A great way to get free advertising exposure is to register your site in your hometown with Google Maps. Use this link to read about the new features that Google has added to their local interface.
Now you can add a photo, more information, and even properly position your map marker if it is wrong. However your listing only shows in your local area. You can not fool Google and try to show your listings in another location. Google will snail mail you a postcard with a PIN to verify your correct location for your listing. But it is still great exposure.
Not only do you get free advertising, but in some local searches on www.Google.com, your listing and map image will even appear above all of the organic listings regardless of where your real site placement is when a reader does a local query. That is reason alone for making sure that you are listed in Google Local!