Marketing Options for Your Home Based Business

Without the cost of renting a space, a homebased business enables an entrepreneur to start and own a small business.

However, since you’re not working in a hightraffic area with a big sign outside your building, promoting your business can be a challenge and if not careful, costly.

Here are some of the quickest and best marketing tactics that you can use to generate leads and, eventually, repeat clients for your business.

The Internet has made marketing quicker, simpler and more accessible for a large audience. But that doesn’t mean offline marketing is an outdated option.

Although many companies have ignored online marketing options, mostly to their own loss, the vice versa is happening. Other businesses are losing business opportunities by not using offline marketing to reach their target market.

Therefore, tapping into both offline and online marketing for your home business marketing needs is a win.

Business Cards

Business cards are inexpensive and efficient and easy to share anywhere anytime. Above all, they make you look professional.

We all know that most business cards end up in the trash or stuck somewhere in the office or at home never to be used. However, there are ways to make sure your home business card is kept and used.

The first and the best way is to write something compelling on the card that would make your recipient to keep the card. For example, instead of just typing your business name, email, and phone, consider adding more important information that would encourage the recipient to keep the card.

Another way is how you share your business card. The old way of sharing a business card is not working anymore and you need a tactic that will keep your recipient interested by giving them a specific way you can be of help. Get to know what your recipient or customer needs and customize your message to their need as you hand them the card.

Also, don’t be stingy with your business cards. Give them to anybody and everybody who might be interested in your business. And, you don’t have to pay for business card design services, you can affordably design and print them from home.

Networking

This is one of the effective tactics you could use to market your home business.

Many people shy away from professional networking and most find it scary. Networking is one of the best ways to market your business and yourself and if you do it right, you could really build your business.

Networking allows you to directly interact with a prospective customer. This has a high conversion rate as the customers have interacted and heard about your business first hand.

While networking, know what your prospective needs and wants and focus your conversation on their needs and your solution. You can do that by asking questions that lead to their needs and challenges. Remember, your prospective customers want to know how helpful you could be to them.

Vouchers

Every customer wants to save money and making that possible for them is a great marketing approach.   

Vouchers attract prospective customers who don’t know you or your business and even existing customers to your home business. More people are more likely to try your products or services at a cut-price.

Give your vouchers to people who can benefit from your products or services that is your target customers. You can also consider leaving them in public areas where they can be easily notice by your prospective customers.

Another option sharing your vouchers with your existing customer list and requesting them to share with people they know might need your products or services.

Flyers

Creating and printing a flyer can be easily done from home.

Use your flyers to encourage customers to respond to your vouchers and to connect customers with your business. Consider including tear sheets in your flyers that customers can take home with.

Also, post your flyers in public places where they can be easily noticed by walking customers. Additionally, remember to check whether you are allowed to put up a flyer in a specific place. Some places prohibit putting up flyers and you could be charged.

Trade events

Offline and virtual events such as InstaMarket give you a chance to sell your goods and services. They also offer networking opportunities to different players in the industry. Think of industry influencers, prospective customers, suppliers, etc.

You can interact with customers or with people who would refer your business to people who could benefit from it.

Although some people might not buy from you during the event, you have shown prospective customers what your business is about. Additionally you might even get information about prospective customers as you share your business card, your brochure, free samples, etc.

Create a blog

Have a blog in your website for your business and create content relevant to your business and what it stands for.

If you have a craft business for example, share your handmade jewelry and share relevant information about each piece.

Use your blog as part of your brand where customers get to know you more as a business and keep up with you. Let them know your new products or services.

Give them as much information as possible that will make them stick around and buy from you.

Dominate the social media space

Create business pages on Facebook and Instagram and share useful information about your products or services on those pages.

Share promotions, giveaways, discounts, offers, and information about new products with your followers.

Use customer testimonials

Get testimonials from your current customers and post them on your social media platforms, your website or your blog.

Customer reviews and testimonials are a great way of increasing your credibility especially to new customers who have never interacted with your brand before.

You can even use these testimonials on your print materials such as your flyers.

Also, let your customer testimonials be diverse in terms of format. Have videos, images and written testimonials.

Show appreciation

Remember that customers who have interacted with your brand are more likely to buy from you than new customers.  Therefore, you need to make them feel important to your business and know that you appreciate them.

Show appreciation to customers via email, social media comments, rewards, thank you notes or vouchers.

This way, you boost their loyalty to you and are more likely to refer their friends or family to your business.

Remember your USP

Your Unique Selling Proposition/Point is a very effective tactic when it comes to marketing your home business.

Whatever makes your product or your services unique and different from others in the market is what will grow your business. Therefore, discover or create your USP and use it in your marketing.

Let your customers notice your products or services from the crowd through your USP.

Go local

Most home businesses forget to promote their businesses locally – where they live.

People who would benefit from your products or services in your area need to know you exist and where they can find you. You want to make sure that people who are searching you locally can locate you. Don’t focus on people who are far and forget those close to you.

Google My Business and Google Places are two great sites for listing your business locally, while also allowing you to be found all over the world. Enter your details and you can find it both locally and online.

Final Thoughts…

When you have a home business, the promotion never comes to an end. But this is a great way to ensure success and longevity for your home business. And when the customers come calling, you’ll be happy to be out there, whether online or offline.

A mix of the two – online and offline – would work well for your home business, particularly if you know where your target market is.