Building Your Business The Old Fashioned Way

The biggest tool that you have in your bag of tricks is perhaps your mouth.  The best way to sell your business to others in your community is by getting out there, talking to others, and making connections.  Using the network that you have available to you in your local neighborhood is actually the best way to drum up business.

Frequent other businesses. Pop in for lunch or dinner.  While there, try to get an opportunity to talk to the owner of the place and start making some business connections.  Then over time, perhaps you can create a joint promotion or offer to put some of his business cards on your counter, if in turn he would put out some promotional magnets for you.  This is a great way to begin establishing roots in your community.

If you want to bring people that are in business near you into your store you could host a party there. Have some snacks and cocktails. Even if all you do is chitchat, people will still see what you have to offer and getting to know each other could lead to mutual business interaction. If you keep the cash flow within the community then you all make money. What is good for your business will be good to others close to you.

If you can manage to build a relationship with other business owners you could do business together. Some communities of minorities do this. If they meet someone that needs something that they don't have they will send that customer to someone within the group. It is a great way to widen your customer base. And that is what everyone wants.

You will make great new connections within your community and you will get some very good advertising and possibly referrals.