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One of the hardest things to do when you have a home based business is getting the right message to the right people at the right time. Basically, how you market your home based business, when you market your business and what you say to your audience will determine home based business success or failure. Here’s a couple of things I’ve done that work, and they can be done when you’re on a tight budget.

1. Home Based Business Expos~~I’m always on the lookout for affordable opportunities to showcase my home based business to people who are looking for a chance to make money from home. Getting involved with a Home Based Business Expo is the perfect blend of getting your marketing message to the right people at the right time. Look online for local networking groups or home based business groups in your area. Moms who work at home can try www.momslikeme.com. Most every major city has a chapter you can join for free. Here you can network, share experiences and discover new vendor opportunities at home based business expos in your town. Many times, you can receive advance notice and the cost to participate will be less expensive than if you wait until the last minute.

2. Print your own postcards~~This is why I love Vistaprint! It seems like every week of the month Vistaprint runs a special on 4×6 color postcards. Normally its 100 free postcards with you paying shipping and handling (a small fee). The reproduction is flawless and high quality. You can use these free postcards to promote your business effectively and affordably. We all know a picture is worth a thousand words, and everyone loves eye appealing graphics, be creative and put your work on a 4×6 postcard and distribute them to strangers on the street, or ask area merchants if you can leave some of your cards there. I find that when I think about where my target audience shops, it helps me to come up with ideas and places to leave the postcards. Record shops, restaurants, gas stations are just a few places that will allow you to leave promotional merchandise.

3. Use Twitter to announce your offline marketing appearances. Why not? Its free, and if you’ve targeted followers to your niche, maybe some of them might be in your local area and just show up. Or if they’re not in your area, you could still get a bunch of well wishes in the form of tweets and retweets.

4. Business cards will always be acceptable. Again, I use Vistaprint and get 250 free business cards so whenever I am out and about, I have some cards to pass out. It also helps to have some business cards available if you do Home Based Business Expos. Spread them out in your vendor booth on your vendor table so people who are just looking can take one. Think of business cards like a click on an internet ad. Even though your customer was just looking, they saw something they liked, and that’s why they took the card. Eventually that ‘looking customer’ will buy, sooner or later.

5. Text message all your friends and family. Yes, it still works. Text messaging all your friends and family when you are going to do a Home Based Business Expo helps because they will show up just to cheer you on. We all need support with our dreams, and friends and family will do just that.

These are just 5 ideas to market your business offline and get your product into the hands of people who can make a decision right now. Sometimes we get so involved with our online efforts we forget about the old fashioned way to do business, actually getting out there and meeting people. Marketing your home based business fast offline can sometimes bring you more customers quicker than online.

{This weekend I’ll be at the 25th Annual Kwanzaa Holiday Expo marketing my Scripture Glimpses Postcards, Calendars, T-Shirts and coffee mugs. If you’re in St Louis, look me up!}

Scripture Card Psalm 27:4

Tags: based, business, fast, home, how to market your business, ideas, market your business