Hi e-consultancy members!

My name is Jack and I have recently set up a website design business. My audience will be small businesses mostly as I am just starting out. The advice I really need is in the field of advertising and marketing. I want to target small local businesses in my local area and really would appreciate any advice on how to achieve this.

Many thanks in advance.

Jack Shreeve

Hi Jack,

All good things from daniel.

But when we were first setting-up what really helped and made everything possible was networking. Especially if you are targeting local small business. Type networking and some local towns/areas into the big G and then go along. It isn't as bad as everyone makes out and we made friends both business wise and socially from it. Good luck!

On 17:41:43 13 October 2008 danielb wrote:

hiya, Jack, here's a few quick ideas:

1. Get on the phone to some local businesses.
2. Approach your local papers about running articles on you.
3. Register to appear on Google Local.
4. Set up some google ads targetted to your region.
5. Speak to friends, friends of friends.

Hope that helps!

daniel

If you fancy trying something a bit different then why not try the 'pay it forward' methodology with a free internet surgery.

The idea is of my own creation and has yet to be trialed but it goes along the lines of:

Put a day aside about 3 or 4 weeks in advance and offer 30 minute slots to companies who have a website and are thinking of upgrading/enhancing/redesigning their site within the next 6 months*.

Arrange all the meetings to take place at a local hotel (book a small meeting room if you have the spare £ - if not just get coffees in the lounge area) and look at their sites in advance. Spend the day giving out free advice, ideas, suggestions and if need be, ball park figures. Don’t make it a sales pitch just a helpful friendly meeting. When you’re done take their card and give them a card/comp slip/small info pack about your business.

All being well the idea should offer exposure in the local paper, yield 5 – 10 warm leads/appointments and access to other local business via word of mouth.

Good luck with your business…

*One of your local/regional papers will probably have a business section and you should be able to get a bit of coverage from them. Partly as a new business starting out in the area and partly with the offer of a 'free surgery'. Chambers of Commerce could also be a resource to tap into too.