Hey Chad. I was in a similar situation. Though I'm in a larger area, and I got fired from my job in aviation. I'm not a good employee.
After being let go it took me a while to build up a customer base. What really helped me keep the doors open was fitness equipment. Weight bench pads. Luckily for me there is a small manufacturer in my home town and I now do all of the upholstery for that manufacturer. That is what paid the bills while I built up a customer base in cars.
I guess what I'm saying is check out any local gyms this equipment is used and abused. Or any place that has fitness equipment, the local YMCA or High Schools. There will always be a need to re upholster the pads.
Restaurants, School buses, or construction equipment, basically anything that gets rough treatment.
A lady I worked with years ago started making horse blankets or covers (I'm not really sure. I know nothing about horses) she made pretty good money just doing that part time

Thanks Andy,
I appreciate the feedback! There are a few gyms in the area as well as school bus companys that I will have to check in with!

Definitely trucking companies (and drivers who own their own trucks), movie theaters, gyms, restaurants (especially diners), busses, school auditoriums, doctor's offices, etc.

When we first started out, we printed hundreds of flyers and went to every and any place that may require upholstery repair, handed them out and introduced ourselves. We also placed business cards on cars, trucks, etc that looked like they needed repair.

It took a lot of time, but definitely helped get the word out.

Chad,
I don't know if this is any help to you, but something I have found to be a huge leg up over competition is offering a weekend service to medical professionals. I really enjoy automotive/marine work, but definitely my most lucrative work is re-upholstering physiotherapy/chiropractic beds. I have had enormous luck when I go to new clinics in offering a pick up on a Friday evening, perform repairs over the weekend and drop off at business open Monday morning. They all love having no downtime, and apart from pulling staples the work is so easy. I would highly recommend looking into it if you are starting up a small business...just don't take my customers ha!
Cheers and best of luck.
-Landon Z

To get a leg up on the competition, offer vinyls with anti-microbial properties. Medical pros will love that!

I have done a similar thing with gym equipment weekend or overnight so as to minimise equipment downtime.
And the patrons are hard on the gear so reoccurring business.

Marketing is my gift and I only realised that when I opened my shop. I started with Facebook by having a well written post and plopping down a budget of 75 bucks that is charged by number of contacts. But that is not all, a shop web site that is smartphone optimized and then finally ensure good keywords are properly tagged on your website. Where you live "Upholstery Shop" may not be the first entry into a search engine. Be glad to help on any level of the subject. i had done upholstery on the side for several years after I retired from the Navy. My day job was offshore, I hated it. But it paid vulgar money. However, I eventually ended up in rehab and the day I walked out I did two things: I got my cell phone and told my boss that although there were some high points in helping you build your dream, it's your dream, not mine. I turned to my bride and said, "both feet?" Ok here comes the advice, and some brothers and sisters in this forum will agree: It's not your imagination, the only customers that ever give you grief are all from the same zip code. Want to take on an apprentice, brace yourself: they are on disability and want you to pay cash, ever seen a drug withdrawal enduced seizure at the sewing machine (not in my shop but a friend's across the lake. Or my favorite, "Do all these staples have to come out."

Deadlines. They may forkover 2000 bucks as a deposit with starry looks in their eyes while you explained the details of the project, they heard one thing: "We should be done by next Friday." Welcome to one of the loneliest to area on the planet, at first set one day a week as a day to get to know your market. And get out there and press business cards into people's hands. Anybody you see associated with upholstery, lady getting out of a car with a saggy headliner or torn upholstery. The staff at a yacht club, thrift shops, leave your cards. Important never down a car no matter what condition it is in. Say something like, "Your not the original owner, you know your cars, she's in good shape." Avoid or at least be forewarned, people that insist on acquiring the fabric themselves, calls for a quote and does not make an appointment but calls every other day comparing your price to someone elses oh and to gauge a client, when they call for a ballpark price on something, think of the most extravagant price, double it and drop it in them, you either hear a hang up or the person say, "When can I bring it in." Even in a rural area, they can't buy you at Wal-Mart now can they. Oh most helpfull for me, the people that move around a rural area are law enforcement and fire services, I see patches on their new shirts or fix their web gear for free. Why do I do that? A wise man told me in rehab, "If a business owner focuses on servicing his/her communities needs, he/she will be taken care of."

I live in an area that has a strong agriculture influence. While I mostly do one-off custom work, tractors, forklifts, quads etc have provided an abundance of “quick cash”. The local farmers are the ones that own the hot rods, so I have to keep them happy. During harvest seasons I often offer after hours repairs, meaning they can drop off at dark and pickup on the way back to the fields or orchards in the morning. It is a little inconvenient for me, but no down time for the equipment and happy workers make the farmers happy. The local ranchers become brand ambassadors at the coffee shops, they like to brag to each other about their equipment, and now their colleague’s are calling wanting the same. You can do well!! Jeremy

I have been self employed for almost 40 years and the best advertising is word of mouth. but I also use facebook and post pictures of projects I am working on before and after.
good luck.

Hey Chad,
Thought I'd weigh in because I'm operating a pretty new upholstery business in (very) rural Maine. The location hasn't really been a problem for me so far -- especially because I focus on small projects (motorcycle seats primarily) and a large part of my customer base finds me through Instagram.

I don't really use social media in my personal life but I'm on Instagram a lot for business -- I post my work, but also shots of just what life is like in the shop, my own riding photos, customer photos. And people seem to love that -- I think because it adds a face to the business and it's more personal than a website.

I'm not sure why, but Facebook doesn't really do anything for me. For instance, on FB I might have 400 followers, while on Insta I have more than 1.5k and growing every day. Instagram is all visual so it works great as an artist's portfolio.

It's also worth mentioning that Instagram really seems to be a young person's platform. I'm in my late 20s, so obviously just getting started with business, but what I've found is that my generation seems to be very intrigued by custom work. We seem to seek out more personal, unique business experiences. And Instagram, just by design, pushes that work to the front. It's definitely a platform that I'd recommend.