Dear Julie,
I recently started my own home business. Now I am ready to market but I am not sure how to do it without going bankrupt with the advertising expenses. Help Make Me a Hot Successful Mama!
Need a tip
I recently started my own home business. Now I am ready to market but I am not sure how to do it without going bankrupt with the advertising expenses. Help Make Me a Hot Successful Mama!
Need a tip
----------------------------
Dear Need A Tip,
First off, Congratulations on your new business endeavor. It is very exciting, yet slightly scary. Advertising can make or break your business. You will need to go over your business plan. Answer this - What type of customers/clients will you have? What will be the broad age range for your customers? What options are available in your immediate area? Expansion - how far are you willing to travel to deliver, or is shipping an option.
OK, now that your brain is on overload with all the possible ideas. You need to come up with some catchy ways to grab a potential customers attention. In advertising color helps, graphics help, catchy slogons help but along with all of that adds cost to the ad.
Economical ways to advertise:
Make your own flyers and put up in age appropriate areas around your town and everywhere you travel. You can hang flyers all over. Many libraries, grocery stores, colleges and gas stations have posting boards. Make sure your flyers stand out from all the ones that are already on there. Don't forget to bring tape and pushpins. Many times you have to supply them.
Advertise Online - Create your own website. What a better way to show customers what you have to offer. It doesn't have to be an elaborate website but one that gets your point across. If you have never created one than ask around or ask me and I can get you started in the right direction.
Many websites offer free advertising. See if your local internet provider has an online bulletin board. Some sites that I have used are - craigslist.org, eventlister.com, freeweddingclassifieds.com. Don't forget you can advertise on Make Me A Hot Mama.com too!!!
Local Newspaper - See if they offer any specials. They can be costly so choose your words wisely. Sometimes the smaller local papers are more economical and you may be able to run a larger ad or place your ad for more than one week for the same price as the larger newspapers.
Keep in mind though which newspaper will have more readers.
Attend home business shows, arts/craft shows, local fairs, business expos. Anyway you can get your name out there is great. Work on setting up an eye-catching table exhibit. Get customers to come to you and ask you more about your products. It is easy advertising. Please use good eye contact with the potential customer. It is hard to see what they are thinking if you can't see them. Watching their facial expressions will help you manage your conversation with them. Also, work on different scenarios so you are prepared to answer any questions they may throw your way.
Dress the part. There is nothing worse than looking at someone who is weating the wrong size clothes or has a very sloppy appearance while they are trying to sell you their product. For me personally, it is a major turn off and most of the time I don't waste my time even stopping at their table. My thought is if they can't take care of themself them imagine the quality of the product. I know that may be wrong but that is just me. First impressions matter!
Make sure you compliment the person looking at your table (I love your necklace), this little compliment can open up the conversation and get that potential customer talking and looking more at your products.
Kids - don't forget the potential of children. I usually have a candy dish, stickers or even temp. tatoos to pass out to the younger generation. Kids come over to our table and the parents do too.
I guess I could go on and on about show do and dont's. I will have to save that for a future article.
Again Congratulations and keep thinking out of the box for ways to grow your business. It will take hard work but it will pay off. Be patient and keep moving forward.
Dear Need A Tip,
First off, Congratulations on your new business endeavor. It is very exciting, yet slightly scary. Advertising can make or break your business. You will need to go over your business plan. Answer this - What type of customers/clients will you have? What will be the broad age range for your customers? What options are available in your immediate area? Expansion - how far are you willing to travel to deliver, or is shipping an option.
OK, now that your brain is on overload with all the possible ideas. You need to come up with some catchy ways to grab a potential customers attention. In advertising color helps, graphics help, catchy slogons help but along with all of that adds cost to the ad.
Economical ways to advertise:
Make your own flyers and put up in age appropriate areas around your town and everywhere you travel. You can hang flyers all over. Many libraries, grocery stores, colleges and gas stations have posting boards. Make sure your flyers stand out from all the ones that are already on there. Don't forget to bring tape and pushpins. Many times you have to supply them.
Advertise Online - Create your own website. What a better way to show customers what you have to offer. It doesn't have to be an elaborate website but one that gets your point across. If you have never created one than ask around or ask me and I can get you started in the right direction.
Many websites offer free advertising. See if your local internet provider has an online bulletin board. Some sites that I have used are - craigslist.org, eventlister.com, freeweddingclassifieds.com. Don't forget you can advertise on Make Me A Hot Mama.com too!!!
Local Newspaper - See if they offer any specials. They can be costly so choose your words wisely. Sometimes the smaller local papers are more economical and you may be able to run a larger ad or place your ad for more than one week for the same price as the larger newspapers.
Keep in mind though which newspaper will have more readers.
Attend home business shows, arts/craft shows, local fairs, business expos. Anyway you can get your name out there is great. Work on setting up an eye-catching table exhibit. Get customers to come to you and ask you more about your products. It is easy advertising. Please use good eye contact with the potential customer. It is hard to see what they are thinking if you can't see them. Watching their facial expressions will help you manage your conversation with them. Also, work on different scenarios so you are prepared to answer any questions they may throw your way.
Dress the part. There is nothing worse than looking at someone who is weating the wrong size clothes or has a very sloppy appearance while they are trying to sell you their product. For me personally, it is a major turn off and most of the time I don't waste my time even stopping at their table. My thought is if they can't take care of themself them imagine the quality of the product. I know that may be wrong but that is just me. First impressions matter!
Make sure you compliment the person looking at your table (I love your necklace), this little compliment can open up the conversation and get that potential customer talking and looking more at your products.
Kids - don't forget the potential of children. I usually have a candy dish, stickers or even temp. tatoos to pass out to the younger generation. Kids come over to our table and the parents do too.
I guess I could go on and on about show do and dont's. I will have to save that for a future article.
Again Congratulations and keep thinking out of the box for ways to grow your business. It will take hard work but it will pay off. Be patient and keep moving forward.
Email her at julie@makemeahotmama.com
