| A home-based business, however, more often than | | | | Volunteer for various community causes. If |
| not, has a verylimited budget when it comes to | | | | appropriate, you canstep in during community |
| advertising. The home businessowner needs to make | | | | emergency, offering products andservices to help an |
| the public aware of his or her product orservice at | | | | organization or individuals in need. |
| the lowest possible cost. | | | | COUPONING. Americans are very coupon-conscious. |
| There are many ways. A pet breeder in a large city | | | | Test the market:at what level will coupons increase |
| was strugglingfor several years-until he came up with | | | | the volume of various productor service lines? When |
| a novel idea. He startedgiving away customized "birth | | | | you get some tentative answers, startdistributing |
| certificates" for the pets he sold. | | | | coupons that offer a discount on your services. |
| Almost immediately, his sales rose more than 10 | | | | Distribute them to area newspapers, on store |
| percent. | | | | counters, indoor-to-door- mail packets (which can |
| The owner of a new home cleaning service was | | | | often be quiteinexpensive), at the public library, at |
| trying to attractclients. She couldn't afford much | | | | laundromats, at anylocation where people congregate. |
| advertising, so she beganoffering "home cleaning | | | | BADGES AND NOVELTIES. You can easily and |
| seminars" to civic groups. After twomonths of | | | | inexpensively producebadges, bumper stickers, |
| seminars, she was swamped with inquiries and clients. | | | | book covers, and other novelty itemsfor distribution |
| Promotion often makes the crucial difference | | | | in your area. You can imprint your business nameand |
| between businesssuccess and failure. Customers or | | | | the first names of the customers on many of these |
| clients must know about abusiness or product line | | | | products atlittle cost and distribute them for free. Or |
| before they'll buy and they must have areason to | | | | you can tie yournovelty program into a contest: once |
| buy. | | | | a month, you can offer aprize to any individual |
| If you are trying to promote your business now, you | | | | whose car happens to carry one of yourbumper |
| can move inone of two directions: 1) You can take | | | | stickers or badges with peel-off coupons, redeemable |
| the conventional route topromotion and mount an | | | | atyour place of business. |
| elaborate media campaign, spending aconsiderable | | | | CELEBRITY VISITS. With a bit of persistence, you |
| amount of money or 2) You can let your creative | | | | may be able toarrange to have a local media |
| juicesflow and mount a low-cost promotion effort, | | | | celebrity, public official, orentertainment |
| using a potpourri ofattention-getting gimmicks to | | | | personally-even a fictitious cartoon character |
| bring your message to the buyingpublic. | | | | orclown-visit your service. The celebrity can sign |
| Now, to be sure, conventional advertising is valuable. | | | | autographs, readstories to children, perform cooking |
| If yourenterprise is large enough or if you're selling | | | | demonstrations, or performany one of a hundred |
| numerous productlines, you may find that a | | | | other traffic-building activities. |
| full-fledged media campaign is themost efficient and | | | | CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS. You'll probably want to |
| cost effective way to promote your business. | | | | celebrate majorpublic holidays with special sales. But |
| If money is tight, however, or you're not sure you | | | | celebrate some of theoffbeat holidays as well. |
| can amortizethe heavy cost of a media campaign | | | | Almost every business has a fewlittle-known holidays. |
| over a period of time, thefollowing is a assortment | | | | Ever hear of National Pickle Day, forinstance? Or Cat |
| of low-cost techniques you can try. Notall may be | | | | Lovers Month? Once you find the "right" holiday,you |
| appropriate for your particular business, andcertainly it | | | | can sponsor a special sale or special product arrange |
| would be costly to try them all. But you're sure tofind | | | | specialmedia coverage of a holiday event. |
| some ideas that will work for you. | | | | GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE. Can you open sales |
| GIVEAWAYS. People love to receive "free" items, | | | | information booths atcommunity fairs and festivals? |
| especially itemsthey can use to gain knowledge or | | | | This promotional technique canwork for gift retailers, |
| improve their lives. You canbase an entire promotional | | | | craftspeople, and personal servicefirms. If you have |
| campaign on this desire. If you'rerunning a furniture | | | | the people and the time, can you handleregional fairs |
| repair business, for instance, you could giveaway a | | | | or even trade shows? |
| furniture repair brochure, free furniture planning | | | | MAILING LISTS. Once you begin establishing a |
| guides,or color swatches. Once you begin giving away | | | | committed clientele,gather their names on a mailing |
