How to Gain Customers for Your Home Business
By Aden H Bufton
One of the biggest difficulties facing new business owners is being able to advertise effectively to attract new customers and clients.Since smaller businesses, usually have a limited budget, they can find it hard to come up with a marketing plan. Here are a few ideas to help you reach your market, and gain more customers, in an affordable way.
Using friends and family, to help you spread the word, can be effective. You know that they are familiar with your business and can vouch for your integrity. Be sure they have a few of your business cards to hand out to anyone that might be interested in your products and services. If they have their own websites, they may help with links back to your site, or occasionally post a link to your site on their social networking sites.
You should never overlook more traditional methods of getting the word out about your business. While national media can be out of your reach when starting your business, ads in local papers can be inexpensive, and worthwhile. Choosing a trade magazine, that reflects your niche, also helps attract customers. Use of posters and bill boards and attending local trade fairs and exhibitions all helps to build a presence in your area.
Make every effort to network with people in your own and related niches. Many will be willing to carry an ad for your product, if it is related to theirs, because the knock on effect can help their own trading. For example if your business deals in construction supplies, you can advertise with construction companies, so look around to see where you could fit in. Point out that this is a win- win situation, with clear benefits to both parties.
One of the more effective advertising methods is to harness the power of social media. It is also generally free of charge. To use its advantages to the full does require a little effort from you. You need to sign up for several of the better known sites and take an active part in discussions. Answer questions and pose your own. Gather information from the search engines such as Google and you will soon gain a name as an expert in your niche. You will find that good content that you post, will be picked up and forwarded amongst friends, thus having a valuable viral effect. Use the same principles to join and participate in niche related forums. Extend this to video networks, such as YouTube, and you will soon see an increase in traffic to your site.
The importance of advertising can be seen when you realise that people cannot even visit your site, unless it is known to them, let alone buy from you. Unless you provide them with that information, you will be losing business. Much publicity is available to you, at virtually no cost, if you develop the use of the web to promote your interests. When you see the steady increase in the number of visitors to your site, you will recognize the value of this type of advertising. Combining traditional methods, and web based alternatives, gives you access to a wide audience. Remember though, that you should still be aiming your advertising to your specific targeted market, to maximise the benefits to your home based business.
Settling in the U.K. after many years of living and working overseas, Aden has become a regular contributor of informative articles on home based businesses and internet marketing. Admitting that his earlier efforts were difficult and frustrating, he finally found a new source of information and support that he continues to use today. He sees this as a lifetime companion and visits on a regular basis. Anyone interested can see for themselves by a visit to http://www.money-ventures.com
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