Some Marketing Ideas for your Work From Home Business

I’ve been working from home for over a dozen years now and one thing I’ve learned is that just because you’re open for business, the world doesn’t come beating a pathway to your door. Finding clients and customers is something you have to work at since they won’t know you exist, no matter what business you’re it, until you spend a large amount of your time getting the word out.

Here’s a few things I’ve learned about how to market your home business:

First, you must know your market. There’s a broad range of different types of work from home businesses and each one has different types of customers. So ask yourself, what is the target market for your products or services? Whether you sell insurance or provide an answering service for small businesses or sell software on the internet, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration if you can pitch your product or service directly to those who are most likely to be interested. So, are your customers someone who might walk in off the street or are you going to have to make phone calls or start knocking on doors to find them?

For example, if you’ve started a dog grooming work from home business, you’ll need to start advertising your services where owners of dogs are going to be — at local veterinarian’s offices and pet supply store. However, if you’re marketing your own line of dog shampoo, you’ll want to approach the businesses themselves, the vet and the stores, and set up an appointment with the purchasing manager to discuss having them stocking your product.

Make your advertisements stand out! You’ve probably noticed while waiting in your doctor’s waiting room the procession of pharmaceutical company reps coming and going. If you look around the doctor’s office you’ll probably see pens and pads of paper emblazoned with the logos of the different drugs they’re selling. Do any of these medications stand out in your mind? Probably not.

Now consider your own product or service. What’s the best way to have it stand out from the crowd? For example, if you’ve opened a nail salon work from home business, why not hand out pens in the shape of an real hardware nail. Don’t you think your customers will look twice when they see your gift to them? It could also get your name out to men who might not frequent your shop, but might be interested in purchasing a gift certificate for their wives or girlfriends.

If you have enough capital to purchase advertising on your local television station, please resist the temptation to make the commercial yourself! TV commercials are difficult enough to endure without having to watch an unprofessional ad with grainy resolution, impossible camera angles and poorly written ad copy read by someone who’s never been in front of a camera. Do yourself a favor and hire professionals to produce and direct the commercial for you, which will pay off in the long run. This rule applies for radio spots as well.

Get your friends and family to help out with your marketing campaign. Putting together an attractive flier or brochure with a special coupon attached is an excellent way to drum up business. Having the fliers to your pet sitting business handed out by a cute little boy or girl with a puppy or bunny or kitten ears, could be a sure fire way to get your business known and also to get into a conversation with prospective clients. Let’s face it, who can resist a little kid with bunny ears?

Always present yourself in accordance with your work from home business. If you operate a nail salon, your nails should always be in great shape; if you operate a dog grooming business, your own dog should be a virtual showpiece, even if you’re just walking around the corner.

Sponsor your local youth or church carnival. You can hand out some free t-shirts as prizes, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly they get snapped up! The is especially true if you’re situated close to a beach — why not hand out some free beach balls stamped with your logo during the summer!

Marketing your home business doesn’t require outrageous stunts, but with a bit of imagination and paying attention to details, you can take the path less traveled by doing something that’ll get you noticed. Why not have a nice dinner with your friends and at the same time have a brain storming session to see if you can all come up with some ideas. Often someone on the outside looking in can see something you may not think of because they’re brain storming from the point of view of a customer and what may catch the eye of a potential client.

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Glenn Cutforth is a writer, eBook publisher and graphic designer. For more information on starting a Work From Home business, go to his website at: HomeBiz Advisor and download a free copy of The Home Business Start Up Guide.

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