Home-based businesses are not remarkably different than other businesses. As such, they need the same kind of marketing support that businesses housed in commercial spaces do. All businesses – home-based or otherwise – require marketing support to survive. Making customers aware of the business, generating leads and providing products or services all stem from marketing support. So how can you get good marketing support for a home-based business?
How Many Home-Based Business Need Marketing Support?
No one really has a good handle on the number of home-based businesses that operate in the US, how much money they generate, or how many people they employ. Even so, if you operate a home-based business, you’re definitely not alone. According to the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, nearly one-third of US adults operate a home-based business. The survey doesn’t distinguish part-time income from full-time income, and doesn’t reveal the nature of the home-based businesses it found, but the data do provide some insight into those individuals who work from home.
In 2009, the Census Bureau estimates that nearly 20% of Tuscarawas County residents operated a home-based business. In 2013, that estimate was closer to 17%, but home-based businesses are still alive and well here. More women than men conduct business in their place of residence, and according to Census Bureau figures, nearly 20% of working females (aged 16 and up) in the county work from home.
If you work from home, marketing support for a home-based business is critical to your ongoing success, if for no other reason than this – many startups start at a kitchen table, in a basement or in a garage. Over time, successful start-ups can quickly graduate from a home to an office or store, but marketing support for a home-based business is crucial to that initial growth.
What does marketing support involve? In many cases, home-based businesses can benefit immensely from a custom-designed website that increases the visibility of the business. Simply helping potential customers or clients find a business can help in the initial start-up phase.
Along with having a professionally designed website, maintaining an identifiable web domain is important. Many small businesses make the mistake of using a “directory listing” service for their business. While this drives web traffic to the directory listing site, it doesn’t really help the business, aside from providing basic contact information. Instead, small businesses – and especially start-ups – can maximize their marketing budget by using a professionally designed website that operates under the business’s own domain. That might sound expensive, but it’s not. In fact, it’s really one of the best marketing investments you can make for a home-based business.
Creating a custom logo, stationery and business cards can also help identify and distinguish the business from competitors. Establishing a visual identity helps customers remember the business for their own needs, and also gives them an easy way to refer other potential customers or clients to the business.
If you would like more information about marketing support for a home-based business, please contact our Creative Director, Dave Ramsell or give Dave a call at (330) 243-0651 to set up a consultation.
Photo Credit: Ayla87, via FreeImages.com
