Recently, while visiting a very busy coffee shop, I noticed a large wall map highlighting other local businesses of interest. I also noticed a sign in the corner that said “Want your business here? Ad space is just $100 a month”. With over 30 businesses listed, this small coffee shop is taking advantage of its high traffic to bring in another $3,000 a month in ad revenue.
If you can use your business to drive traffic to other businesses (as long as they are not competitors), why not charge for it?
It reminded me of a post I wrote a few years back called “How to Promote Your Business Locally” where I was inspired by a breakfast restaurant in Vermont that had local businesses advertise on its mugs. Even though that post is 10 years old, there are still some great ideas in it for you!
Sometimes the more niche you get, the more money you can charge because then you are reaching a specific target market. For example, I noticed this group in Boston created this map on the right that specifically highlighted female and black-owned businesses.
Maybe you wish to promote only complimentary businesses. For example, let’s say you’re a successful spa. You can use that success to promote new and up and coming businesses in the wellness space (for a fee, of course).
Therefore, it might be time to put on your thinking cap and turn your thriving business into an ad revenue machine!
Be sure to check out the top Google searches for August.
© 2025 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.
