When Lisa Skriloff, president of New York–based Multicultural Marketing Resources, wanted to attract businesses interested in marketing services as part of a niche marketing effort, she launched a group on LinkedIn, the popular social network. In less than a year, 1,500 people had opted in. “Now I can reach the entire group by posting messages or sending individual emails,” she adds. Here are five more niche marketing tips to consider:

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1. Befriend an accountant. These individuals are among the most trusted business professionals, says Bill Corbett Jr., president of Corbett Public Relations in Floral Park, N.Y. “A referral from an accountant is almost a guarantee,” he notes. “Several of my clients market tirelessly to accountants.”
2. Conduct a sales blitz. On a particularly slow day, have your staff hand out flyers, business cards, or even small gifts to other businesses in the local area, suggests Scott Lorenz, president of Westwind Communications, a PR and marketing firm in Plymouth, Mich. The tactic works well for banks, hotels, and restaurants. “You’ll be amazed by the new business it generates,” he says.
3. Team up. Marketing campaigns that get your target audience involved are particularly effective, says Shel Horowitz, owner of FrugalMarketing.com. For example, a gourmet pretzel business could land new customers by holding an annual pretzel-eating contest, or one in which people build sculptures with pretzels.
4. Seek testimonials. When customers rave about your products or services, get them to write a testimonial. In exchange, says Karri Flatla, a Web marketing consultant and copywriter in Alberta, Canada, offer to feature them in a case study, and display it prominently on your Web site.
5. Go on a search mission. A high percentage of Internet searches are for business phone numbers or addresses, Lorenz says. If your business is not listed on all the major local search engines, people can’t find you. Take advantage of sites like Yahoo! Local, Ask City, Local.com, and True Local.

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