Being able to work from home is a major bonus in most people's eyes, but marketing a home business can be an ongoing challenge. Newspaper ads and special sales are tried and true, but they grow stale after a while. Looking for something a little out of the ordinary to give your work from home business a little extra advertising boost? Here are a few ways to get your name, and your business, a little extra attention and a lot of added business.

1. Magnetic Car Tags

Your business may be too small to invest in a company car, but there's nothing preventing you from making it look like you have one. Contact a local sign company and have them design a set of magnetic door signs for your family car with your company logo and contact information. It's a great way to advertise your work from home company while you run around town on errands and deliveries.

2. Networking Exchanges

'Networking' has nearly acquired 'joke' status in some circles, but the idea of getting together with other professionals to exchange information and build a circle of contacts is still an excellent marketing tactic. Especially when you work from home, you don't have the same opportunities to make day-to-day business contacts. Instead, make your own opportunities. Join community and professional organizations, and keep an eye on the community calendar for Chamber of Commerce sponsored networking breakfasts and lunches. Personal contact is still one of the most potent advertising mediums around. A friend of a friend of a friend could be your next big customer.

3. Give to Charity

One of the best ways to get good publicity for your work from home business is to link it to a charity. Contact a local non-profit and make arrangements to do a fund-raising party for them, or contribute a percentage of your profits for the month. Be creative about it - choose a product that 'goes' with the charity, for instance, and contribute 10% of all profits from that product. Post the information on your web site, and send out a press release in conjunction with the organization. It's a feel-good promotional marketing tool for everyone - the charity gets contributions, your customers get to feel pleased at making a difference, and you get the benefits of giving - and receiving.

4. Community Involvement

Be a part of your community. Get involved in local organizations, and take an active part. People like to do business with people that they know. Don't stop there, though. Make sure that your business is listed on community and Chamber of Commerce web sites, and hold events that can be advertised in your newspaper's community calendar. Join the Chamber of Commerce and other local professional organizations. Remember, you're no less professional just because you work from home.

Think outside the box when looking at ways to publicize and market your business. When you work from home, you don't have the benefit of a storefront or business offices to front for you - but you have flexibility and reach that 'real' companies can't match. Use it well, and your home business will fly.

About the author:

Michael Law is editor at 1steliteworkfromhome.com ( http://1steliteworkfromhome.com ), a Work From Home Directory Resource.

1steliteworkfromhome.com is a resource for anyone looking to find work from home job information and discover ways to work at home.

This article may be reprinted or published without the authors consent as long as the "About" and "weblinks" are kept intact.