Moving into a new market—5 ways to get noticed

Whether your business plan calls for moving into new markets or you need to expand geographically to find new clients, there are several important things to consider to ensure the move outward is successful. Remember that if you've been based in one market for a long time you're a "familiar face" — meaning a lot of your business comes through word of mouth referrals from people who are familiar with you. When you move into a new market, you won't have the "home-field" advantage and you'll have to work harder to make a name for your business with a whole new resident base.

From marketing a quickly-expanding start-up business in new cities throughout nine states, I learned that there are five key steps that can make entering a new market much more lucrative.

1. Join the local Chamber of Commerce. It's the easiest way to gain access to the business community in virtually any market. Once you join, attend networking meetings, sign up for a committee and stay involved.
2. Send a news release. On your company's letterhead, type a brief announcement about your business opening in the community. Send it to editors of not only the local daily newspaper, but to all area business publications. Include the names and titles of your new staff.
3. Whenever possible, hire locals. Their friends, families and business contacts will make up a large part of your new customer base.
4. Conduct an advertising "blitz." Even a small ad budget can go far, if you condense the dollars into a 2-4 week campaign. If your business or organization is open to the public, consider a radio live remote on a high traffic day. If your business caters to other businesses, check into running a few ads in the local business publication.
5. Network. Many times, the details of opening a new office will overshadow networking efforts, but the more visible you are in the new community, the faster you'll gain market share. Attend meetings, partner with a local charity, sponsor an event, volunteer. Give a discount to those who refer new business to you.

Your new market will give back what you put in, so double up your efforts to make a name for your business, and before long nobody will remember you're the new kid in town.