Send to Kindle1. Post an ad on Craigslist.
2. Pass out flyers at your local mall.
3. Place your biz cards under windshield wipers at your local Walmart.
4. Pass out business ‘buttons’ to everyone you meet.
5. Hand out pens to people you meet.
6. Create simple welcome gifts to give to newcomers with your business info enclosed.
7. Ask to leave business cards or flyers in some of your local area businesses. (Make sure their services compliment yours!)
8. Stamp all envelopes you mail out with your own personalized business stamp.
9. Likewise include a business card inside ALL outgoing mail.
10. Rent a booth at local events to showcase your business and/or products.
11. Post flyers on the message boards at local colleges and trade schools.
12. Slip a business card into relevant books at your local book store. (Don’t over-do this one!)
13. Likewise, ask the local library if you can create bookmarks to slip inside some of the books there.
14. When you receive junk mail… give the sender a dose of their own medicine! Use the postage paid envelope to mail your own flyer back to them. 
15. Slip a biz card, postcard, or flyer under the wipers of cars at your church.
16. Consider passing out magnetized biz cards… they are more ‘sticky’ than your typical biz card.
17. Purchase a car magnet for your car… they generally aren’t ridiculously expensive and can last awhile.
18. Additionally you can choose to get a vinyl sticker for your back windshield to advertise with.
19. Leave business cards on the bathroom counters of local diners.
20. See if you have a local area ‘Welcome Wagon’ type group and ask if you can contribute samples and promo materials to the welcome gift.
21. Join your local Chamber of Commerce… this can be a great way to network and make valuable contacts.
22. Visit local daycare centers and pre-schools… ask if you can leave business cards or flyers in the lobby.
23. Likewise with rental agencies, real estate offices, and leasing offices. Offer the office members a special gift or discount for allowing you to advertise with them.
24. Use snack bags and create mini ‘promo’ packages. Include your biz card, a mini flyer, a goody such as candy or a pen, and hand them out wherever you go.
25. Rent a booth as school events and take the opportunity to showcase your business to other parents.
26. Give friends and family members a small incentive to pass out your business cards for you throughout their daily ritual.
27. Leave your business card when you tip your waitress.
28. Donate a product or service to your local radio stations… they always hold giveaways and are always looking for new sponsors.
29. Consider placing an ad in those Free Renters Guides and Home Owners Guides.
30. Attend networking events and meet ups in your local area. You will be amazed at the new and profitable contacts you can make.
31. Finally… don’t neglect the power of word of mouth. Tell people about your business and ask them to tell others. Hold a contest or offer some sort of incentive to prod them along.
Bonus Idea
Go a little guerrilla!
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Great ideas! Thank you!
Great ideas. Thanks.
Thanks guys, glad you find them helpful!
RT @tweetmeme 31 ways to advertise your business locally | Big Girl Branding Marketing http://bit.ly/aOx716
Some of these I never thought of. Thanks for posting this!
You're very welcome Cliff!
Warm regards,
Cori Padgett
RT @coripadgett: 31 Relatively Cheap and Easy Ways to Advertise Your Business Locally /Big Girl Branding | Marketing | … http://tinyurl.com/yee63uy
Hi Cori
I like your writing – might use your services sometime.
Have a great day!
Larry
Hey Larry! Thanks so much, I appreciate the compliment!
Have a great day!
RT @fastfingers_va TO > @k0zm0zs0ul Cori, I LUV your blog, "Big Girl Branding" – very impressive! http://su.pr/34NKqU < Thanks so much!
Awesome. Really liked it and am sure going to try some of them for my blog
Thanks Cori
You're welcome Dave! So glad you found the post useful!
Let me know how
it goes, if any of the methods work well for you!
C
These are some excellent ideas, some of which I will be trying out very soon. Super article Cori.
Thanks Geoff! Glad you found them useful!
RT @BigGirlBranding: 31 Relatively Cheap and Easy Ways to Advertise Your Business Locally ##BGB ##blogging http://bit.ly/aMof0l
Wow, this article is packed with tons of information.I have already started to put some of it to use.
Great! Your hub includes so many useful ideas and tips
Thanks Seph, so glad you found it useful!
What about a letterbox drop with a flyer or something? This has proved very effective for me. Old school ways are the best
Sheila recently posted..Non-Laminated Cards
Old school is ‘da bomb.
What about just a simple pin up flyer around the most busy parts of your local area such as supermarkets etc?
Sponsor a “fun run”……not too big, but something you can manage. Look for sponsors for the prizes. Make sure to make a banner of your business at the starting point of the race so everyone can see it.
Joy recently posted..Your Love Is A Memory
Hey Joy.. awesome idea! Thanks for the contribution.
Idea #16 is so true! You can find business card magnets online for as cheap as 16 cents per magnet. Stick them around town and you are certain to start getting the attention your business deserves.
Really liked the ideas am definitively going to try some out. I know for a fact passing out fliers in the parking lot works tried it once but will try out some new ones you posted keep up the good blogs
Juan
That’s a great list. I like the radio station idea – that’s an awesome thing to try if you have a product that their listeners might want.
And these may be obvious, but don’t forget the free listing sites like Google Plus, Bing Local, etc. And of course the yellow pages sites (yp.com, yellowbook, etc.)
And there are some new ones like manta.com and YLocale.com – that one is offering free ads right now.
Good points Bryan!