One of the biggest mistakes new Town Publishers make is thinking they’re selling postcards, newsletters, or games. They’re not. They’re selling something most local businesses have almost never been offered. Exclusivity. Think about the average local business owner. They run a Facebook ad. So does the competitor down the street. They boost an Instagram post. Their competitor does too. They both show up in Google search results, fighting over the same customer at the same moment. Every platform makes more money when multiple businesses compete for the same attention. The business owner pays more, the platform wins, and nobody owns the market. As a Town Publisher, you have the opportunity to offer something completely different. Instead of selling another advertising spot, you’re selling category ownership. One roofer. One chiropractor. One real estate agent. One HVAC company. One pizza place. When a household opens your Play My Town postcard, there isn’t a page full of competing roofers. There isn’t a sidebar with five other realtors. That business owns the category on that card. The same principle can extend across your entire local media ecosystem. Your newsletter. Your directory. Your City Games sponsorships. Your live events. Instead of selling endless inventory, you’re building long-term partnerships with businesses that want to own a position in the minds of local residents. That’s a fundamentally different conversation. You’re no longer asking, “Would you like to buy an ad?” You’re asking, “Would you like to become the exclusive roofer for East Grand Rapids before someone else does?” Scarcity changes everything. Business owners understand that if there’s only one available position, waiting has consequences. Once it’s filled, it’s gone until that partner leaves. That’s one of the reasons this model creates stronger relationships than traditional advertising. You’re not constantly replacing advertisers. You’re helping businesses defend a position they’ve earned.

One of the biggest prospecting mistakes is treating every local business as an equally good opportunity. They are not. Before you begin calling, emailing, or walking into businesses, spend an hour learning the territory. Define a specific area you can realistically own, such as one small town, downtown district, suburb, or cluster of nearby neighborhoods. Then identify the places where residents already eat, shop, gather, and spend money. Start by building a list of 50 strong prospects across several categories: - Restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and breweries - Home service companies - Health, beauty, and wellness businesses - Realtors, insurance agents, and financial professionals - Retail stores and family entertainment businesses - Community organizations and event venues Do not build the list entirely from Google. Drive through the territory. Visit the downtown district. Look at local Facebook groups, chamber directories, community event sponsors, and the businesses already advertising in local publications. Businesses that sponsor festivals, sports teams, fundraisers, and community events have already demonstrated that they understand local marketing. Next, rank each prospect based on three simple questions: 1. Is this business locally owned or locally managed? 2. Does it need customers from this specific territory? 3. Does it have a clear reason to participate in your first product? Your strongest prospects will usually be businesses that answer yes to all three. Those should receive your personal attention first. Finally, look for clusters. If three popular businesses on the same street participate, the fourth becomes easier to sell. If one respected business owner joins, ask who else they believe should be involved. Local business communities run on relationships, and one trusted introduction can outperform dozens of cold emails. The goal is not to contact every business in town. The goal is to identify the right businesses, understand how they fit into your local ad ecosystem, and approach them with an offer that makes sense for their market.