Customers not Profit the Secret for a Successful Home Business

The purpose of your new home based business is NOT profit, but rather the home based business owner's ability to identify and keep customers. The measure of the owner's success at identifying and keeping customers will be the level of profit earned by your new business and the degree of success from your sales and marketing efforts. Home based business owners who want to build profitable businesses understand and handle the sales and marketing functions as their number one priority. The home based business owner's job is to turn consumers into customers. A consumer is an individual who uses your product of service. A customer is an individual who uses your product or service is satisfied and willing to return. How does the home based business owner convert consumers into customers, by delivering value-added service? Valued-added service is the ability of the home based business owner to anticipate and deliver goods or services that exceed customer's expectations.
A successful home based business sales and marketing program does not require a large marketing budget. It does require the owner to be creative and focused. Focused sales and marketing efforts should be creative daily activities that seek to identify new consumers, add-value to existing customers and strengthen the positioning of the home based business in the market place.
C.J. Hayden in her article "Making Time for Marketing" states that "most home based business owners have to do it all. They have to serve the clients, manage the business, and perform all the other functions of the business; time becomes the most precious commodity they have. How can the home based business owner find time for marketing with so many other important priorities? Maybe the real answer is not to find more time for marketing, but to MAKE time. Every day, you take part in many time-consuming activities that don't include marketing.
Ms. Hayden outlines 8 easy ways to do creative marketing:
1. Attending workshops, business mixers, and cultural events. Whenever you plan to attend an event like this, consider inviting a business contact to join you. Just extending the invitation will contribute to building a stronger relationship between you. If your contact decides to attend, you can often get to know each other better in a more relaxed way than meeting one-to-one.
2. Having lunch or coffee with a prospect or colleague. If you are already planning to take time meeting with someone, add a third or fourth person to the party. Those invited will usually appreciate the opportunity to make new contacts themselves, and you may find conversation flows more easily when there is a group.
3. Traveling to another city. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, arrange to meet for lunch or dinner with a client or colleague. On a business trip, this is usually much more enjoyable than dining alone. As a tourist, a meal you would be eating anyway takes no time out of your vacation schedule, plus you'll often get local tips about where to go and what to do.
4. Taking a walk, visiting the gym, and other forms of exercise. Meetings with business associates don't have to take place in the office or a restaurant. Invite someone to join you for a walk in the park, run around the track, or a game of tennis. You don't have to learn to play golf in order to get exercise and do business at the same time.
5. Reading an article. Any time you read an interesting article in the newspaper, a magazine, or online, think of three people you could send it to. Writing a short "thought-you-would-be-interested" note and forwarding the item will take only a moment, but can make a big impression on the recipient.
6. Shopping, dining, or running errands. Every time you leave your home or office, you meet new people. They are behind the counter at the office supply store, in line at the coffee shop, sitting at the next table, or shopping in the same aisle. Whenever you find yourself chatting with strangers, remember to introduce yourself by name and occupation. You'll be surprised to discover how often this will lead to a connection that can result in business.
7. Attending social events. The best business relationships often begin casually in social environments. Keep your business cards in your pocket when you attend a wedding, housewarming, holiday party, or your child's soccer game. After you ask, "How do you know our hosts?" or "Which child is yours?" make your next question, "What do you do?"
8. Relaxing. You may have a long list of marketing projects that will take time but not your full attention. Consider doubling up these mundane tasks with a fun activity or some pleasant company. Enter business cards into your contact database on your laptop at the beach. Make phone calls from the hot tub or a park bench. Review your prospect list while watching old movies or listening to music. Ask your kids to help you stuff and address envelopes. Take your project to a friend's house so the two of you can work together on marketing."
There are many inexpensive ways to include creative marketing activities in your new home based business. One of the most effective strategies to promote your new home based business is to consider a promotional products campaign that keeps your home based business name in front of your target market. So instead of wishing you had a large marketing budget, why not make marketing a part of the time you are already spending?
How do you know you can handle Marketing for Your New Home Business? You know you can handle marketing when your new home based business has an increased consumer base that is converting consumers into customers due to your value-added service.