Conducting a business from your own home office can be a rewarding experience, especially if you have certain talents and sought-after products. But how do you make potential customers aware of your business and what it can do for them?
Business journals are filled with sage advice on the many ways you can succeed, like explaining how to find a mentor, taking advantage of continuing education, and where to get seed or extended funding. But how do these success-oriented actions help the home business owner who conducts most of his or her work hidden from potential customers?
It is not who you know, but who knows you
What these business gurus don’t talk about is “business awareness,” the issue that can afford home businesses to flourish, or without it fail miserably.
Here are six sure ways to assist your home-based businesses to thrive.
- Get out from behind your desk, even if it is in your back bedroom! Go to where your products or services are actually used. Talk to your customers to see if they holding up to quality standards. That may involve travel to locations where your business has the most customers. Showing a personal interest on their turf makes customers feel important and appreciated and no doubt be willing to continue as customers.
- Join the Chamber of Commerce. Meeting fellow business people strengthens your potential customer list. Many of these members work for companies that have units everywhere. If the locals think you are good at your job, ask them to tell their higher headquarters. Become known throughout the company rather than just by the local entity. Ask for names that you can contact.
- Always remember, home business operators are the experts on whatever the business is. Make yourself available to the local news media when they have questions. Oftentimes, when local or national stories break, the media always look for experts to comment. If the media have your name in their rolodex, you are the one they call. Potential customers who read, watch or hear what you have to say believe you are one to do business with because you are the expert!
- Feature writers for locally and beyond newspapers and magazines are always on the hunt for interesting stories. Pick out a writer and call to pique their interest on your products or talents. It maybe you sell widgets that everyone needs or past experiences that highlight your present and past career. There are many magazines looking for good “people” stories. Take Home Business for example. Everyone has a story to tell.
- Although your time is valuable, devote as much time as possible to local or national causes and charities. Customers like to deal with business owners they respect and admire.
- Go on the speaking circuit. Civic and business organizations are always looking for speakers. If you belong to an association that is organized for a common or joint purpose, join and become active in its operation. Attend its annual convention and become active in its operation. Volunteer to talk or conduct a seminar about issues that directly affect your business as well as others in the group. As in 3 above, you become and are the expert.
By expanding your horizons, chances are your home-based business customer base will be expanding, too.
