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In this issue:

1) Tip of the Week

2) FEATURE ARTICLE: How To Use Marketing and Sales To Explode Your Home Business (Part I) by Sean M. Lyden

3) CLASSIFIEDS

4) FREE Resources

5) MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE: The Human Spirit by William N Hodges

"Tip of the Week"

Marketing is an ongoing process that you'll be engaged in throughout the duration of your business. Your approach to marketing should be as multi-faceted as possible. Commit to tying new methods at periodic times in your annual planners, even if you have to stretch yourself a bit. Here are a few ideas that you may have not thought of:

1. Do you use a car or truck in your business? Have your business name and contact information painted on the side. Besides adding credibility, you'll get some name recognition in your local community. If you're reluctant to have you vehicle painted, try magnetic signs.

2. Offer to speak at meetings of your local organizations, i.e., volunteer organizations, local chambers, libraries, schools, etc. on a subject in your area of expertise. Once you've become adept at speaking, you can contact speaking bureaus that will book speaking engagements for you. You'll get paid for speaking, establish yourself as an expert in the field and create publicity for your product or service.

3. Write an article that informs the public about what you know. Send it out to newspapers, magazines, newsletters, online forums, etc. Include your name, business name, phone number and a reference to your product or service. If the editor chooses to use your article, your name goes into print providing credibility for yourself and possibly some free publicity for your business. Remember to ask for permission to reprint the article for use in future marketing materials.

3. Try cold calling...the ultimate stretch! Decide which people or businesses you'd like to work with and give them a call. Describe what you do and ask for an appointment to discuss how you can help them.

FEATURE ARTICLE

How To Use Marketing and Sales To Explode Your Home Business (Part I) by Sean M. Lyden

The Problem

Many home-based entrepreneurs don't know how to best market their products and services. Some neglect proactive marketing all together, praying earnestly and waiting for prospects to fall through the ceiling. Others market full-force, but produce shoddy publicity materials or other key marketing mistakes that kill their business credibility, pushing clients away. Either approach will keep you from achieving your business potential and financial dreams.

The Bottom Line

Whether you've been thinking about starting a home business or you're already a seasoned home-based entrepreneur, the principle remains the same Ñ your business' survival and success hinge on how effectively you penetrate the marketplace. Therefore, examine how the following marketing strategies and tools can help you boost your home business profits in 1998.

The Home-Based Advantage

Low overhead costs, no commute to work, the ability to be home with the kids Ñ these are just a few of the advantages for the home business owner. Gear your marketing efforts to capitalize on these and other home-based strengths including:

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

¥ Technology. Computers, the Internet, fax machines, and emerging video-conferencing can take home businesses to a more level playing field with bigger companies, empowering entrepreneurs to accomplish tasks that used to require hiring staff to perform.

¥ The Part-Time Option. Unlike conventional store-front businesses that require full-time attention and high overhead costs, home businesses can be operated part-time, at low cost, and Ñ depending on your financial goals Ñ can be phased into full-time operations.

Taking Your Business To The Next Level

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

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 customer as far as your prices, reliability, and other elements of your products or services? If you already have a business, seek feedback from existing clients.

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

Planning For Profit

Once you have determined where you want to go, outline the 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 the following:

¥ Benefits of your products and services.

¥ Your target market.

¥ What marketing tools will best help you achieve your mission.

¥ Your market niche Ñ what sets you apart in the market place.

¥ Your marketing budget.

Keep your marketing plan brief. The more concise you make your marketing plan, the more effective it will be in evaluating your marketing efforts throughout the year.

Finding Your Niche

This is often the hardest task for a beginning home-based entrepreneur Ñ but also one of the most crucial. In order for your venture to survive in a competitive marketplace, you must distinguish yourself from other businesses and find a niche. What makes your business unique? Why should someone choose to buy from you over a competitor? Prospective clients want to know. If you can give them a compelling answer, you will position yourself as a leader in your industry Ñ boosting your profit potential.

Marketing Tools That Hit a Home Run

No matter how you choose to publicize your business, one principle should guide your promotional material: Get to the point Ñ fast. You're vying for the attention of consumers bombarded each day with advertisements from countless companies Ñ some being your competitors. Don't waste any time getting your message across.

