Marketing to Your Local Community
September 22, 2026
Author: Tamara Murray, Marketing Manager for the Westerville Public Library
The Westerville Public Library has been operating since 1930 in
the heart of Uptown Westerville, yet I still hear often hear, “I didn’t know the library offered that!” when talking to people in our community.
There’s a reason why that’s true. It’s because the library offers way more than books. People can come here for free meeting room space and take home a jigsaw puzzle on their way out the door. When their power goes out, they can recharge their device while looking up the best home generators with free access to Consumer Reports. When swim lessons are cancelled due to rain, they can entertain their kids for hours in the ever-changing play area and pick up tax forms while they’re here. It’s simply too hard to market all that the library offers to everyone, everywhere.
That’s why I focus my time and budget on tools that allow me to communicate with people within our service district.
For example, I can generate a list of “new movers” (i.e. mailing addresses of people who have moved into our service district recently) via the library’s free access to AtoZdatabases. Then I can mail them a postcard to invite them to sign up for a library card. (I also highly suggest AtoZdatabases and Data Axle Reference Solutions for generating sales leads, especially for B2B marketing because you can search by city
or zip code.)
Digital ads via Google and Facebook can be effective because you can use
geolocation limiters. Even better is finding local social media influencers to partner with on content. The key is to find someone with similar interests or goals to your company’s mission or values.
I also love working with local community partners to help amplify our messaging. For example, the library partnered with The Point at Otterbein University to create a giant smoke-breathing dragon that is displayed on the library’s roof every October. Obviously, this is a very non-traditional marketing tool. It has generated a ton of community excitement and attracts thousands of visitors from the area. Maybe you have a BIG idea that you can bring to life, too?
Participating in local events like Fourth Fridays hosted by Uptown Westerville, Inc., the Westerville Saturday Farmers Market, or the Ice Sculpture Tour hosted by Uptown Westerville Merchants Association in December are also fun ways to draw visitors to your business.
Another option we often use is adding our upcoming events to online community calendars in the area. Some of our favorites to do this with are Uptown Westerville, Inc, the Westerville Area Chamber, and ColumbusUnderground.com. But even oldfashioned bulletin boards like those at Graeter’s Ice Cream and Whit’s Frozen Custard can be effective.
While there are fewer and fewer print publications in Central Ohio, consider pitching stories or buying ads with Westerville Magazine, the Westerville City School’s new print publication, The Ville, the Westerville Area Chamber’s Business Directory & Community Guide, or Gary Gardiner’s digital publication, The Westerville News.
Lastly, I always say that word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective. So don’t forget to talk to your friends, family, and neighbors and let your passion show. You’d be surprised how often they will enthusiastically share your story with others!
Want more advice? You can get free access to expert-led courses via LinkedIn Learning, legal forms, 3D and poster printing services, fax machines, scanners, photocopiers, and more with your Westerville Library card. Learn more.
Example of a postcard sent to people who have recently moved into the library’s district.
Picture of the dragon on the library roof.
Picture of the community bulletin board in the lirbary mallway.
Picture of a table in the library with print publications.
About Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce:
For over 55 years, Chamber members have joined together to enhance the community's quality of life and the economic, civic and cultural growth of the Westerville area. Today, the Westerville Area Chamber unites 800+ businesses, professionals and individuals, creating a unique organization that works to improve business and build an even stronger community. The Chamber includes people just like you, who realize that collectively, through a business organization, they can accomplish more than what one can do individually. Get to know us on Instagram @Westerville_Chamber and on the web at http://westervillechamber.com Join us in shaping the future of Westerville’s business community.