Why Market Your Business?
By: Cindy Ashworth
Marketing! It's everywhere. If you are someone that is working from home in
your own business, then you can't help but hear how marketing your business is
essential in your business growth.
For someone new in the work at home field, marketing can be a scary term.
Especially if you have never heard of it, done it and not even sure what it
means.
Understand this. Marketing is needed in EVERY business. Without it, your
business will not thrive and will probably fail.
Let's look at it this way. Let's say you had a building that you were renting
and you decided that you were going to open up your own clothing store. How
will people know you even exist? Sure, a few people may drive or walk past your
business. But, what about all the other people that don't go your way? What
about those that live in a different city, state or even country? And what
about those that use the internet? You are missing and endless amount of people
if you are not marketing over the internet.
So where do you begin in marketing your business? First let's start off easy...
A little offline marketing. You will need business cards. You can order 250
FREE business cards here and just pay for the shipping. I love using my
business cards everywhere. And I mean everywhere.
Your local mom and pop shops of all business's will usually let you leave your
business cards at the front counter. They want to help local business's as
well. I have left my cards at restaurants, bowling alleys, in restrooms, on pay
phones (not taped down), at atm machines and even in grocery stores.
Another great way to market: Coloring Pages. Yes, these work. You will want to
print off some coloring pages and make sure that you have your website at the
bottom of the page. You can take these coloring pages to daycares, nurseries,
preschools and even some grocery stores have a babysitting center that will
watch your kids while the parent does their grocery shopping. Ask any of these
places if you can leave some coloring pages there for the kids to color. And
everyone knows that kids love to show their parents their artwork. And the
parent will see your website on the colored page.
Here's a great tool that I used when we had a limousine company years ago. Go
to all the local business in your area and ask if they want to network with
other local business's. This is how it works. You will want a diversity of
different business's involved. A coffee shop that will offer 1 free large
coffee to go. A hair salon that may offer a free hair cut to a new client. Or a
card shop that may offer like 20% off their purchase. Do you get the idea? Six
to eight business's will be perfect for this. Make sure to include your business and an offer as well.
Let's say that you have 8 local business's that want to join this. Now don't
worry, you don't have to be an artist to do this... LOL. You will have 4
business's listed on the left side of the flyer and 4 on the right side of the
flyer. Company name at the top. What they are offering under the company name.
And then phone # and address under that. At the bottom you will have the
expiration date of the offer. A very quick and sloppy example is above. I just
happened to have this saved and uploaded it here... I know, I should have taken
time to make it professional but you should be able to get the picture.
Get prices from various printing companies and run off about 400 copies.
Whatever the cost is, will be split among all 8 companies. Each company is
willing to leave 50 fliers at their front counter for customers. This is a
great way to get exposure and it really does not cost much.
Holiday marketing is fun. If it's Halloween, this is what you do. Hand out
baggies of candy with your business card inside. Simple.
And if it's Easter. Invest in the plastic eggs and place a business card inside
along with some candy. Most Easter egg hunts will gladly accept donations of
the filled plastic Easter eggs. Just another great way to market.
About the Author:
Cindy Ashworth is the owner of
www.mykidsmywhy.com and
www.successfulwahm.
blogspot.com. She is a single mom, working her way to become a full time WAHM.
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