20 Small Business Ideas for Small Towns
Becky McCray, author of the blog Small Business Survival has published an ebook called 20 Small Business Ideas for Small Towns. Take a look at the table of contents after the jump. If you can’t find a good idea in there to profit from in your community, you’re not looking hard enough.
Strategy #1: Be uniquely local
1. Local pride clothing
2. Local jewelry
3. Local photos
4. Local photo postcards personalized with your photo
5. Local hospitality in a family summer camp
6. Add value through local and organic foods
7. Cater to local outdoor sports
Strategy #2: Use what you know
8. Create reference guides
9. Be a tour guide in online worlds
10. Fix things and resell
11. Buy local items to resell in larger markets
12. Buy global items to resell in local markets
13. Share your skills as a taxi
14. Paint business windows
15. Share your space and your creativity
Strategy #3: Look at existing businesses
16. Build a Lending Tree style market for everything
17. Create a Netflix style exchange for business books
18. Use memberships to support any business
19. Leverage government contracts to build a business
20. Target the rural market
Photo by The Library of Congress.
Angela on October 29th, 2008 10:34 pm
There are tons of gems in that list. Everyone seems to believe you need to think “big” to succeed, and they sometimes forget how profitable going small can be. Small towns tend to have communities that are very close-knit and supportive of each other. If used correctly, that can create a very profitable base for starting a business.
Peter Carter on November 2nd, 2008 9:17 am
Angela is right. By making a name for good service or being skilled you can get lots of business through word of mouth – the best and cheapest advertising there is.
CoolProducts on November 5th, 2008 4:06 pm
Often, opening up niche stores in some small communities that have that niche but lack the stores can be very profitable. Just because there is a Wal-Mart there does not mean that you cannot be successful with a small business.
kimberly on December 7th, 2008 3:15 pm
I live in a town with a population of about 400 people. People say small towns are close knit but i beg to differ. In my town people try to tear you down. for some reasons they don’t like change. Any suggestions on a business i could start in a small town like this?
jasmine firth on January 21st, 2009 5:12 am
yeh my town is the same as kimberly my business partner and i recently bought a small business and the town doesnt seem to want to support us we are very young in our mid 20s do u think its our age, mmmmm so we have ventured into two other areas as well as our original and that still isnt working we cant go broke beacuse we dont have any money to lose lol. At least we can see the lighter side of our situation we have very supportive partners. Not sure of weather to venture into something more needed with todays economic crisis.
We have a car detailing/car accessories and bullzye gear. If either of those cant make us money what the hell can im over it.
Rick on January 28th, 2009 3:03 am
I moved to a “small town” in 1995 here in Oklahoma. It was “only 14,000 people. I moved from Tucson, Az which at the time was 650,000 pop . I was sick and tired of having 2-4 “Bosses” over me all the time at minimum wage jobs and while in tucson started learning the Dj/Karaoke biz at one of my night time cooking jobs at a bar/restaurant. Now laugh if you want but it seemed to me Everywhere I went, Karaoke entertainment was a heartfelt desire, nessessity and very welcomed outlet. (This was in 1985)When I moved to Ok in 1995, I worked a “regular” job, saved my money and went all out on my Dj/Karaoke biz working part-time at night. That lasted a whole one and a half years trying to build a “rep at just ONE club 2 nights a week”. AND I have NOT worked for anyone else ever since! … my biz has since outgrown my small town since I have taught 2 other people in town the biz and I now commute 6 nights a week to Tulsa which is 65 miles one way, but well worth the drive @$250-300 per night I now make.
If you are a night person…DON’T over look the opportunity in entertainment. I was a shy, 110lb kid in school and never even Graduated, which is exactly what drove me to do this biz. My biz gross’ more $$ than most people make with a bachlor’s degree. (abt 70,000 avg)
People may fail many times, but they only become a failure when they begin to blame someone else for their problems.
Don’t give up and if you have questions about how to start this biz up, just contact me on my site.
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