These are the proven methods of marketing a local online business. I worked part time for this business owner who wanted to start a website to extend his business reach and increase sales potential. He was already a big guy with a lot of links to some other big business guys in the city but still when it came to launching a website, we had to think on ways to get it to local people who shops online.
This is nothing different than marketing an offline business, but since it was just a website he wanted to promote, it was a bit different.
So here are the things that we tried to promote his online business in local market. It did work, it gave his website a lot of traffic and sales online.
Please note that these methods are not free, you will have to invest a small amount in marketing.
City Magazine Advertising
The guy happen to know other business guy who owns a City Magazine for the local politician. The magazine earned a lot through Advertising, no doubt in that. So it was obvious and the primary choice to advertise his newly launched website. Many major cities can have a city magazine, if not then no problem, you can try some other options.
Local Radio Station
Every city has a local radio channel if not a magazine. This can be the best option to promote your local online or offline business. Radio Jockeys will simply give a shout out of your business or create an audio advertisement for your produce, service or shop. I had heard a lot of advertisements of Quick Heal Total Security on radio so i recommended this idea to him and again it worked.
This referred a lot of customers to his shop and also increased traffic to his website.
Other local websites and forums
Many cities have a website created by one of the citizen for discussing local issues. It would be good to talk to their webmasters for advertising your website on theirs.
Local Advertising
Billboard advertising
Billboard advertising was one of the best method to spread a word about his shop. It bought in a lot of calls to his shop. The best place we thought of putting the huge billboard was on the Railway Station.
So many thousands of people travel in and out of the city every day, so that was the spot with the highest reach. Since the website was to serve only locals, it was the best place to let citizens know about the website and his online service.
Business Cards
He printed business cards to distribute it to the people he met, he already had so many visits at his office being a business man. That also helped him get a permanent identity for his business.
