Becoming an expert in your niche locally isn’t much different from becoming known as an expert online. The only difference is that you will need to connect personally with people more often than when you’re conducting business with long-distance customers, so that they can build trust in you. The best way to start attracting local business owners is to choose the right topic.
* Get to Know Your Audience – In truth, your local audience won’t be much different from your international audience. However, they may not be as savvy with online information in some cases, but gradually this is becoming less likely as the population becomes more technically inclined.
* Find Out Who Is Popular in Your Local Area – You may have competition locally that you need to get to know. Who, if anyone, is doing what you want to do locally? Even if you find someone who isn’t direct competition, it’s a good idea to get to know who is popular in your local area and who is giving out the type of advice, products, or services that you want to provide.
* Get Involved with Small Business Initiatives – Via your local SCORE, Chamber, or another type of business-focused center (could be through a local school or college), there is a huge need for volunteers who will concentrate on small businesses, as most of these groups focus on bigger businesses rather than a home business. They need you. If you get involved, you will become known.
* Find Events to Attend and Sponsor – Start attending small business events in your local area. Find some to sponsor too so that people get to know your business name. Even if you can’t be there, if your name is announced a lot the local community will begin to know and trust you more.
* Fit Your Expertise in with What’s Needed – As you attend events and get to know what is happening locally for small businesses, you can start to figure out what part of your expertise is needed most. That will enable you to fit into the local happenings without butting up against a fierce competitor in a way that stifles your ability to help and become an expert to the local people.
* Develop a Signature Talk – While you’re getting to know people, start working on a signature talk so that you can give impromptu speeches, planned speeches, and maybe even eventually paid speeches in your local area.
* Go to Lunch – When you meet people that you think you have something in common with at events, start inviting people to lunch. Get to know individuals on their own so that you can help each other. You can refer them, they can refer you, and everyone can work together to get even more of the public involved locally.
