around town and give them to others.
21. Hold open panel business forums in your community, where community members can ask questions to your
22. Get involved with local charities.
23. Offer your product as the prize for a local contest.
24. Offer your product in school or non-profit fund raisers
25. Look local job requests and needs in newspapers and sites like Craigslist.
26. Place ads in the classifieds section or your local newspaper.
27. Volunteer to be on the board of local events.
28. Sponsor a team.
29. Sponsor a local event.
30. Host a BBQ.
31. Put business cards on cars, less pollution and people are more likely to keep them versus a flyer.
32. Advertise on local websites.