How to Market your Home Business

Marketing for the home business owner is an everyday job. New customers must be made aware of your business and you have a new goal to get that message to the world. Luckily, there are many ways that you can market your business. Marketing does not have to cost money. Marketing can consist of word of mouth, print or media advertising. Media advertising consists of t.v., radio and the Internet.

Marketing by Word of Mouth

Work on spreading word about your business at every opportunity you encounter. When you are around people and something is mentioned that deals with the subject of your business, use this opportunity to work your business into the conversation. Always carry a stack of business cards in your pocket to hand out to others.

Ask your family and friends to mention your business at the proper time in conversations. The more people that hear about you business, the more they will mention it to others. You can join local groups to meet prospective customers.

Testimonials from satisfied customers are a great way to get word out about your service or business. People love to talk about their buying experiences. After a good buying experience many people will mention it others. Be careful though, studies have shown that people will talk about their negative experiences many times more that their positive experiences. Make sure you give them good customer service so they only have positive things to say about you.

Print Advertising

Newspaper ads, flyers and business cards can all be used to market a home business. You can use your computer printer to do inexpensive print advertisement such as flyers. These can be left at bulletin boards and counters of some businesses. Use an eye catching design, but don’t make it too cluttered.

I don’t recommend printing business cards on your home printer. They don’t have the same weight and quality as professionally printed business cards and the professional cards can be as little as $10 for 1000 cards.

Newspaper advertising is still a great way to market your home business. Even though newspaper subscription rates are reducing in numbers as the Internet becomes more popular, newspaper advertising continues to have a high success rate. Local newspapers are very successful for home business marketing. Most home businesses are small and are looking for local clients. The local newspaper is a great way of getting your message to your community. Paid newspaper advertising is not the only way to get your business some publicity. Create a small press kit and send it to the newspaper. If they send a reporter to interview you, you have just created some free advertising in the local paper! Free advertising fits into every budget.

Purchase advertising in coupon books that are used to advertise local businesses. This is a great opportunity to advertise at extremely low rates. Give a discount to draw people to the business who may not otherwise visit.

Please remember, print advertising can take several exposures before a customer notices the offer. You will repeat your print offer many times before a good response is seen. Use patience when using this method of advertising.

Media Advertising

Television, radio and Internet advertising for your business can be very costly. However, you can reach a much larger audience, so if the marketing budget allows for it, this may be the way to introduce your business a large number of new customers. This type of marketing can bring you a high volume of customers very quickly. These customers will also be ‘friendly’ customers as they sought you out after already being sold from the advertising.

To start out in media advertising, find a small radio station that is willing to barter by allowing your business airtime in exchange for giving a product or service to listeners, perhaps in a contest. Getting interviewed on the air is also a great method of telling customers about your business.

In order to get maximum exposure for your business use all three of these marketing methods. You will find positive and negative elements in each of the methods. Refer to your budget and only use the methods that will allow you to stay in budget. Take advantage of all of the free and low cost marketing opportunities that arise.

Remember, home business marketing is successful if practiced on a daily basis. Get that message out there so that customers know you exist!

In 2016, new ways and techniques to promote your home business have seen the light. One of the best techniques s to use social media media marketing to grow your home business.