Many writers wish to live the life of Thoreau or Whitman; a reclusive existence with the mountains and valleys as neighbors. The only difference is that we wish to also have our Internet connection, telephone and fax machines by our sides. And, we want to get paid for it.

The life of seclusion and existence outside of the hustle and bustle of society promises writers a life of relaxed creativity, but it also offers challenges. Your self-discipline, resolve and dedication will obviously be challenged. However, the greatest challenge will be to find a demand for your work in the small communities in your area.  

I work in ultra-rural West Virginia, and the closest single-traffic light town is nearly an hour drive. When I first moved to the area two year ago, I was worried about the local market. Although I consider myself a writer, I also have experience in graphic design, web design, and marketing. The closest town, Glenville, has three hardware stores, two grocery stores, two drug stores and five restaurants. Obviously, the competition for these businesses is not intense. Many other businesses in the area have a complete corner on the market: one Internet supplier, one bookstore, one craft store, and one laundromat.

My first year in business, I dismissed any local market and instead listed my resume on pertinent Internet sites, and watched job postings on several sites and newsletters. I found the competition for Internet job listings intense, and although I could underbid the competition due to the low cost of living in my area, work came in at an intermittent and irregular rate. I spent hours browsing job boards and reading newsletters with disappointing results. I began selling items on eBay to supplement my income. This was not a successful approach to freelance writing.  

At the end of my first year, I reviewed my marketing plan, taking into consideration the competition on line (heavy), and the competition in my area (little to none). I also considered the value of my time spent browsing and joining job boards, (sometimes over an hour daily) and the time wasted. I reworked the plan, applying the time I was wasting on Internet job boards to local activities instead. I realized I was the only business of my kind in the area. I was missing my "niche." With a small advertising budget, I could easily saturate my local area with my marketing. A little local networking could seal the impression.  

One of the downfalls of living rurally and working at home is that I rarely go to (or am seen in) town. I ran into town once a week for groceries, hardware, and a trip to the bank and headed back out of town to rural heaven. Instead, I began planning a visit to local establishments during that weekly run, visiting 3 new establishments each week. If you want local work, you have to work the local area. I had pens made with my business phone and web site listed on them. I did not use any "pitch;" instead, I made small talk, chatted about the weather, the harvest, the garden, the deer, common acquaintances, etc. I acted like I had all day to visit. Then, I would finish by introducing myself, and almost as an afterthought, handing them a pen.

No pressure, no pitch, no business suit. Instead, lots of smiling and eye contact in my Dockers and a nice shirt. I didn't present myself as a business - I presented myself as a nice, interested person. Smile, chat, shake hands. Most importantly, ACT LIKE YOU HAVE ALL DAY. If you are an unfamiliar face - locals will be curious. They WANT to know who you are and what your deal is. If you chat long enough, they WILL ask you about you. By now, I have met every business owner in town, but I still do this once a week, reminding them that my services are available.  

I made colorful T-shirts sporting a design and my logo for my friends who worked in town or visited town regularly. I gave them to the bartenders at the local bar/restaurant. I gave them to state road workers who hold the stop signs. I also gave them business cards to carry in their purse/wallet in case someone commented on their T-shirts, and coached them on what to say about my business. (Desktop Publishing is an unfamiliar term to the typical rural West Virginian-- they've heard it, but they aren't sure what it entails.

Likewise, if I call myself a copywriter, they expect me to whip out a book I have written.) Make sure your services and abilities are explained in a way that even a layman understands what you do. Many rural residents are not familiar with the computer terms, writing jargon, or really know what a “consultant” does. 

Next, I took out a 2 column by 2 inch ad in the local paper for thirteen weeks. When I took out my ad in the paper, I chatted with the editor's secretary and learned his regular lunch/visiting/dog walking schedule. (A benefit to chatting and bonding in a small town.) To him, it seemed we just "bumped into each other" more often. I asked to sit with him, walked with him, asked him about his dog, paper, sons, life. I carried dog bones in my purse and ALWAYS commented on his most recent editorial. As a polite person, it was only natural he would ask me about my life/business when he finished reporting on his.

