How To Expand My Horizons?

[joe in nantucket]

Hello everyone,
I have owned my web design business now for 5 1/2 years and have paid my dues in terms of taking abuse and low pay in the early days, I have achieved some very good success locally. The problem is though that as well as I am doing in an area of 70,000 people, there is only so much that businesses here are willing to pay and some don't even need a website because they get so much business from word of mouth advertising.

I am looking to expand into other cities, larger cities that have more businesses who want to do more than have just a website and not get into ppc campaings and seo, that I can work with. My question is though, what is the best way to do this? How do I get the word out in these larger areas? Do I hire a sales rep, open a small sales office? I have a couple of clients in Palm Beach, another in Saint Louis and another in Orange County California so would I be wise to start there as I have a foot in the door no matter how small it may be?

I am not really sure what approach to take since traditional advertising locally in the business magazines never worked and I get so much of my business from word of mouth. I appreciate any help that you can give me.

[Quadrille]

You are on the world wide web; there's little reason why you cannot work for people anywhere, though local may be a little easier.

Have you really gone for five and a half years without developing a web site of your own?

Sell yourself online!