Home is where the heart is, and home based businesses are certainly full of heart. Unlike massive corporations, these smaller operations are very personal. They’ve often been built from scratch, based on a passion or interest. Starting a home based business can completely shape your career and the way you earn money, and so these kinds of ventures mean a lot to people. But just having a good product or service to sell isn’t enough, if you want to succeed then you need to ensure that you’re promoting and getting the word out to the right people. Here are some of the ways you can advertise your home based business, depending on what you do and sell.
For online businesses
If you’re an online business that sells products nationally or globally, or online services which can be used from anywhere in the world then you’d promote your company in the same way that any other professional business would. You need to work on spreading your message far and wide, things like Google Adwords are good for this. Social media is a great way to get out there, and tactics such as blogger outreach and working with influencers promote your brand to as many people as possible.
You’ll still need to target your advertising, for example if you’re a sports brand you’d work with sports celebrities and promote in and around gyms. But it’s all about spreading the word of what you do over the countries and places that you’re going to be selling in. It’s a massive job and there’s a lot that goes into it, so enlist an advertising agency to help you.
For local businesses
Do you only sell your products locally? Perhaps you’re a baking business, a florist or a cleaning company and your customers are only those in your relatively immediate surroundings. If so, there’s no point advertising your company globally or even nationally, as these people aren’t likely to need to use your business. First things first, you should still have a website and social media accounts. You still need to be visible online, as people within the area will be searching for businesses like yours so you need to be able to be found. But you don’t need to spend money on marketing such as adwords or even blogger outreach.
Instead, focus on more local methods. Billboards and posters hung around the area to catch people’s eye. Post leaflets through doors or put them in shops where your customers are most likely to be. For example, if you sell items relating to children they play centres and parks would be a good place to leaflet and flyer. Work on building up your social media accounts, as it’s a great way for customers to recommend you to their friends and family. Another fantastic way to promote a local, home based business is to host an event. Hire a venue and show off samples of your products. Make it fun, offer food and drinks and get people chatting and mingling. Once they’re there, you can tell them more about what you do in a relaxed, informal way.
