Few More Work From Home Business Strategies
Press Release
This is an announcement to all relevant media outlets (radio, television, magazines, newspapers), letting them know that you have news. A lot of these are recycled, particularly if they’re little more than, “Yay! I started my business.” Send one out if you really have something newsworthy to announce – but be sure that it is truly newsworthy. What type of story is the media outlet expected to write or air? Why is the beginning of your business newsworthy? Unless you are doing something no one else has thought of, or you are holding a big event, it probably isn’t. And, after you come up with a newsworthy press release, your work isn’t done.
Plan to spend time calling to follow up on each release sent to each contact. The combination of an extremely newsworthy idea and persistence will work. Anything else will fail. (See Appendix A, “References and Resources,” for press release particulars.) Keep this type of marketing in mind. It isn’t likely to be a good fit when you start your business, but you can certainly build your business to a point when you’re ready to do this—perhaps one to three years down the road.
Marketing on a Budget
I hear you scoffing. ”Radio and TV ads? What, when I win the lottery?” It sounds like the marketing plan for some large, multinational business. And here you are – small, new, feeling poor (or actually poor, or both). There are many ways to market your business without spending five or six figures— or even four. Because the touchstone of good marketing is getting out, meeting people, and telling them about your business, many effective marketing techniques take time, but not much of a direct outlay of cash. You will still spend money, but we’re talking tens or hundreds of dollars, not thousands. So it’s now up to you to get out and meet people – or prepare to do so. Remember that list of ways to market my business I’m asked about? Here are the ones that work for me. (Most don’t cost very much.) Choose one, and do it tomorrow. No clients yet? Phone still quiet? Choose another one, and do it the next day. Still no response? Keep going.
Next we will talk about how much marketing is enough.
Tags: home business, home business marketing, work at home, work from home