Over coming the fact that I missed the Yellowpages

ImagineThat

I`m in the process of restarting my Sound, Lighting and DJ  business that I shut down 5 years ago so I could tend to my ill parents. I  am faced with what I feel is a huge hill to climb and that is the fact that I am not in the Yellowpages and won`t be until next September. I realize that word of mouth is an excellent marketing tool and with my credentials that will pull some work. I`m also creating a business profile to send to the corporate clients and will follow up with personal meetings where I can. I am trying to reach those women who do most of the planning for their wedding.  Besides the newspaper, any ideas that maybe I haven`t thought of?  Any positive thoughts would be appreciated.

keycon

IT,
Don`t dwell on the negative. You have been in and around this business since 1984. You are DA MAN! Seriously ... just get it done. The Yellow Pages issue is water under the bridge. Fogitaboutit.
Suggestions:

Write out a list of all of your old contacts from the "biz" and either email or USPS mail them a quick note and let them know what is going on with IT (That`s you, since I don`t have a name to call U)
Visit all wedding related businesses in your area and develop relationships with these people - personal and close. Every person will be different - the scenarios are too numerous to list here. I think you get it ... go see these people and tell them what you do and do whatever it takes to make sure they get your name in front of their clients.
After point2, hold a FREE party for all of these wedding-related businesses and tell them to invite whomever (please RSVP so we can plan food and drinks) and blow their socks off with what you do. Put on your show. Dazzle and WOW them. The word will spread. And the money you spend on this event is much better than any Yellow Pages money spent.
Contact wedding consultants/planners and have a nice lunch with the "KEY" person, the "influencer". You pay. Ask questions. Don`t talk about you or your business. Just take them to lunch. Become their "buddy". Do not push your business at this lunch. It will happen.
Do the same for wedding apparel people - dress sellers and tuxedos rental places. Take them to lunch. Become their buddy. Develop relationships.
The whole idea here is to let the wedding-related industry people in your town know that YOU ARE DA MAN when it comes to wedding theathrics.
As far as corporate ... repeat above ... except replace wedding-related with any industry
R@keycon2007-1-5 23:2:12