Ad Ñ Vantage

You have determined your market position and drawn up a marketing plan; now you're ready to proactively spread the word about your products and services. One effective tool is mass-media advertising. You have a variety of media choices Ñ depending upon your target market and your advertising budget Ñ including magazines, newspapers, television, radio, and the Internet.

Start by evaluating how and where your competitors advertise. What's working for them? Take their best ideas; then design your own winning layout, positioning yourself as having the best offer.

Seductive Headlines

As the first phrases seen in advertising copy, headlines should arouse enough interest in the reader so that they will want to read or listen on to learn more about your product, price and offer. To get ideas about what headlines will work best for you, scan different types of ad copy, particularly those from your competitors. Effective headlines:

¥ Capture the customer's interest

¥ Build business credibility

¥ Highlight the most important benefits

¥ Are always positive.

Testing Your Ads

Advertising can be expensive, but for just about any business a mandatory investment. To get the most out of your ads, test them by the following criteria:

¥ What is the quantity of leads or prospects that the ad generates? Compare this amount in terms of a unit cost of advertising (dollars in advertising per leads generated).

¥ How many of these leads convert into sales? Different advertising media Ñ due to the audiences they target Ñ will vary in the numbers of actual closes.

Continually check the response from your ads, make changes or run a new ad if necessary.

Regional & National Exposure

Magazines and trade journals are the Energizer Bunny of the advertising tools Ñ they keep going and going and going. Not only do magazine ads have the longest "shelf-life" of any advertising medium (giving your business exposure for as long as that issue is in circulation), but you can make reprints of that ad that will last you forever. You could run an ad in a major national magazine (a cost-effective option for home-based entrepreneurs to build credibility and compete with larger companies) and then order reprints of that ad to use as powerful credibility pieces in sales presentations, direct mailings, or whatever promotional means you choose.

To find out if a publication will give you the exposure you want and fit in your marketing budget, call and ask for their media kit. Not only will you find out a magazine's ad rates, but you'll learn about its circulation, demographic focus, etc.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Newspaper ads are very effective for home-based businesses that market their products and services locally. Not only can you reach a large number of people in specific metropolitan locations, but you can also target prospects via their interests (e.g. sports, lifestyle, and business sections).

Go to your local library to study back issues of the newspaper in which you're interested in placing an ad. What would be the best day for you to run an ad? If you were running a catering business, for example, you would choose Wednesday or Thursday because those are the days most newspapers print their food sections. What section of the paper would be best geared to your target market? If your offer is directed toward males, the sports section would be one for you to consider.

Advertising costs depend on a number of factors including: the size of the ad, where in the paper it's placed, the day it runs, etc. As with magazines, call and request a media kit from the newspaper to determine what advertising steps you can take that will fit within your marketing budget.

Making Waves With Radio

Radio advertising enables you to hone in on your target market depending upon the type of station, time of day and day of week you run an ad. The advertising costs for the large, more popular stations are out of reach for most home-based entrepreneurs. However, smaller stations provide less expensive options.

When deciding whether or not you can afford to place a radio ad, determine how many times you need to run the ad in order for it to be effective. Initial placement may fit well into your budget, but the true test is to consider the overall costs of running an effective radio advertising campaign.

For many home-based entrepreneurs, radio is not a cost-effective medium for home business owners, especially those who market to a national audience. However, if you target a local market and have the funds to run your ads consistently on a number or stations throughout the year, radio advertising may very well be the ticket you need to take your business to the next level.

Now You Too Can Be on TV!

A television commercial Ñ when done properly Ñ is the most powerful way to get your message across. The combination of video and audio appeal to more senses than any other advertising method. Historically, because of television's drawing power, only the big-name companies could afford to use it to advertise. However, with the dawn of satellite and cable TV, more affordable options are available for the home-based entrepreneur.

As with radio, consider how often you need to run a TV ad for it to be effective. Then add up expenses. Placement costs have plummeted significantly, but if you purchase only one or two thirty second segments, you won't likely make enough impact on your target market. Therefore, decide how much of your marketing budget you're willing to devote to television advertising. If you cannot afford a significant number of runs, invest your advertising dollars elsewhere, such as magazine advertising. If you can, take full advantage of this powerful medium.