I wrote my own press release about my business, and the next time I bumped into him at the Dairy Stand, I bought him an ice cream and gave my release to him. I wrote two and a half pages, thinking he would cut the article - he ran it in its entirety. As a thank-you, I sent him a T-shirt. He loves it and wears it often - to meetings, events, etc.

I also placed an ad in the local “Trader’s Guide,” the local classifieds paper which runs ads for non-business residents for no charge. As a business, I paid a small fee, but since the paper covered 8 counties in the area, it was worth every penny. 

I had let them see my face, see my advertisements, and had chatted with them all. I then began giving them my time. I began writing a small column for the local paper. Once a month, I wrote a small press release on advertising trends, Internet etiquette, local web sites, etc. to run at no charge to the paper provided the closing paragraph listed my credentials and business. The local editor was tickled at my offer to write a column for free, pleased to have new information to help fill his small town paper. I volunteered my services to the local arts guild, teaching crafters and artists how to put their wares on the Internet. Their successes became my successes, as the work creating the site was ours together. I served chili in the chili cook-off, participated in the clean our streams program. I got a library card and visited the library weekly, signing out books. Many of which I never read.  

People then began to nod when I introduced myself and my business, having seen the logo or my name in the paper or on a t-shirt or having heard my name mentioned by someone they knew. These things made me appear more "legitimate" to the locals, and the phone began to ring more often, but didn't ring off the hook.  

Then, (and this is the biggie) I joined the local historic landmarks commission, arts and heritage council, and the economic development association. (We have no chamber of commerce.) I discovered that my local government and our local organizations had several web, marketing, writing, promotional projects that were either grant or state funded, but did not have the staff or knowledge needed to conquer these tasks.

Almost immediately, I was overwhelmed with work from local organizations and government endeavors. One of my first contracts was for $12,000. When the work for the organizations began to circulate, more calls from local businesses started coming. By the time my thirteen weeks in the local paper ended, I had no further need to advertise regularly in the newspaper. However, I do run an ad once a month to keep on the editor's good side.  

In thirteen weeks of my second year, I acquired more work than I did in my entire first year. My local work, combined with the few Internet clients I had already established, has been scheduled to keep me busy for the next year. The local work was much more enjoyable and pertinent to my own life, and I found my local clients paid in a more timely manner than my Internet clients. 

During that second year, I spent very little on advertising; less than I spend joining resume services and job services on the Internet. I spent my time meeting people instead of browsing Internet job boards and reading job-listing newsletters. I learned about my community, local organizations, and made many friends along the way. Many of them are clients, some are not, but they are all friends, and are still all potential clients.  

Total money in marketing/networking efforts:  

Newspaper advertisements: $150.00  
Twelve T-shirts (shirts, iron on paper, ink): $50.00  
300 pens with business info: $42.00  
Gas to town once a week for 13 weeks: $130.00  
TOTAL: $372.00  

Total time in marketing/networking efforts:  

Ad design: 8 hours  
T-shirt design and ironing: 8 hours  
Press releases: 12  
Volunteering: 22  
Organization Meetings: 18  
TOTAL: 68 hours  

For a relatively small amount of money and time, within 13 weeks, I had established myself as a valuable resource to my community, instead of just another new business. When people discuss writing/marketing/web projects in town now, my name and my business almost immediately come to their mind. My monthly article in the newspaper has established me as a “specialist” of some kind, although I have to formal Internet or computer training. Yet, because my experience is much greater than many in my rural area, my knowledge is considered valuable.

Not all my incoming work entails copywriting. I have had to realize and meet the needs of my community by expanding my services to web design, training and teaching, layout and graphic direction and creation. I had to learn about my community’s needs while my community got to know me and the services I offer.  

To have the local community serve your business, you have to serve your local community. Prove to them that you are a resource, not just a person providing a service. You can't be a stranger, and you can't do it from your desk chair. It takes more time than money, and more networking than work. So get up, and get out there.

About The Author:  Lisa Hayes-Minney is a reporter for a small town newspaper in central West Virginia.  The Calhoun Chronicle (www.calhounchronicle.com) is distributed weekly. Copyright Notice: All material on this site is copyrighted. Copyrights are retained by original authors. All rights reserved. Please contact the author for permission to reprint, reuse and/or duplicate in any manner.