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Old August 28, 2007, 03:34 PM
MichaelRoss
 
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Default Think Outside The Atom

Larry,

Thanks for asking about getting business for Local Businesses.

You asked... "how would you get traffic for local small businesses" and "what would you do to get them business". And these are Two Different Questions.

Before you go rushing off to create a Local Community Website, if things are "slow to no" in this small town, how do you know the residents there even have a computer, and if so, how often they access the Web? And, aren't poor as church mice and couldn't buy Additional Stuff from the businesses even if they wanted to?

Also, as there is a Wide Range of what can be done to market a business, you could be spreading yourself thin trying to solve everyone's marketing problems - including your own. And how much of your Marketing Knowledge could be applied in this small town?

Take the florist, for example. Assuming there is only one in town and everyone already knows about it, do you know how often people buy flowers? Birthday? Funeral?

You could try the old "How mad is she? Roses $5" sign out the front during afternoon rush hour. And what then? What else do you have up your sleeve for the florist?

You May be able to Convince all businesses in town to have a fresh bunch of flowers on display each day. You might convince them Easily or it could take forever to do so. But if such a thing worked, what else do you have for the florist?

If that's your whole bag of tricks in this small town, then YOU are now out of business too. Your business is one of the small town struggling businesses.

I'd be more inclined to Focus, if you want to get into the "sell advice to businesses" business. Kennedy is known for Chiropractors. Polish for Carpet Cleaning, I think it is. Jason for Martial Arts Halls - Adam Katz was dabling in this too.

This way, you can do one business in each town, or in each side of a larger Town or City. Looking Outside of your town, as Phil hinted at.

Whichever way you go, just make sure not to turn Their Problems into Your Problems. And don't bust a gut trying to help people who do not want help.

Besides "Advice" or "Advertising Space" have you spoken to any of these businesses to see what Other Problems they may have?

For instance, speaking with a Take Away store owner, he told me he couldn't get the Good Oil for his fry vats because no-one around the area supplied it. And he Hated having to Filter his oil. That's TWO opportunities there...

Start a Mobile Oil Filtering business - or - become the local Rep for the Good Oil, even traveling to the Main Supplier to pick up a Large Supply for distribution into your area. Chances are other similar businesses have the same problems.

Michael Ross
www.hotsheets.info
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