Local Newsletter + Local Business

Hey, thanks for joining for another week of New Venture Weekly.

First up, if you haven’t already told me, I’d love to learn more about you and how I can improve this newsletter.

If you have 1-minute spare, please fill out this survey (6 questions).

I’ve seen a wave of people starting local newsletters over the last few years.

It’s a business that I fully get behind.

But here’s how you can supercharge it with a local “boring” business.

Also, I’m testing a slightly shorter (hopefully just as valuable) format this week - let me know what you think.

Let’s jump in!

🗞️ Things worth checking out

Want to start a business but don’t know where to begin? This email-based course helps you find a profitable business idea, validate demand and make your first sale all within 5 days. Start your journey now.

The best businesses solve specific problems so I’ve created an ever-expanding database of problems that are begging for a better solution. Check it out here.

Are you struggling to find the perfect business idea? What if you could consistently generate profitable business ideas, anytime you wanted? The Idea Factory is designed to help you do exactly that.

⭐️ Example:

• Ryan Sneddon made $15k/m in the first 3 months with his portable toilet business thanks to his local newsletter.

⚖️ Pros vs Cons:

There are plenty of upsides to starting a business like this:

• Cost-effective way to find clients/customers

• Builds trust & credibility with regular, valuable content

• Consistent lead generation tool

• Community engagement

• Provides multiple revenue streams (ads + clients)

• Allows you to test different ideas quickly to see what works best

• Scalable to other businesses, niches and potential locations

• Builds a hyper-targeted local audience

• Builds a long-term asset

• Gives you a competitive advantage over other local businesses

Here’s what you should consider:

• It will take time and effort to build an audience

• There may be a slow ROI whilst you build trust

• Harder to move to different locations

🧐 Opportunities:

• Photo booth rentals

• Wedding/event planning

• Portable restroom rentals

• Food truck rentals

• Catering companies

• Accounting services

• Marketing services

• Pest Control

• Cleaning

• Handyman

• Hair Salons/Barbershops

• Yoga Studios

The list is endless.

🛠 How to Build:

• Pick a Niche: For example, if you want to start a local event company, focus on promoting local events. If you want to sell accounting services, focus on local business news/tips.

• Start Your Local Business: You can also buy an existing one. But create a local presence:

  • Google My Business

  • Website

  • Facebook/Instagram pages

  • Physical location if needed

  • Do some free work to get some reviews if possible.

• Build the Newsletter: Beehiiv is the best platform for this (also the platform I use for this newsletter).

🚀 How to Grow:

• Meta Ads: Run Meta ads to people in your local area. You should be able to get subscribers for about $1-2.

• Word of Mouth: Talk to people in your local network and tell them about your newsletter.

• Provide Valuable Local Information: Focus on events, news, and stories that directly impact your community.

• Local SEO: Optimize your website for local search terms to attract organic traffic.

• Sponsored Content: Partner with other local publications or influencers for cross-promotion.

• Flyers and Posters: Distribute in high-traffic areas like coffee shops, libraries, and community centres.

• Organic Social: Create social accounts where you post about the same information.

🔥 Cool Stuff

(Bookmark these)

• Find problems that need business solutions - Access the Problems & Pain Points Database.

• Want to grow your business? Here’s a database of tools that can help.

• Want to promote your startup for free? Here’s a database of free places to promote your startup.

• Want to turn your idea into a business? Check out this business idea checklist.

• Want to differentiate from your competitors? Check out this Differentiation Strategy Guide

• Want to run ads for your business? Use these proven psychological ad positioning strategies.

🤯 Classifieds

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