Join a local club

This article first appeared on September 27th, 2010.

Concentrating your marketing efforts on the very wide world of the web is often the big focus of start-up entrepreneurs, and rightly so. It’s cheap, easy to track and very effective.

But for many start-ups – particularly businesses in sectors such as retail and trades, where your customers will come from the community around you – it pays not to forget the power of a bit of local marketing.

One strategy to try is to join a local club, such as a local sporting club (golf, football and bowls clubs are great starting points) or a local community-focused club (such as Rotary).

Getting involved with these clubs can introduce you to a group of people who are happy (even eager) to support new businesses, particularly where they are owned by a fellow club member.

Pin you business card up on the noticeboard, get into the club’s business directory, pay for an advertising sign on the boundary line and you’ll soon be part of the fabric of the club. Follow this up with a bit of targeted mingling (so clubs members can put a face to the business) and you’re sure to get a few customers coming your way.

And don’t worry too much if you don’t like golf or footy or bowling. Most of these clubs have a bar, so there’s always something else to do.

Get it done – today!