Promotion is the key to the success or failure of any business, but it is especially important for those who run a business from home.

1. 1. Invest in business cards and then give them out to everyone you encounter. Make sure your business cards represent your brand well and include your name, phone numbers, e-mail address and, website if you have one. For those on a very limited start up budget, sites like Vista Print and BizCard offer 250 free business cards, only charging a very small shipping to first time customers.
2. Ask people you meet if you can have an email address to mail them updates and information about your products or services. People are often more comfortable giving out an email address rather than a telephone number and an email campaign is quite easy to implement. Make your emails informative and interesting and never be tempted to spam prospects with useless information as that only undermines your credibility.
3. If you market a physical product carry samples with you – you never know when you might run into a potential great new customer.
4. Start a blog that links discretely to your product or service. Focus on making it interesting and readable while still promoting your brand.
5. Talk about your business, and be prepared with the answers to any possible question that might come up in those conversations. Being passionate and knowledgeable about what you do can only serve to impress.