The fifth way you can market your home-based business is with brochures, which can an inexpensive yet attractive way to promote your business.
Brochures have more flexibility than other direct-mail pieces because you can hand out brochures at conferences, meetings, at a vendor booth, in person, at affiliate businesses, etc. Designed correctly, you can even mail brochures to your direct-mail addresses, too.
Most brochures are designed in as tri-folds, so plan your copy accordingly. Resist the urge to put too much copy on the brochure. A clean, crisp design with minimal words will capture the eye more than a cluttered, densely worded brochure. Work with a copywriter to develop the wording can be beneficial if that’s not your forte.
Again, have it professionally designed—it’s worth the extra money. One way to save on the design costs is to write copy that is timeless, so you can use the brochure design for several years.
For example, a brochure promoting our community pool’s open house tells readers about the annual the open house held Memorial Day weekend with the times listed but no specific dates plugged in, since the open house is held the same time every year. We also avoided dating the brochures by not listing specific membership prices, rather directing the recipients to our website. We’ve used that brochure for five seasons, reprinting as needed from PDF files provided by the designer.
Also, draw up a list of distribution places. Include businesses that could provide cross-promotion, such as flowers and bakeries.
Brochures can be a classy way to present your service or products to new and current clients. Give them a try and you might be pleasantly surprised by the return-on-investment.
Until next time,
Sarah
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Virtual Publicist
Each Thursday, I highlight a work-from-home job or business.
Position: Virtual Publicist
Education: While not required, a degree in communications, marketing or public relations will probably make you stand out.
Skills: The ability to promote, plan events, write press releases, pitch stories to the media, manage media contacts, conduct crisis communications and develop strategic plans.
Job outlook: Varies, depending on your skill set. Technology has opened the doors for virtual PR firms to exist across the country.
Possible employers: Companies like Perkett PR, Bisbee and Company, PartnerCentric, Orca Communications and Wasabi Publicity employ virtual publicists.
Preparation: You will need reliable high-speed Internet access, a landline, and a working computer. Consider taking some classes in PR to brush up on your skills, especially if you’ve been out of the workforce for a while.
Get your foot in the door: Visit the above sites to see what specific requirements are needed. Ask about a trial period to see if this job is a good fit.
Until next time,
Sarah
Position: Virtual Publicist
Education: While not required, a degree in communications, marketing or public relations will probably make you stand out.
Skills: The ability to promote, plan events, write press releases, pitch stories to the media, manage media contacts, conduct crisis communications and develop strategic plans.
Job outlook: Varies, depending on your skill set. Technology has opened the doors for virtual PR firms to exist across the country.
Possible employers: Companies like Perkett PR, Bisbee and Company, PartnerCentric, Orca Communications and Wasabi Publicity employ virtual publicists.
Preparation: You will need reliable high-speed Internet access, a landline, and a working computer. Consider taking some classes in PR to brush up on your skills, especially if you’ve been out of the workforce for a while.
Get your foot in the door: Visit the above sites to see what specific requirements are needed. Ask about a trial period to see if this job is a good fit.
Until next time,
Sarah
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Marketing Your Home-Based Business: Direct Mail
The fourth way you can market your home-based business is with direct mail, which can be a cost-effective way to reach customers. Direct mail works best if you have a targeted area that you want to reach. For example, my community swimming pool uses direct mail to advertise its memberships each spring to specific area locations.
Map out which areas you want to target. Many times, you can do the direct mailing yourself by contacting your city or county zoning or residential offices for mailing addresses. Some online companies offer this service for a fee, while some localities do not charge residents for providing an emailed list of addresses.
Invest in a mailing label program. Depending on how frequently you want to do direct mailings, you might want to consider investing in a program that will allow you to update addresses and manipulate data. While word-processing programs like Microsoft Office have a mailing label component, that software might not be robust enough for your purposes.
Develop a direct-mail plan. You might start off with a postcard mailing, followed up with a brochure or sample newsletter. Figure out what you want to accomplish with the mailings and plan accordingly.
Consider hiring a professional designer or copywriter to work on the presentation of the pieces. You might be able to barter for the work. Most local printers have on-site designers or a list of recommended freelancers.
Check out on-demand online printing. If money is tight, go to online printing companies, such as VistaPrint.com, which have attractive design templates for postcards, brochures, newsletters, etc. Pick the design best suited to your business, insert your copy and contact information, and presto! You’ve got a professional-looking direct-mail piece delivered right to your door for a low cost.
Don’t forget to drop by your local post office if you have any questions about how to mail your pieces. If you want to mail them anyway but using first class postage, you might need a special permit.
Direct mail can be an effective and attractive way to reach potential customers. Look into how you can use direct mail today.
Until next time,
Sarah
Map out which areas you want to target. Many times, you can do the direct mailing yourself by contacting your city or county zoning or residential offices for mailing addresses. Some online companies offer this service for a fee, while some localities do not charge residents for providing an emailed list of addresses.
Invest in a mailing label program. Depending on how frequently you want to do direct mailings, you might want to consider investing in a program that will allow you to update addresses and manipulate data. While word-processing programs like Microsoft Office have a mailing label component, that software might not be robust enough for your purposes.
Develop a direct-mail plan. You might start off with a postcard mailing, followed up with a brochure or sample newsletter. Figure out what you want to accomplish with the mailings and plan accordingly.
Consider hiring a professional designer or copywriter to work on the presentation of the pieces. You might be able to barter for the work. Most local printers have on-site designers or a list of recommended freelancers.
