Small town marketing secret: Have something to invite people to

People need a compelling reason to leave their homes and come experience your business with you. This feels like a very heavy lift.

Shoppers at a furniture store find temporary displays of jewelry and skin care products. — A local furniture store hosts two temporary businesses for a special shopping event, combining business-in-a-business and pop-ups to give more people a reason to leave their house. Photo by Becky McCray.

You’re supposed to be exciting enough to pull people away from their phones, their families and the comfort of online shopping. You’re competing with everything else demanding their attention.

Here’s the big secret: You don’t have to create all that energy yourself.

Piggyback on What’s Already Happening

Your community probably already has regular events that pull people out of their homes.

Art walks. First Fridays. Girls night out shopping events. Farmers markets. Chamber mixers.

People are already planning to attend these, or thinking about it. Some are already coming downtown or to your area.

Your job is to give them one more reason to show up.

Two musicians play guitar while seated on the sidewalk outside a brick storefront during a community event, with pedestrians stopped to listen and watch — Sidewalk musicians give just one more reason for customers to leave their homes and join the experience. Photo by Becky McCray.

What Doesn’t Work: Just staying open during the community event

No experience. No transformation. Just… open, like you are every other day.

That’s not enough.

What Does Work: Make a Thing out of it

You have to create something special that happens during that regular community event. Here are ideas:

Demos – Product demos, technique demonstrations, how-to sessions
Mini services – super quick fashion nails, or 5 minute financial boost
Meet the experts – A real estate agent hosting “meet the lenders.” A feed store bringing in a vet for cattle health Q&A during the farmers market.
Workshops or mini-classes – Quick skill-building sessions people can actually use. Sounds like a lot for a shopping day, so keep it light and quick.
Make and take projects – People love leaving with something they created
Trunk shows or special collection reveals – Show merchandise you don’t normally carry
Live entertainment – Music, performances, even personal star chart readings (yes, really – Gen Z is into astrology and all that)
Tasting or sampling events – Let people experience your products
Q&A sessions or “ask me anything” – Be available for real questions
Behind-the-scenes tours – Show them what they don’t normally see (people love back room tours)
Out of town big names – Bring in expertise people want to hear from

Pick one. Make it yours. Do a fresh edition of it every time that community event happens.

You become the tipping point

Someone was thinking about coming to art walk. Then they heard you’re doing that demo they’ve been curious about. Now they’re definitely coming.

You’re not competing for attention. You’re adding value to something people already plan to attend. Or at least thought about attending.

And here’s your new go-to move: When anyone expresses interest in your business but never seems to make it in person? Don’t just “follow up.” Invite them to your special thing during the next community event.

“Hey, I’m doing a live demo during First Friday – would love to see you there!”

You still have to do your regular marketing like mailing postcards, sharing photos, but you’re supercharging it with a deadline. And then you’re layering it with repeated messages.

“Our demo was packed! We’re doing another (a little different) next month!”

A local artist showing photography surrounded by potential customers inside a local business. — Frame shop owner Carolyn Murrow hosted a local photographer in her business’s foyer during an evening art walk in Alva, Oklahoma. Photo by Becky McCray.

The Small Town Reality: Fewer people, less turnout

Yes, rural areas have fewer people. That means fewer potential attendees. Less momentum each time. It’s harder to keep events going on your own.

That’s exactly why piggybacking on existing events is brilliant for small towns. The event is already happening. People are already considering attending. You’re just giving them one more reason to come.

Start Small, Keep Going

Pick one existing community event.
Create one simple thing to offer during that event.
Commit to showing up consistently with your thing every single time.

That’s it. That’s the whole strategy.

You don’t need elaborate planning or big budgets. You need one good reason for people to experience your business, timed to when they’re already planning to be out.

The Opportunity: Most businesses aren’t doing this.

Some businesses might stay open during community events. But most are not creating experiences.

You will stand out.

When you’re the business that always has something interesting happening during art walk, or First Friday, or girls night out – people start planning around you. You become part of why they attend the community event in the first place.

So what’s your thing? And which community event will you tie it to?

About the Author
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Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.