by: Dirk Wagner
Promoting your home business is obviously one of the most important aspects in terms of becoming successful. The internet is full of opportunities where you can advertise your business. But, what about offline advertising?
Offline advertising is often one of the most overlooked ways of advertising for internet based home businesses. Let’s examine some ways you can use offline promotions to better advertise your home business.
Create Flyers
This is a great way to get the family involved in your home business! Using your computer, you can create attractive looking flyers that you can get your kids or spouse to help you hand out at the local mall, post on billboards at the shopping market or place on car windshields in parking lots. You just have to be creative. This is a very inexpensive form of advertising for your home business, and can be fun when you get the family involved.
Business Cards
This is a relatively cheap way of promoting your home business. You can find companies that can make your custom business cards for you, for very little money. Some companies I have dealt with will give as many as 250 free (excluding shipping charges), the only draw backs are they use the back of your cards to put there own business logo and usually the selection is limited compared to paid or premium business cards. Still a very good way to promote. You can leave your business cards around for people to find, leave a stack by payphones, in restaurants, in mailings to your customers. You can even save more money creating your own business cards with your home computer.
Bumper stickers/T-Shirts
Another very inexpensive way to promote your home business offline is by making up bumper stickers and/or t-shirts. This is a great way to get the word out about your product and/or service. Just give them away to everyone that wants one.
Calendars
These are great to give away as free gifts to potential customers. Other promotional items may include coffee mugs, key chains, magnets, pens, etc.
Sponsorship
Sponsor a youth athletic team, or give away free prizes at a golf tournament. Every organization is looking for sponsorship of some sort, create a plan of what you are willing to do to sponsor a organization.
Media
Using the media is a great way to promote. If you can afford it, doing a radio or television spot can bring in a ton of potential clients to your product and/or service. Classified ads in your daily newspaper is also a great way to promote your business. You may also consider sending out a press release to the editor of your newspaper about your home business.
Direct Mail
You can purchase or rent mailing lists to send out promotional material about your product and/or service.
Networking
Unless you never leave the house, networking within your community is a great way to let other’s know about your business. You can join in community groups, chamber of commerce, kids school functions etc.
Word of Mouth
Still one of the best ways to let it be known that you have your own business. Talk about your business and website as often as you can. Encourage other family members and clients to do the same.
There are many ways to advertise your home business both online and off. For best results you really should be using both forms to advertising.
Copyright 2004 Dirk Wagner