Recently, a very good friend of ours came to visit my husband, Kevin and I in our home in Oregon. Our town is known for a jet boat experience called “Hellgate Jet Boat Excursions”. Kevin and I did the ride about 10 years ago when we first starting coming up to Grants Pass, but it wasn’t until we had a tourist to take on it did we do it again. It is a 4 hour experience like no other — we did the dinner excursion — 19 miles down river to a beautiful lodge with a sit down dinner — then 19 miles back to Grants Pass all along the Rogue River. I loved when the boat captain said, “This is not a train ride, it is a jet boat ride and you are going to get wet.” That was an understatement as the boat captains raced each other, slammed on the brakes and sent water covering all 58 of us on the boat about 6 times on the ride back.
I thanked our friend as we got off the boat for coming to town so we could have such a fun time. I said to him “We wouldn’t have done this if you hadn’t come.” His response was “It is in your own backyard, why not?”
That got me thinking. What are you not doing in regards to marketing your business in your own backyard? Most people say “I can work with people around the world.” That’s great but what opportunities are you missing in your own city or town?
Most, if not all, entrepreneurs who do best in their local markets are masters of effectively marketing themselves. Here are some tips to help you market yourself in your own backyard:
• Define your geographical market— What is in a 1-mile radius of your business? Is there a community center? A yoga studio? A library?
• Be visible— Identify opportunities to get “seen” especially when events allow for many people to be in the same place at the same time. Go where your ideal clients gather in numbers.
• Get involved— Join associations or groups of business owners in your area. Ask them to be your referral partners especially if they are already service your ideal client
• Ask clients for referrals— After working with your clients successfully for a period of time, ask them for a testimonial and referrals.
• Promote your business — Create a gift certificate for a complimentary session (or free sample or your product) to share with local businesses where your ideal clients hang out.
There are no short cuts to establishing yourself and building a local following. Make calls, have meetings, and spend time in all the right places and in front of your ideal clients. Remember over time, the seeds you plant will grow to great success in your own backyard AND you may have just as much fun as we did on the jet boat ride.
Cathi Harley, Sr. Vice President
