Put the “Buy Local” Movement to Work for Your Business
With summer drawing to an end and farmer’s markets bursting with produce, it’s easy to remember to buy local. But the local movement can apply to much more than supporting local farmers. Why not give your freelance career a ‘local’ push?
Sure, one great part of freelancing is the ability to do work with any client, anywhere. After all, there’s no shortage of jobs if your market spans the globe! But at the same time, building a name right in your own hometown can become your mainstay. Once you’ve done business successfully with a few local clients, word of mouth takes over.
Begin your own local push to build your name in and around your hometown. Here are six ways to get started:
Print Stationery
Print some notepads with your logo and basic contact information. Use this anytime you need to leave a good, old-fashioned paper note: teachers, mailman, dentist. Give the notepads freely to friends and family members (holiday gifts?). Don’t forget to consider local printers for your materials.
Auction Your Services
Auctions have become a popular fundraiser at many schools. When you hear of a school or other good cause holding an auction, put your services up for auction. Donate something specific: a free web site consultation, three hours of training, preparation of a basic, or a one-page mailer.
Advertise
Think outside the box–advertising isn’t just for newspapers and TV. Your local high school usually sells ad space in their sports flyers or yearbooks. Even if you don’t have a student, send in an ad and get your name before dozens of parents, school administrators, and teachers.
Sponsor a Team
Their jerseys aren’t emblazoned with the name of their sponsor anymore, but youth sports teams still depend on contributions from local businesses to keep them going. They’ll typically thank their sponsors on the team web site or in the game programs. Or who knows? Maybe you will see your logo on the back of a jersey.
Be an Activist
Find a local cause you believe in – historical commission, school committee, planning board – and become involved. You won’t make money directly, but you will meet people and open opportunities, while hopefully doing something satisfying.
Teach
One of the best ways to establish yourself as a local expert in your field is to teach. Approach your local community center or evening school and suggest a course related to your field. Present it from both ends of the spectrum: a basic introduction for newcomers, and a more experienced class for those already in the know.
These are all excellent suggestions. The one I’m focused on now is teaching, although for me that means presenting seminars on my area of expertise rather than teaching an actual class.
And as an ex-polisci college instructor, I can tell you that you need to present class proposals to colleges a good 3 months or so before the new semester/quarter starts, and the earlier the better.
Great post, totally agree. I read somewhere on this site to try and be the big fish in the small pond when just starting out.. Fits well with this article.
These are some great ideas— I’ve been trying to think of ways to get my name out there locally and I didn’t even think of trying the schools. Thanks for a useful article!
great article! i am a huge “buy local” guy and try to stay out of the big box stores as much as possible!
Fantastic idea! I’m currently re-building my portfolio and may choose to target more localized businesses as they’ve been one of my most regular income streams.
I love keeping things local. I also would add to the list designing for events in the community. This is a great way to showcase talent and meet awesome people in the community. Events often allow for fun design.
These ideas work, well, if you actually do them. I know a guy that runs a user group, he doesn’t get paid for it – but it’s gotten him scholarships, a new job, and thousands of people that know him. I’ve also heard of a guy that teaches about blogging and shows people how to setup a blog – he does that for free because a percentage of people that attend his class end up paying him to just do their blogs for them. It’s about getting your name infront of people and letting them see who you are – you won’t be picked if you are not visible.
Positive Word of Mouth is a great way to build a credible reputation, and when starting up your freelance career, you will want your clients to be local, as they will tend to be the most loyal!
There is a huge ‘buy local’ movement here in Austin, so marketing to local businesses is a big deal for me. Add to your list to network in groups where local businesses are represented. We have a group here called iBuyAustin.com which has been a valuable resource for my business. I’ve even hosted a networking event where I spoke on social media….another great way to get your name out.
And, don’t forget to frequent these local businesses. One of my best clients was landed by me being in her store and talking to the girl at the desk. Little did I know she was the owner. Pretty soon I was doing all their graphic design and web work.
StationEry – not stationAry. Sorry to sound pedantic but one relates to envelopes and the other means standing still.
The “Advertise” item tickled my imagination. I’ve seen church flyers and newsletters for fraternal organizations (Elks, Knights of Columbus, etc.) with local ads, too. In some cases you might need to be a member of the group or religious body, but perhaps an acquaintance who is a member could place the advert for you. These days, however, I would imagine charitable and nonprofit organizations would be happy for the income from a local booster.
Thanks for the thought-provoking list of strategies!
These are excellent suggestions. Be sure to check out your local Chamber of Commerce, too. Many have organized “Buy Local” marketing campaigns to attract business to their members.
Have you forgotten local social media events participation like a meetup or tweetevent
I’ll add a one to the list I have seen work well. It can take some time, but becoming a regular visitor on AM radio talk shows can quickly make you a recognized name locally.
Most cities have a talk radio station or two that blasts political commentary during the day, but then they switch to money, gardening, cooking, and other topics on nights and weekends. Often there is a money, tax, or business show that you can become a call-in expert for.
Great post. I had never really even considered sponsoring local sports, but with such a small investment, it would not take but one small customer to have a positive ROI.