Sound familiar?

Bob called from Alabama with just this problem. His company manufactures creative, attractive and safe playgrounds. Lately, sales have been flat, at best, and despite having an outstanding product, his company isn't generating as many sales as he'd like. Bob wanted to know how to start more conversations so he can jump start sales.

Want more conversations with prospects so you can sell your products and services?

The first step to starting a conversation with someone is to get his or her attention. In school, you raised your hand and eventually teacher called on you -- of course, that is what teacher was paid to do. When you're marketing your products or services, you can't just raise your hand and expect prospects to call on you. Running an ad or having a web site that describes your products or services is equivalent of raising your hand. It may have worked in classroom, but it doesn't work in marketplace.

When you focus your marketing on yourself, your firm or your products, it rarely works to get attention or start a conversation. To engage prospects and get them to contact you, you need to focus on their needs and wants.

Bob explained that he had three different markets: day care centers, municipal parks departments and architects and each has different concerns. Parks departments concern is durability and safety of materials used, day care centers is creative design.

'A successful marketing strategy is not based on doing what you like but liking what you do...'

Are you looking for information to build and grow a home-based business? If so, you are in right place! Here you will find information on implementing a successful marketing campaign and growing your home based business.

The Problem

Many home-based business owners don't know how to best market their businesses. Some ignore marketing altogether, hoping that customers or website visitors will appear out of thin air. Others market in a scattershot way producing untargeted traffic or unqualified prospects. Either approach will keep you from achieving your business potential and reaching your financial goals and possibly even damage your reputation.

The Solution

Whether you've been thinking about starting a home business or you're already a seasoned home-based business owner, principle remains same. Your business' survival and success rests on how effectively you market your business or product. Examine some of following marketing strategies and tools to help you boost your home based business profits.

Home-Based Business Advantage

Low overhead costs, no commute to work and ability to work around your children are some of few advantages for home based business owners. Gear your marketing efforts to capitalize on these and other home-based strengths including:

Adaptability - Information Technology has escalated rate of change in marketplace. To survive and thrive, you must be prepared to act, and act quickly. As a home-based business owner, you can make adjustments instantly, without having to cut through red tape of bureaucratic decision-making procedures common in larger businesses.

Technology - Computers, Internet, PDA's, and other emerging technologies can take home based businesses to a more level playing field with bigger companies, empowering home based business owners to accomplish tasks that used to require hiring staff to perform. Try to keep up-to-speed with technology.

Flexibility. - Unlike traditional businesses that require full-time attention and high overhead costs, home based businesses can be operated part-time, at low cost, and depending on your financial goals can be phased into full-time operations.

Taking Your Business To The Next Level

A common reason home businesses fail is because owners neglect up-front planning needed to position their ventures. Once you have defined your market position and where you want to take your business in 12 months you will have moved one step closer to success.

If you already have a business begin by taking inventory of where your business is right now. What specific goods and services do you provide? How do you set yourself apart? What is your business' reputation? How are you perceived by your customers or clients as far as your prices, reliability, and other elements of your products or services?

The next step is to project where you want to take your business in 12 months. What market position do you want to occupy? Is niche market you want large enough? How will your benefits outsell those provided by competition? Do you have ability, capital, resources and support to make your market position a reality? Your answers will give you information you need to begin designing or updating your marketing plan.

Planning Ahead

Once you have determined where you want to go, outline essential steps to get there. Begin by writing a one sentence purpose (mission) statement for your marketing campaign. The rest of your plan should include a brief description of each of following:

Benefits of your products and services. Your target market. What marketing tools will best help you achieve your mission. Your market niche. What sets you apart in market place. Your marketing budget. Keep your marketing plan brief. The more concise you make your marketing plan, more effective it will be in evaluating your marketing efforts.

Finding Your Niche