Home Based Business Marketing

Home Based Business Marketing for a Virtual Assistant business is easier than you may think.

Since your business is virtual, the first thing you will need to do is create your own Website. Your website will serve as a tool not only to market your services but as a first impression of you and your business to potential clients.

There are basically two ways to promote your business; online and offline. Almost half of all VAs use both methods equally to promote their business.

Online Marketing

Your website is a very important aspect of your marketing, therefore make sure you create the most professional looking website possible. Once you have your website up you will need to bring some traffic of potential clients to your site.

There are many ways to promote your website:

• Blogs: Blogs are an easy way to bring traffic to your site. Wordpress and Google Blogger can help beginners set up a blog quickly and easily - and free! Start your own blog and talk about your services and what you have to offer. You can also search online for forums related to your industry. Post some advice on one of these forums with a signature including a link to your site for some free traffic.
  
  
• Article Marketing: Article marketing is a great way to promote your new business. Think about what is unique about you and your services. You only need about 500 words to write an informative article. Think of some helpful advice you can give potential clients and how your services can help. There are free article directories that will post your article when approved. Include links back to your website and you can catch some free traffic.
  

• Press Releases: Another way to go about your home based business marketing is to write a press release. This is basically a short story about your business that you traditionally submit to the media, radio and publishers. Today, you can also submit press releases online and there are services that will distribute your press releases on the internet for you.

• Social Networking Sites: Social sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube offer huge forums to attract likeminded business professionals. Create social groups with other virtual assistants and business professionals who can utilize your business skills. The social site, Squidoo, allows members to create unique pages, or lenses that showcase a particular kind of content. It's like developing a new webpage each time.
  
  
• Email marketing: - It's much the same as direct mail, but involves referrals from people who visit the website and also links back to your website where the potential client can look around and get a feel for your expertise
  
  
• Paid Internet Advertising: You can always pay to drive traffic to your website through services such as Google Adwords if you can afford it, but as you can see there are many free ways to bring potential clients to your website. You don't need to pay to advertise your website unless you have the money and want to go that route.

Offline Marketing

Home based business marketing needs to be done offline as well. Since your VA business is based in your home, you will need to go out in your community and look for networking opportunities.

• Networking: Join local business networking associations and chamber of commerce. Have your business card ready along with your "30 second commercial" rehearsed and ready to explain your business and what you have to offer. You will want to find a way to describe what you offer quickly because most people won't know what a virtual assistant is and may not have time to wait for a long explaination.
  
  
• Former Employers: Don't forget to contact any former employers that are familiar with you and your quality of work. Today many businesses are forced to cut expenses and you never know what outsourcing potential there may be.
  
  
• Local Businesses: You can also promote your services to local businesses, particularly those in your area of expertise. For instance, if you are a real estate virtual assistant, you can contact local real estate agents and see if they need help.
  
  
• Small Businesses: A great place to start is to target small businesses and entrepreneurs. These employers usually have limited financial and time resources, and your services may be just what they need.

• Promotional items: Get involved in your community. Give away magnets, key chains, and other merchandise that carries your business logo at trade shows. Sponsor local charity functions and get your business name listed on T-shirts, mugs, and other giveaways.
  
  

• Advertising: - Advertising has gotten a bad rap at times because there are those who would use it to scam the consumer. Still, if false advertising can attract people, so can honest advertising. Place ads in the local newspaper's business section or the Yellow Pages. You may also consider business trade magazines to advertise your virtual assisting skills if you can afford it.

Learn More ...

Create Your Website

About Networking...

Tips for Successful Networking...

Return Home from Home Based Business Marketing