Home Based Businesses: 5 Affordable Ways to Advertise Offline

Home based businesses provide a convenient way for parents to earn income, while still being at home for their kids. It's also an excellent way for retired and disabled individuals to earn some extra money. The problem that most new owners face is getting their business in front of people. No one wants to seem like a stalker. Chasing your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers around is not cool and it can make you very unpopular, very quickly. What can you do to advertise your business to your community?

Here are five affordable ways to advertise your home based business in your community:

1. Pens and pencils are a great way to get your name seen. You can visit a site like PensRUs for more information. You can find pens and pencils that can be customized with your business' information for as low as .16 (500 minimum order). Leave them at busy places like the post office, your church, the mall and the bank. You can also send them to school with your kids. The pens will end up in the homes of kids and staff in your community.

2. Yearbooks are usually an inexpensive alternative to advertising in the paper. Who doesn't like to look at their child's yearbook?

3. Sponsor a children's team in your community. The uniforms will have your business information on them. You never know where the kids will travel wearing those uniforms! Most of them continue wearing the hats way after the jersey was outgrown!

4. Have magnets made with your business information and leave them at the pump. You can also make a little plastic carrying case that you can glue to the pump that holds your business cards. VistaPrint sells both magnets and business cards at 50% the normal price.



5. What if you don't have kids? This is what my youngest sister told me when I was advising her about promoting her home based businesses. Simple. She has two dogs which are her babies. I told her to make little doggie sweaters at Cafepress.com . It's a great conversation starter....don't you think?

I hope you find these tips helpful!