| authoritativeinformation customers will begin to | | | | list. Save the names from yourmail orders and |
| perceive you as an expert inyour field. | | | | telephone inquiries. Eventually, you'll be ableto send |
| NEWS CREATION. Want to get names and news | | | | product circulars or even catalogs to the folks on |
| from your business inthe local newspaper? It may be | | | | yourlist and you'll be able to promise your products |
| easier that you think. If youdon't have any news to | | | | by mail. |
| report to the local media, create some. | | | | SCAVENGER HUNTS. If you want people to buy |
| Maybe you've taken on a new associate. Or maybe | | | | NOW, offer them anunbeatable deal. If they bring an |
| you're selling anunusual product line. Or maybe you've | | | | old product-a small appliance,a book, whatever-to |
| opened a free advice centerfor the community. Or | | | | you, you'll give them a worthwhile discounton a |
| maybe you've received an award from a civicor | | | | comparable new item. Or stage a general purpose |
| professional group. Local Pennysavers and weekly are | | | | scavengerhunt. Customers who bring in three canned |
| oftenquite interested in business news of this sort | | | | goods for yourcommunity's food bank will receive a |
| and can help youattract the attention of thousands | | | | discount on productspurchased that day. |
| of people. | | | | PARTIES. Everyone loves a party. Why not celebrate |
| EVENTS. You may be able to attract the attention of | | | | theanniversary of your business or some special |
| the media ora crowd by staging a special promotional | | | | holiday by offeringbaked goods and beverages? If |
| event. If you run afitness classes, for instance, you | | | | you're running a service business,perhaps you can |
| could stage a celebrityinstructor day. If you're | | | | offer an open house or obtain a small banquetroom in |
| promoting a new real estate business,you can offer | | | | your community. Besides refreshments, be sure the |
| tours of a model home in the area. If you'reselling | | | | placeis brightly decorated. |
| children's products and it's springtime, you can | | | | GREETING CARDS. Do you send out greeting cards |
| offerlunch with the Easter bunny. Get the idea? | | | | to major customersor clients? Holidays, birthdays, and |
| CHARITY TIE-INS. Are you launching a new product? | | | | anniversaries make nicegreeting card occasions. |
| Trying toincrease visibility among a particular segment | | | | Greeting cards create enormous goodwilland keep |
| of your community? | | | | your name in front of people. |
| Offer your product to one or more local charities as | | | | SEMINARS. In this information hungry age, people |
| a raffleprize or for use at a fund raising event. You'll | | | | love to receiveadvice, especially about their personal |
| receive lots ofexposure among people who buy | | | | needs and hobbies. If yousell health foods or run |
| tickets or attend the event. | | | | fitness classes, perhaps you can offer |
| CONTESTS. Offer a desirable or unique item-or even | | | | "wellness" seminars during lunchtime to your area's |
| severalitems-as contest prizes. First, find a contest | | | | businesscommunity. If you're an interior decorator, |
| theme that tiersinto your business. A caterer might | | | | perhaps you can offerone-hour decorating |
| offer a quiche-eatingcontest. A photographer might | | | | workshops to any group of ten people who |
| offer a young model contest. A mailorder craft firm | | | | willgather in someone's home. If you're running a |
| might offer an "Early American" handicraftscontest. | | | | printing business,perhaps you can offer tours and |
| Invite contest submissions and offer prizes to | | | | layout seminars at your plant. |
| thewinners. Do contests attract attention? You bet. | | | | If you're not pleased with your promotional efforts |
| All it takes isa few signs, a small press announcement | | | | today or ifyou simply must increase your exposure |
| or two, and the word willspread throughout the | | | | among customers andprospects-it's probably time to |
| community grapevine. | | | | increase your publicity efforts. |
| COMMUNITY SERVICE. Nothing brings you to the | | | | By all means, advertise in the media if you can or |
| attention of thepeople faster-or more favorably-than | | | | must. Butdon't neglect your greatest promotional |
| community service. Askyourself how your enterprise | | | | asset-your mind. Ponderthe products, services, and |
| can be a "good neighbor" to yourcommunity. If | | | | events you can offer the communityand devise a |
| you're running a lawn care and gardening | | | | creative promotional strategy around them. You'llhave |
| service,perhaps you can offer one season's services | | | | to invest a bit of time and energy in the project, but |
| at no charge to aneedy charitable organization or | | | | thepayoff will be worth it. You'll save hundreds-or |
| nursing home in your area. | | | | eventhousands-of advertising dollars and, better yet, |
| Hundreds of people will hear about your work in the | | | | you'll travel awell-worn shortcut to profit. |
| process. | | | | |