I have an agent who works a small town here in TX and that is all - she doesn't work here in the "big city" at all.  One of the obstacles she had to overcome was that another company/broker, not a REALTOR-just a plain real estate broker, was very well known and people either used that company or they went FSBO (lots of FSBOs).  My agent was successful by doing some of what you are already doing.  Getting out among people and talking.  The real help was getting a couple of listings on the main road where the sign could be seen by everyone.  That is when it all started to fall into place.  Since my company was new too, the signs hadn't been seen before so that made people curious.  That other company actually had to start advertising in the paper and phone book again....it's so funny!

Is there anything going on with the town such as an economic development program or a rural farms program that you could get involved in?  What about the town meetings?  Can you "sponsor" a  school for their academic or attendance awards where they have a little reception or awards presentation that you can provide the goodies and or certificates? We have a broker here in town that each Halloween (actually a few days before), he buys tons of pumpkins (and I do mean tons) to give to the three elementary schools he sponsors.  The kids and teachers love it and it gets pictures in the papers when the agent distribute the pumpkins.  I know because I used to be one of his agents.  At one of the schools, each 9 week period, they do their academic improvement/achievement award that he sponsors - called BUG awards for Bringing Up Grades.  The office provides and prints the certificates, goodies provided, and the certificates are given out by an agent-volunteer at a school assembly at the end of each 9 week period.  That was fun!

Good luck!

Laurie, I live and work in a small town. I find that it is a building process like in the bigger cities. Difference is, you can establish yourself in your community as "the realtor" by word of mouth quicker in a small town. Your credibility is established with each happy customer. The things that draw people from outside our community from the bigger cities is the safety factor. You see our police drive the residential streets all the time. You see them everywhere. There is a sense of well being. The schools have smaller numbers in each classroom affording the children better one on one learning.

Small towns are more family oriented but not big activity centers. I find more and more new parents moving here because most of them grew up in a small town (and hated it) but want to raise their children in safety. Our kids ride bikes, walk to and from school, play at the park without parents, etc.Things I am told that don't happen much anymore in bigger cities. If you have the safety thing going for you and good schools push your assets such as that and you will get families to move in, most of them hate the rat race and smaller towns offer a slower pace (not for me).

Push the quaintness, safety, good schools, things that appeal to families.

We had this same question/concern this weekend... We went to my brothers graduation this weekend, in a Big town of less then 1000 people! and we talked about moving up there (which have talked many time... just about every time we visit) and our big concern was getting business!!! i will continue to check this post for any great ideas.

Laurie, is there another geographic area from which people are most likely to move to your area?

I've heard about a very savvy agent in the North Georgia mountains who takes advantage of the fact that many Floridians are moving to the Southern Appalachian mountain region. He got a Florida license and now advertises his services directly to Floridians. A great proactive approach to attracting people to his small town who might never have heard about it otherwise!

I feel for you, though, since my son is a REALTOR(R) in a mountain resort town of 2000 people where even when business is good, making a living is difficult. Fortunately both he and the broker who owns his office are very well known and respected around the community. One of his broker's smartest moves was to affiliate with United Country, which specalizes in marketing to rural property buyers and sends hundreds of leads to each UC office every week.