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Then popular Christian recording artist, Author, and speaker Tammy Trent joins us!

We’ll be learning all about the Wish Me A Merry Christmas Campaign which is a loving and actionable grassroots campaign that appeals directly to retailers to put Christmas back in the holidays.

Tricia Goyer is the author of more than 20+ books. Using her own experiences as a teen mother, and leader of today’s generation, Tricia’s vision is to be a voice of hope and possibility for teenage girls, pregnant teen girls, mothers and wives through her educational and inspirational speaking, workshops and books. Her intention is to serve ordinary women by encouraging extraordinary things with God’s help. Tricia expresses real life, real hope, for real women.

He has been been writing for a living for more than twenty-five years after getting his start at a small weekly newspaper at the California ski resort of Mammoth Lakes. In 1986 he received a huge break: he was hired by Focus on the Family, a Christian ministry founded by Dr. James Dobson, to be the editor of Focus on the Family magazine. He enjoyed eleven fantastic and satisfying years at Focus on the Family before moving into a freelance career as an author, editor, and speaker.

Michelle Strombeck is a speaker and helps women think through the topic of Emotional Eating. She is funny and vivacious and tells it like it is!

Liz Curtis Higgs joins us to celebrate her ‘Bad Girls of the Bible’ series’ 10th birthday!

Shanna was diagnosed with progressive hearing loss at the age of 27 after the birth of her first child. LIP READER is her second book and her first novel. A member of the Hearing Loss Association of America and the National Association of Memoir Writers, Shanna lives in the Midwest with her family.

Robert started his own company as a young gun at the age of 24 and shows professionals that there is no better time to take a chance at starting a business than when you’re youthful, bold and have little to lose. He authored YOUNG GUNS: The Fearless Entrepreneur’s Guide to Chasing Your Dreams and Breaking Out on Your Own (AMACOM 2009).

Amy Wallace writes Dark Chocolate Suspense, high-action suspense that delves deep into heart issues. Her writing has been described as “…spellbinding action and characters so vivid they’ll live on in your memory long after you shelve the book.”

Rachel Gilmore is a mom and author of The Complete Leader’s Guide to Christian Retreats. Rachel has been planning and leading retreats for youth groups and women’s groups, both religious and secular, for the past 20 years.

Do Your Homework
The best way to get good results from your marketing efforts is to research the sites you’re considering. Look for websites that are aimed at your target market, that have premium ad placements and that are willing to share their traffic statistics, number of subscribers, etc.

Be Bold
Statistics show that the bigger the ad, the higher the response. Double Click, a digital marketing firm, did a study in 2006 that showed a “strong correlation between the size of ads and their clickthrough performance.” So, whenever possible, choose a banner size larger than the standard 468 x 60. It may be pricier, but the results should be worth the extra expense.

Think fresh
Try to find innovative ways to reach your market. Consider trying a rich media campaign that includes a video advertisement, banners formatted in Flash, and other interactive ads. By finding new ways to present your business or product, you’ll catch the eye of viewers who might not normally have noticed your advertisement.

Be personal
The potential customers who view your ads want you to connect with them. They want to know how your product or service will make a difference in their lives. Write your ad copy in such a way that it brings the viewers need for your product to their attention.

Another way to make your advertising more personal is to use images – especially real-life photographs. You can find royalty free photos

Be Unique
Make your ad stand out by creating something different and unique – something that represents your company well. Diana Ennen, a publicist and president of VirtualWordPublishing.com states, “With so much competition out there today, it’s important to make your ad stand out and speak directly to your target audience. No one knows your business and clients better than you, so create the an ad that tells everyone why they should buy from you.”

Repeat
The number of times a potential customer views your advertisement has a direct link to their perception of your product/brand. Look for websites with a high volume of traffic and don’t be afraid to ask for any traffic statistics or click-thru statistics that they can provide.

Finding effective ways to market your business can seem overwhelming. By following these simple tips, you can get the best possible results for your advertising efforts. Remember that your customers form opinions about your products based on the information you provide, so make sure that your ads are the best they can be.

About the Author:

Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. This site is dedicated to providing work at home moms with opportunities to promote their businesses while at the same time providing them spiritual encouragement and articles. Visit CWAHM.com for additional information. Listen to Jill’s internet radio show, The CWAHM Network! Find Jill’s book reviews on RadiantLit.com. This article is free for re-print as long as the author’s bio is included.

1. What is your passion?

Answer this question with the first thing that comes to mind: If money were no object and you could do anything, what would you do? You might have answered “be a writer”, “speak at conferences”, “bring my product idea to life” or any number of things. Whatever your answer, this most likely is your passion. I challenge you to take the time to ponder this and see if there is a way to bring your dream to fruition.

2. What types of things did you like to do as a child?

Many times the toys and games we loved as children give us a glimpse into who we have become as adults. If you loved climbing trees, you may now be an “outdoorsy” type of person. Think about how this might be incorporated into your business. For instance, you might enjoy setting up outdoor birthday parties for children or selling herbs from your backyard garden.

3. What type of products would you be interested in representing?

If you’re looking in the direction of direct sales, whether that be your own product or an established home-based business option, you need to think through what types of products you’d be comfortable presenting to your customers. Take the time to do some research and find a product that truly excites you. Your customers will see your sincerity and that can sell a product just as easily as a fancy presentation.

4. What skills and experience do you bring to the table?

If you’ve left the corporate world in favor of working at home, you’ve undoubtedly brought with you a set of skills. There may be a way to market those skills in a new way and turn them into a profitable business. For instance, if you were an executive assistant you may be able to type 80 words or more per minute. You could set up shop as a Virtual Assistant and help other business owners in processing orders, transcribing documents and much more.

5. Are you thinking outside of the box?

Most of us have a fear of the unknown. We many times assume that if we haven’t done something before, it is simply out of reach. This carries over to the business world as well. We take our products or services and market them in the same way that we see other business owners using. However, it can be much more effective to find new and innovative ways to market. One home-based business owner I know sells stuffable toy kits. Instead of using the usual home parties and birthday party events, she works almost exclusively with children’s hospitals doing fundraisers. She makes a great living and helps not only the hospitals, but the children as well. She is a great example of unique marketing and overcoming the mundane marketing methods that so many business owners resign themselves to.

Your home-based business should be unique to you. It should make you want to get up each morning excited about the possibilities of the day ahead. Take the time to thoroughly think through the questions above and you’ll be on your way to making a great, well thought out decision that has your name written all over it!

About the Author:
Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a co-author of the upcoming book So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom (Beacon Hill, Sept. 2009). Jill welcomes work-at-home questions at http://AskJill.cwahm.com.

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