Marketing??

I am trying to get into portrait painting and I'm currently building a portfolio of samples. Soon I'll have enough to be able to show my work effectively. My question for the experienced pro's out there is; how best to market myself?

I'm going to try hitting the local market first. I already have a web site up, which also needs to be marketed better, but my main concern at the moment is getting some work locally.

Any help, hints or suggestions? Thanks in advance.