Check out on-demand online printing. If money is tight, go to online printing companies, such as VistaPrint.com, which have attractive design templates for postcards, brochures, newsletters, etc. Pick the design best suited to your business, insert your copy and contact information, and presto! You’ve got a professional-looking direct-mail piece delivered right to your door for a low cost.
Don’t forget to drop by your local post office if you have any questions about how to mail your pieces. If you want to mail them anyway but using first class postage, you might need a special permit.
Direct mail can be an effective and attractive way to reach potential customers. Look into how you can use direct mail today.
Until next time,
Sarah
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Mystery Shopper
Each Thursday, I highlight a different work-from-home job or business.
Position: Mystery Shopper
Education: No formal education required.
Skills: The ability to stealthily report on the service level and products on a variety of businesses, including restaurants, retail, banking, etc.
Job outlook: Varies, depending on your location (bigger cities tend to have more mystery shops available). Most restaurant shops reimburse a specific amount for food purchases, while other shops pay a flat rate. Assignments can be sporadic.
Possible employers: Companies like Bare International, A Closer Look, Secret Shopper and Volition Mystery Shopping gives listings of shops for members (you can join these sites for free). One note of caution: Do not pay to become an “official” mystery shopper. Legitimate sites do not ask for upfront payment.
Preparation: You will need access to a computer to apply for shops and to fill out the reports. Being able to take notes unobtrusively and to observe details is very important to a good mystery shopper.
Get your foot in the door: Become a certified silver or gold member of the MSPA (Mystery Shopper Providers Association). It’s worth the small fee, as some mystery shopping sites require a silver or gold certification. To receive the certification, you go through a short online tutorial and then take an online test.
Until next time,
Sarah
Position: Mystery Shopper
Education: No formal education required.
Skills: The ability to stealthily report on the service level and products on a variety of businesses, including restaurants, retail, banking, etc.
Job outlook: Varies, depending on your location (bigger cities tend to have more mystery shops available). Most restaurant shops reimburse a specific amount for food purchases, while other shops pay a flat rate. Assignments can be sporadic.
Possible employers: Companies like Bare International, A Closer Look, Secret Shopper and Volition Mystery Shopping gives listings of shops for members (you can join these sites for free). One note of caution: Do not pay to become an “official” mystery shopper. Legitimate sites do not ask for upfront payment.
Preparation: You will need access to a computer to apply for shops and to fill out the reports. Being able to take notes unobtrusively and to observe details is very important to a good mystery shopper.
Get your foot in the door: Become a certified silver or gold member of the MSPA (Mystery Shopper Providers Association). It’s worth the small fee, as some mystery shopping sites require a silver or gold certification. To receive the certification, you go through a short online tutorial and then take an online test.
Until next time,
Sarah
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Marketing Your Home-Based Business: Newsletters
The third way you can market your home-based business is by sending out a newsletter, which provides a way to communicate with your customers or clients on a frequent basis.
Think about how frequently you want to send out the newsletter. It’s wise to start out slowly and build up to more frequency as interest grows. Having a quarterly or monthly newsletter is probably a good place to start.
Decide how to send the newsletter, such as via USPS or email. How your newsletter is sent depends on somewhat on what data you have from your clients. If you can easily gather email addresses via your website or other forms, then e-newsletters might be the best way to go. If you have mailing addresses for most of your clients, you might consider snail mail.
Pick a catchy—but not too clever—title for your newsletter. Make sure your name says what the newsletter is about in a memorable way, but be careful that it doesn’t obscure your business. You want your title to draw people into to your business, not confuse them.
Develop an editorial calendar for your newsletter, which is a fancy way of saying plan out what you will put in each issue. This will help ensure you deliver valuable content to your readers in a way that will subtly promote your business. Whichever way you send it, make sure it’s designed in an attractive-yet-easy-to-read format.
Solicit content from customers and affiliate businesses. For example, I’ve profiled the jobs of a few readers in my free, monthly e-newsletter At Home News.
Have an opt-in and opt-out program. Make joining—and leaving—your mailing list easy for readers. And don’t forget to update the mailing list prior to sending out each issue.
Having a newsletter can be a fun and in expensive way to keep in touch with your customers. Consider starting one today.
Until next time,
Sarah
Think about how frequently you want to send out the newsletter. It’s wise to start out slowly and build up to more frequency as interest grows. Having a quarterly or monthly newsletter is probably a good place to start.
Decide how to send the newsletter, such as via USPS or email. How your newsletter is sent depends on somewhat on what data you have from your clients. If you can easily gather email addresses via your website or other forms, then e-newsletters might be the best way to go. If you have mailing addresses for most of your clients, you might consider snail mail.
Pick a catchy—but not too clever—title for your newsletter. Make sure your name says what the newsletter is about in a memorable way, but be careful that it doesn’t obscure your business. You want your title to draw people into to your business, not confuse them.
Develop an editorial calendar for your newsletter, which is a fancy way of saying plan out what you will put in each issue. This will help ensure you deliver valuable content to your readers in a way that will subtly promote your business. Whichever way you send it, make sure it’s designed in an attractive-yet-easy-to-read format.
Solicit content from customers and affiliate businesses. For example, I’ve profiled the jobs of a few readers in my free, monthly e-newsletter At Home News.
Have an opt-in and opt-out program. Make joining—and leaving—your mailing list easy for readers. And don’t forget to update the mailing list prior to sending out each issue.
Having a newsletter can be a fun and in expensive way to keep in touch with your customers. Consider starting one today.
Until next time,
Sarah
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