The Power Of Printed Material

Once your ad has generated interest, how do you keep your prospects hungry to know more about what your business can do for them?

Brochures To Generate Closures

Whet their appetites with a compelling brochure that showcases your business' features and benefits and promotes your business expertise. Add attractive graphics and attention-grabbing headlines to give your brochure a professional appearance and build your business credibility.

Home-Based Basics

Your brochure is just one component in you marketing arsenal. Don't overlook the sales-generating potential of basic business printed materials:

¥ Letterhead and Stationary: Use high quality paper. Consider including your mission statement and a brief listing of services. Incorporate all ways to contact you, such as e-mail and fax.

¥ Faxes: A fax cover sheet should mirror the letterhead. Include your company name and number across the top of the page.

¥ Business Cards: When meeting a potential client, the business card is your first introduction. Put a headline on it that defines your mission. Fill the blank space on the back the card with the top three benefits your business has to offer.

¥ Invoices, Statements & Miscellaneous Correspondence: In all correspondence you have with a client, even sending a bill, use these as opportunities to market your business. As an example, an invoice to a client might contain a special discount only for previous customers.

¥ Flyers: Less formal and shorter than a brochure, flyers are used for impersonal promotions targeted to a time-specific event (special discount, sale item, etc.). Home-based entrepreneurs who market to a local audience can tack them up on utility poles and bulletin boards, place under car windshields, insert in newspapers, or deliver through carrier route mail. For national marketing, flyers can be send through the mail.

Come back next week for Part II........

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MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE

THE HUMAN SPIRIT copyright 1998 William N Hodges

This morning, as I watched a TV news program, I listened to a newsman interview a man who had been lost in the mountains during a blizzard. The newsman's question was, "At anytime during your ordeal, did you fear for your life or begin to give up hope that you would be rescued?" I immediately thought that was a stupid question. Who in their right mind, having been exposed to below zero temperatures and gale force winds, would not fear for their life? To my surprise, the man being interviewed smiled and said, "No I never gave any thought to dying. I was too busy concentrating on living." He went on to say that he used every fiber of his energy to generate positive thoughts, and an "I will make it" attitude. This gave him the power to keep going.

Two or three years ago, a ship went down off the coast of Florida and all but one of the crew were drowned. Five began swimming when the ship sank, but only one remained when help came. The survivor swam and treaded water for over 24 hours. He said that his comrades gave up hope of rescue and, as hope faded, so did their strength. One by one, these men without hope sank beneath the surface. When interviewed, the man who survived said about the same thing as the man who had survived the blizzard. At no time did he allow himself to consider the possibility he would not survive the sea.

These are dramatic examples of the spirit of man conquering the powers of nature, or at least holding them at bay. But every day, all around the world, there are men and women who are meeting challenges greater than any nature can provide and winning. Competent medical authority has declared that through no fault of their own they have an incurable disease. Some accept this diagnosis and some don't. A friend of mine was given six months to live five years ago and he is still going strong. The medical establishment is at a loss to explain how he continues to defy the odds. He explains it by saying he just doesn't have time to die. He said that from the day the doctor told him the results of his tests and explained the seriousness of his condition, he decided he was going to fight to live as good a life as he could for as long as he could.

The human spirit is a wondrous thing. With the right attitude, the spirit of man is virtually unconquerable. This is not to say that simply because a man chooses to live, he will survive a blizzard or the sea. It is certainly not a guarantee that simply by willing it, we will be able to live forever. But I can guarantee that where the spirit is strong, the chance of survival is great. Believe in yourself and your ability to win over whatever difficulty is facing you, and you are well on your way to victory.

Bill Hodges is nationally recognized speaker, trainer, and columnist. If you enjoyed this article, you will enjoy his book Within Your Reach which contains 60 such articles on positive thinking available either in print or a three cassette audio tape. If ordering from your local bookstore, .reference ISBN #0-9622717-0-5, or you may order directly by sending your check for $4.95 USCurrency plus ($1.30 USA $3.00 Other)for the printed book or $20.00 plus ($3.00 USA $6.00 other) for shipping to Hodges Seminars International, P O Box 22 Fairborn OH 45324. Or order by Visa or Mastercharge at his Web site <http://www.BillHodges.com>

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