Often when I talk to people wanting to start their own business, I get the tired old response from people in smaller towns, "This town is dead, no one can make any money here." Funny thing is that I hear that no matter what size the town or city or metro area. However, small town entrepreneurs have to get creative in what they create. Business people who do this can create and above average to great income from any where. The internet has been a great boon to the small town as well. For all of you entrepreneurs in small towns remember making good money as your own boss is not easy no matter where you live.
Find a small under served market:
Small Riding Lawn Mowers
How many times have you heard someone say I wish we had this in our town? What better way to start a business filling the needs of the local people. When I was young we had a man come into our home town and open up a Ben Franklin Five and Dime Store. For those of you that aren't old enough dollars stores use to be nickle and dime stores. Now this was Mr Sam's third store in small towns in the Midwest. This concept worked nicely for him and he started adding more stores in small towns. Today they call the stores Wal-Mart Supercenters. You just never know how good an idea can be until you run with it.
Solve a problem that has an answer that is too simple:
When I was growing up, my family lost a neighbor who had a lawn mower roll over him when he fell off. It seemed so simple to me at the time that all you had to do was put a pressure switch under the seat. When someone stood up the mower would shut off. Well now it is a federal law that all garden tractors and riding mowers have this type of device. How many people saw the same thing I did and di nothing. But someone did it and hold a patent for it now. How many ideas have you said the answer was to simple for?
Advertising and Promotions of local businesses
Advertising cost are high. Most advertising is ineffective at best and totally impossible to measure. What would local businesses pay to have someone promote them. Be creative, flyers maybe but make it more personable. Take the flyers into neighborhoods and knock on doors and hand the flyers to the home owners. Get permission to stand at a corner in the mornings handing out flyers to people on the way to work. Make it fun and exciting, create a buzz for a local business. A small town newspaper may charge a thousand dollars for an ad. For a fraction of that you can give them more of a presence in one day and the traffic can be measured. Find 5 businesses that will pay you to promote them a day a week and pay you a fourth of what the newspaper charged. Makes a great living and you only work a few hours a day.
Writing and online advertising
Most small towns have no one to provide an online presence for them. Write articles similar to this that promote their business. Get a group of business owners and promote the neighborhood stores together at the same time. Tank a blog site and give reviews to local businesses and sell advertising on the blog.
And of course the best way to be a big business in a small town
Online businesses create a sense of size without all of the overhead. You can live in a small town in Alabama, where the town limit sign is on both side of the same sign and still earn a mid 6 figure income. As long as you provide a service and do it proudly no one cares where you are.
The key those is just one thing. Take action. If you don't take action nothing will happen. If opportunity knocks, you still have to get up and answer the door. Sitting back and complaining that "this town is dead. I will never make a living here", will follow you where ever you go. So as my favorite author, Dr Seuss says " Today is your day so be up and be away". Start something today and never ever never look back.
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Classic Accessories 73117 Black Lawn Mower Cover Feature
- Cover conveniently protects your push, gas, or electric lawn mower from weather and debris
- Long enough to cover catcher on rear discharge mowers; elastic shock cord provides quick, customized fit
- Heavy-duty fabric coated for maximum water resistance and repellency
- Click-it closure on back makes installation and removal a snap
- Fits wide assortment of mowers; measures 75-by-27-by-23 inches (LxWxH)
Classic Accessories 73117 Black Lawn Mower Cover Overview
Protect your trusty lawnmower from the ravages of sun, rain, mildew, dust, and birds with this sturdy, trim-fitting, all-weather cover. It's long enough to accommodate even the catcher on rear discharge mowers, while an elastic shock cord at the bottom hem provides a quick, customized fit. The cover measures 75 inches long, by 27 inches wide, by 23 inches high, and fits a wide assortment of gas or electric lawnmowers.Available In Stock. |
