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7
Powerful Ways to Market Your Home Based Business At Little Or
No Cost
by Lisa Taliga
When you're
starting up your home-based business, you'll want to attract clients
whilst minimizing the impact on your purse strings.
Here are 7 very powerful marketing tips that you can start using
immediately to get your business off the ground. They cost either
nothing or very little in terms of cash outlay, but do require
an investment of your time.
Let me go into these in a little more detail:
1. Tell everyone what you are doing
Get the word out there quickly. If you're chatting to friends,
relatives, even to the hairdresser, take the opportunity to tell
people that you're going into business for yourself. Who knows
- they might know of someone who needs your services! I have been
recommended to two lucrative ongoing clients through friends of
mine.
2. Writing and submitting articles
Writing and submitting articles to websites and ezines is a powerful
way to gain exposure and build credibility on the internet. Write
an article about the benefits of working with your type of business
and look for ezine directories that would be interested in posting
it. You will be surprised at the results this method brings you.
3. Giving out and distributing business cards
Get professional-looking business cards designed as a priority.
Think of them as your calling card. Carry your business cards
EVERYWHERE with you, even to personal functions and events. You
never know where or when you will meet people who are interested
in your services. Your business cards will also get passed on
to other people who, sooner or later, will call you out of the
blue.
4. Registering with business directories and networks
Run a search on the internet for suitable business directories
and networks - many of these offer free listings, which will give
you valuable exposure for your business.
5. Participating in online discussion forums
There is a wealth of forums and message boards where small business
owners 'meet' online to help each other out and toss ideas around.
Which forums and boards would your target market visit?
6. Volunteering in your local community
This is a great way to get exposure in your local community and
showcase your skills. Does your local council or not-for-profit
organization need any help that you can provide? I got great results
with this strategy - one of my best clients came to me through
my volunteer efforts. I designed a website for a local not-for-profit
organization in my free time. They then referred me to an ongoing
client who is still with me today.
7. Using an email signature
Each email that leaves your computer should have an email signature
attached. This means that you're advertising your business every
time you send, reply, or forward an email. This may sound obvious
but it continues to amaze me how many people pass up this valuable
advertising opportunity.
So there you have it, seven powerful ways to get clients at little
or no cost. These are tips you can start using immediately. Before
you know it, you'll be working from home in your own business.
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Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author
of 'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your Successful
Virtual Assistant Business' and 'The 7 Things You Must Know
Before Starting Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business'.
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