You have a home business and a website. You know what you are selling, what you hope to accomplish, and you have a plan to help you reach your goals using this website. You have already made some sales, so you have some customers. You know that customers are what determine whether or not your business will sink or swim. The more of them you have, the more successful you are, and in turn, the more profits you can earn. When you have a great website that drives traffic to your business, you can draw more leads and boost your customer base.
This is the generation of technology. This is the time to use inbound marketing to generate more leads to your home business that reach a larger customer base, and that costs far less than old outbound marketing methods. You go online today and see that many sites are just like billboards that people seem to skip over. If your site is not attractive, or if it is and isn’t marketed properly to your target audience, than it will just disappear into the ether. Many people probably don’t know that it exists. It does not matter how great it looks, if it’s not drawing traffic to you.
How do you create a great site to get found by customers? Well, you need great content for starters. You also need your site to be properly optimized so that it can be easily indexed and found in search engines. Drive up the awareness of your presence, content, and products using social media. Content is going to be your key factor, though. The search engines enjoy fresh content, along with your visitors. You can write posts, create paid advertising, make podcasts and videos, presentations, e-books, blog posts, etc.
After creating a site with high-quality, fresh, and interesting content, you need to make sure that anyone who visits your site becomes a customer. You want the people that find you to buy from you. Make sure your landing page is relevant to your target audience. Make a call to action that’s compelling and gives them enough persuasive details to buy from you. You can try offering something meaningful to them for free. People enjoy things that are free, especially when it’s relevant to their interests.
If you find that your current website is lacking any of the above, you may want to consider a redesign. Yes, it takes time, but it’s basically a ROI or return on investment if done correctly. You need to become familiar with the stats of your current site to learn about your target audience so that you have enough data and direction for your redesign. Establish lead goals before redesigning and after redesigning, measuring the results to your prior stats.
One thing that you should remember about using a great website to draw in more customers is that it is a tool. It is there to build and develop your customer base. You cannot completely rely on it, as your content and products must still speak for themselves. Finally, remember that your website or redesigned site must appeal to your customer base, not you.
Home Bakery
If you like to bake and find you have more baked goods than your own family can use, perhaps a home bakery is the business for you. You’ll need to register your business in your local town and decide what to charge for your baked goods. You’ll also need to decide how you’re going to sell your goods.
Recipes
Develop some favorite one of a kind recipes for breads, cookies and muffins to keep your business unique and fun. You can be really creative and take a regular recipe and jazz it up with your own favorite additives.
Variety
While you’ll want to have a variety of goods to sell, you’ll find that you will earn more if you keep your inventory fairly low. Don’t make so many different kinds of breads that you get lost in what kinds there are. Keep it to four or five basics and perhaps a speciality bread once each week or month. Do the same with the cookies and muffins.
Pricing
Have you been to a bakery lately? If not, it’s time for a field trip. First, list out what you have to sell. Cookies, breads, muffins etc. List the flavors and take your list with you. Go to several bakeries. You’ll want a fairly good sampling of prices. Start at a regular grocery store and then find a regular bakery. Now, jot down each stores prices for your items on your list. Match them as closely as possible. Now go back home and figure out your prices. Take into account how much your ingredients cost and your time when figuring your prices.
Selling
Where are you going to sell your products? Are you planning on a road side stand? How about a Farmers Market. Don’t forget small businesses and door to door. Local coffee shops love to have small businesses offer baked goods at reasonable prices. Get a feel for places to sell your goods and get to work. Consider local gift shops. County or Local Faires.
Business Cards
Get some business cards because once people taste your fresh baked goodies they will want more. You could take orders on a weekly or monthly basis or you could have them on a mailing list. You could also have a website and pre sell your goods online and then deliver them at a later date. However you do it, you’ll have a great booming business once everyone gets to taste your great goodies.
Advertising
Now that you’re in business, you’ll want to do a bit of advertising. Use your social networks to create a fan page. Call your local Chamber of Commerce and ask if they do any advertising. Put a small add in the local paper. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Spread the word and get the word out that you’re in business. The more people who know the faster the word will spread.
You’re home bakery will grow and grow as your friends, customers and family spread the word about your great goodies.