Ideas & Opportunities

When faced with the daunting task of marketing, home-based and freelance businesses are at a disadvantage—from a financial standpoint. And when regular means just won’t cut it, it’s time to try other methods. Make your product or service known the non-traditional way.

To get your products noticed by your target market without having to cost you an arm and a leg, consider niche- marketing activities. They will allow you to advertise to the right people at the same time maximize your limited budget.

Your Existing Network

 

Rica Dalmacion, owner of Art & Soul Novelties, a stationery and novelty crafts business, used to work in the marketing department in one of the big corporations in the Philippines. Her professional experience allowed her to establish a network of contacts involved in marketing. This makes it easy for her to set meetings to present her products.

Aside from talking to the marketing team, talk to people involved in procurement and merchandising or promotions. While your existing contacts may not guarantee that you’ll get the deal, they can help you reach the person in-charge.

The Art of The Cold Call

Cold-calling involves touching base with prospective clients by making unexpected calls to people in the company you are trying to target.

“Research who makes the decisions in the company,” says Dalmacion, who does a lot of cold-calling, making calls one after another to big corporations such as bookstores and has been quite successful. “Ask whoever takes your call to direct you to the right people,” she says.  

Not all calls will be successful but persistence will get you places. The volume of calls you make or e-mails you farm out will determine your success. “When you send out a hundred letters and you get a callback from five or 10 interested clients, that’s a lot,” say Dalmacion.

The Very Wide Web

Invest in a website. Not only is this cheaper than paid ads over broadcast and print media, it can also reach out to a broader audience. Websites are also crucial when you want to market your products abroad. People want to study the products they plan to buy. Being online allows consumers too find you, regardless of their whereabouts.

Social networking sites have also become a venue to showcase products and services with your immediate contacts as the first layer of prospective clients. From there, they can tag pictures of your products to show to their friends.

Trade Fairs and Bazaars

Trade fairs usually have themes. Join trade events that are aligned with the products and services you offer. If you offer stationery, you could sign up for wedding bazaars and offer your products as options for invitations. If you operate a home-based pastry business, attend a bakery fair where people can sample your products. Get your products noticed by being unique. If the organizers like what you offer, they will probably invite you to join other related trade fairs and bazaars.

Guestings and Write-ups

Not all TV and radio guestings are paid. TV producers scout for small businesses that offer unique items available in limited quantities. Often these entrepreneurs are given “fillers” or free airtime that features their products and services.

For print write-ups, contact magazine publishers. For example, if you sell handmade flowerpots, send e-mails to home publications. If you sell fashion accessories, seek out fashion and lifestyle editors. All it takes is an e-mail, phone call, or a well-crafted press kit.

Name

E-Mail

URL

Comment

Email this article to a friend.

friend's email
your name
your email