Researching your target and local markets can help you decide if your town is the ideal town to sell too - or if you need to target the town next to yours.  For instance, I sell locally, but the town I live in is mainly lower middle class (families) and my products sell better to high-middle (childless couples and single woman) and upper class citizens (the 'yummy mummies' & people with more disposable income).  You may only have 1-2 sales a week from locals, but sell on a daily basis to people located in towns 25 up to 50 miles from your town.

Advertise Online: to locals within driving distance, try Yahoo Groups and other parenting, baby, craft (if your products is handmade) boards that allow advertising. Just go to Yahoo Groups and search for the town/state you want to advertise in. If they don't have one, you may want to start one. 

Try message boards related to baby and mom.  Don't just advertise though! Get in their an help answer questions or offer suggestions.

Try MySpace, FaceBook and other websites who offer some type of free advertising.  You can add your eBay Store or Website link to your page. You can view a sample of a MySpace baby related page by searching for the yourdiaperdayz MySpace page.

An affiliate program is a great way to promote your products and the great thing about it is it's low risk (you only pay when a sale is made).  It's a great way to get free exposure on top quality sites that you would normally have to pay a fortune to advertise on and you also have the benefit of a "virtual workforce" of experianced marketers working for your business.

Set up a website!  It not only shows potential customers what you have to offer but also increases your marketing oportunities.  For example, your website address can be placed on smaller items such as business cards.

Print ads: try local newspapers (they may write something about you if your a new start up or local one who likes to promote to local businesses), school flyers, magazines, play group monthly mailers, high school reunion books, etc.

For locations to drop off business cards, brochures and other advertising materials try; hospitals, daycares, play groups (set up a little booth and give the playgroup a cut of the sales)...women like to talk and if your stuff is good - word will spread like wildfire!  They say the two fastest means of communitaction are telphone and tell-a-woman! :~).  Other places include Mothercare, laundry mat & coffee house bulletin boards, OBGYN offices, pediatrician offices, college daycares, etc.  Make sure they welcome advertising and do not solicit to places with a "NO soliciting" sign on the door. That means you are not welcome to advertise and since they don't like advertising there is a 99.999% probability of your advertising materials being trashed = waste of money!

Hospitals are very hard to get baby products in, but they may offer to put out some business cards or well designed brochures.  Hospitals for the most part are looking for small (or hanging) products so it doesn't take up a lot of their show space and are looking to sell items quick. It's very important to do your research in making sure your products sell and sell fast - or the hospital will not purchase more.  Check online for the online hospitals who are looking to sell products both in their stores and in their virtual stores.

Swap meets, flee markets, farmers markets and other side walk type sales can be good for local business but there is a medium to large upfront cost…table & chairs, additional employee (husband, sister, friend could be a low cost solution) for bathroom breaks, help when busy and to go to the vehical to restock, upfront cost to pay for products, employee pay, booth cost, tent, banners, printing materials like brochures, business cards, cash register & cash for change, etc. Do your math and tack on an extra 20% for those unexpected costs to see if that is something you can afford to do.

Some baby boutiques will offer baby products for free and then send you money when they sell - and only if they sell so you may want to check around your area. Those places are good because they are usually small family owned businesses but have their downsides too as they have your merchandise (and money) held up waiting for a sale.