60+ Unique Ideas for Marketing Your Business Offline & Locally

60+ Unique Ideas for Marketing Your Business Offline & Locally

It’s easy to remember to promote your freelance business online. After all, you’re probably online a good portion of the day already and it’s practically second nature to do things online that promote your business. But what the freelancers who are savvy in the Web 2.0 world tend to forget is that there was a whole world of business happening before the Internet ever made its way through the office doors. Although online promotion is important for your freelance business, it’s crucial to remember to go back to your basics and do offline promoting as well locally, nationwide, and worldwide depending on who you are marketing to.

Talk About Your Business

One of the best and most inexpensive ways to market your business locally is by word of mouth. Word spreads fast and this can be beneficial for freelancers who are trying to gain new clients and increase their popularity. Talk to people who you run into at your local Starbucks, supermarket or library and tell them a little bit about your business offerings in a casual way. You will often find that, if done right and subtly, this is a great way to gain new clientèle in the local area.

Networking with Other Local Freelancers

I’ve always found that the best way - hands down - for a consultant to build his/her business is by networking. This includes attending Chamber of Commerce events, networking events, volunteering at high visibility non-profits in a high visibility position, church memberships, and anything else that will get you face to face with people. One of the large networking associations for business owners is BNI - Business Networking International. They hold weekly lunch meetings and include one individual for each business professional. Their website has a listing of meetings that can be searched by zip code.