I've heard that starting a business targeting a niche audience can make marketing easier, but I'm struggling to figure out how to actually reach that audience.

I'm building a product for people who have served LDS missions. It's essentially a web-based customization tool for a personalized print-on-demand product. Because I'm not carrying physical inventory, the software and customization experience are really the core of the business.

I served a mission myself and live in Utah, so I know my target audience pretty well, and I'm surrounded by potential customers. In theory, I feel like that should give me an advantage.

The problem is figuring out how to reach them. I don't have the capital for paid advertising, and many of the online communities where my audience gathers discourage or outright prohibit self-promotion.…