Your business can thrive if you have a good, local customer base. There are times during the year when some retailers, even those that are big and successful, rely on rush crowds. These are typically big shopping days during the year, like the day after Thanksgiving. If you want to cash in on a big way to get money, you should think about tourism marketing. This is when you find a way to draw in out-of-town visitors to your establishment. If you live in a touristy area, this can really pay off if you find ways to get the word out there.
Tourism marketing is a bit harder than local marketing. You have no idea from where the tourists are going to come, so you may not know where to advertise. If there is a big sporting event each year, perhaps something like an LPGA golf event or a tennis tournament, you can advertise at that event. You are going to reach all of the people that of come from out of town with your message about your business. Some of your local spots will work, like radio time you already use, but you want advertising that can be seen at that specific event. These events are usually huge economic boosts for the communities that host them.
Build a web site for tourism marketing. This site should be about your business, with information about who you are, what you do, and what you sell. The key to getting the attention of those that are coming from out of town is to have content on your web site about your city or town. Those that are traveling to an area may search for that area online. Your web site, with enough local content, can be found in the search engines by those who may come spend money with you. Those coming in always need to eat and sleep, and many like to shop and find recreational activities.
Beyond simple advertising, you can also sponsor places that usually draw in people from out of town. If you have a local museum that draws people from all around the world, find ways to advertise with them, or sponsor events with them. This type of tourism marketing puts the name of your business right where it should be to be seen by the most people. If you have a hotel or an eatery, see if you can get listed with them. Some places offer brochures to visitors that list places to stay and eat. This is a great way to bring people right to your front door.
You can also invest in Internet advertising for tourism marketing. This means placing ads with sites that cater to tourist and travelers that are going to be stopping by your little part of the world. These would include travel web sites, web sites that list local events and establishments in your area, and also web sites that are about what you do. If you sell bikes, look for web sites about bikes and buy some advertising space. You can also sign up with affiliate programs so that those that have related web sites can put your ads up for you.