Hype Up Your Business Launch

Most people assume launching a business in a small town is easier.

Lower overhead, less competition, tight-knit community, right?

But after building and launching multiple businesses in towns of 15,000 people or less — I can tell you the truth:

Not because of the people.
Not because of the product.
But because of the myths that kill momentum before you ever open your doors.

The Small-Town Business Myth

There’s this belief that if your town “needs something,” all you have to do is open it — and the community will support it.

I’ve heard these phrases hundreds of times. I’ve said them myself.

And yet, I’ve seen businesses launch with exactly those ideas… and still fail.

Why?

Because “need” doesn’t create momentum.
Anticipation does.

RP+ Members: Dig into the advanced version of this guide here. Not an RP+ member? Join today to get in depth tactics and strategies that will elevate your business for less than the cost of 2 coffees each month.

How I Broke a Franchise Record in a Town of 15,000

Let me give you the real-world example.

A few years ago, I opened a drive-thru coffee shop in Natchez, Mississippi.
No Starbucks. No Dunkin. Just a gap — and a huge opportunity.

We weren’t the first coffee option in town.
But we were the first to build anticipation the right way.

And when we opened?

We did over $6,000 in sales on day one.
Franchise record — across 100+ stores.

That didn’t happen because we had better coffee.
It happened because the community had been waiting for us.

What We Did Differently

I didn’t spend a fortune on ads.
I didn’t hire an agency or launch with a slick PR campaign.

What we did was simple — and powerful:

1. We built hype for nearly a year

From the day I signed the lease, I started talking about it.

• Posted early photos and menu teasers

• Asked people what drinks they wanted

• Showed the behind-the-scenes of construction, equipment, hiring

People followed the story. They saw progress.
And when we finally announced the opening day?

It wasn’t news — it was the event they’d been waiting for.

2. We made the community feel involved

One of the biggest mistakes I see is business owners trying to guess what their community wants.

We didn’t do that.

We asked.

• What kind of drinks would you want on the menu?

• What hours would you actually stop here?

• What do you hate about other coffee shops?

Every time someone commented, we treated it like gold.
We didn’t just build a business for them — we built it with them.

3. We launched like it was the Super Bowl

I’ve seen a lot of “grand openings” in small towns that go something like:

• Cut a ribbon

• Post a blurry photo on Facebook

• Wait for people to show up

We flipped that.

• We gave away drinks to early customers

• We had music playing and the staff hyped

• We had signage, swag, and a drive-thru flow dialed in

• We turned the first hour into a show

We made opening day feel important — because it was.

The Real Reason Most Small-Town Launches Flop

It’s not because the idea is bad.
It’s not even because the execution is terrible.

It’s because no one knew it was coming — or cared.

Launching a business in a rural community means you have to win attention the old-fashioned way:

• Build trust over time

• Show your face

• Share your vision

• Involve your customers

• Create hype before the doors ever open

When you do that, people don’t just show up…
They bring their friends.

The Framework: How to Build Buzz in a Small Town

Here’s the simplified version of what worked for me — and what I now use to help others do the same:

🔥 The HYPE Framework

H – Highlight the vision early
Talk about it before it’s built. Let people buy into the journey.

Y – Your community is the co-creator
Involve them in decisions. Make their input part of the final product.

P – Promote progress
Share updates weekly — even small ones. Make people feel part of it.

E – Execute opening day like a concert
Make noise. Give people a reason to line up, share, and post about it.

RP+ Members: Dig into the advanced version of this guide here. Not an RP+ member? Join today to get in depth tactics and strategies that will elevate your business for less than the cost of 2 coffees each month.