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Low-Cost
Promotional Strategies for Home Businesses
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The possibilities for promoting your business can be as varied as your
imagination. However, home-based entrepreneurs with shoestring budgets need
to identify the strategies that give the most bang for the buck. by
Lyve
Alexis Pleshette
Staff Writer
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Regardless of what type of business you are in, you need to get the word
out there that your business exists. As such, you need to develop
promotional and marketing strategies for your business. The possibilities
for promotions can be as varied as your imagination. However, home-based
entrepreneurs with shoestring budgets need to identify the strategies that
give the most bang for the buck.
(article continued below ...)
Whether your target market is based on a limited geographical area, or
your business reaches worldwide, here are some low-cost promotional
strategies that you can develop for your business.
Welcome the Newcomers. One important market that often flies under the
nose of small business owners is the new family that moved into the
neighborhood. Your new neighbors are often not familiar with the businesses
in the area, yet would have specific needs for products and services. If you
are operating a flower shop or a financial planning business, you may want
to routinely check who are moving into your area and send them a brochure or
packet detailing the products and services that you offer. They may not need
your products now, but you would want to be the business at the top of their
minds should they need it.
If your main clientele are other businesses, you should get information
on the newly formed companies, corporations and partnerships in your area.
Some business publications and newspapers offer a listing of new companies,
and the leads that you can generate from these listings may be invaluable
and easily pay off the cost of subscribing to the publication.
Set up a Club . Looking for ways to network in your community? Start your
own club! Having regular get-togethers with people interested in your field
allows you to connect with customers, potential partners, even competitors.
You get to meet other people, listen to what customers are looking for, get
to know the strategies working for your competitors, or even develop
profitable business alliances. Plus, it affords you the opportunity to
combat the dreaded sense of isolation when working on a home business.
If you do not have time to start your own club, look for one in your area
and join them. Check out MeetUp.com, a site that organizes monthly “real
life” meetings of like-minded individuals from retailers to stay at home
moms in your own cities or localities.
Hold a Seminar or Lecture. Whether you sell products or services,
speaking in front of a group establishes yourself as an expert in your
field. If you are an experienced seller at eBay, you can hold lectures on
how to start an eBay business. If you consider yourself an Internet guru,
you can speak about Internet marketing. Or you can give a lecture on how to
develop a simple bookkeeping system if you are an accountant or bookkeeper.
Start on a low-key scale in a smaller setting such as public libraries,
particularly if you have not had any experience in public speaking (or you
may have a fear of public speaking). Many public libraries often hold a
weekly schedule of talks, and they are constantly on a lookout for
interesting topics to present to their constituents. Whether you will be
speaking for 15 minutes or 2 hours, make sure that you prepare a plan
organizing your lecture. Having a clear idea of what you will talk about
makes you more confident and sure of yourself, and prevents any embarrassing
ramblings. The more you speak, the more comfortable you will be speaking in
front of an audience and more informed as to their expectations. Who knows,
you can even have a second career as a successful lecturer that gets invited
to talk in different parts of the country.
Give a Speech . Look for opportunities for speaking engagements. This
provides you with an opportunity to tout your services or your products. For
example, if you are a financial planner, tailor a speech to a women's group
about retirement planning. If you own an auto shop, you could give a speech
on do-it-yourself car repairs at your business.
Regardless of what you do or sell, there are promotions that are right
for you. Sit down and create a list of the ones that interest you. Then
prioritize them. Determine what you will do the first quarter and so on. In
a short matter of time, you will be successfully promoting your business.
Don’t Forget Your Car! It may sound cheesy to some, but putting your
business name or website address at the back of your car can be a very
inexpensive way to get your name out there. Use your car as your walking
advertising billboard. The more mileage your car travels, the more number of
people will have seen your ad. Who knows, the person driving right behind
you may be your next best customer! People read witty car stickers – make
yours instead your business name. Just make sure that the information in
your car is big enough to read.
January 4, 2005
About the Author:
Lyve Alexis Pleshette is a writer for PowerHomeBiz.com. For more
information on marketing a business, visit the
Marketing and
Promotion for Small & Home Businesses channel.
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