7 Ways to Boost Your Home Biz’ Bottom Line

You planned on a more profitable business in 2015 yet so far it feels like “business as usual” to you.What can you do differently to grow your home-based business this year?Plenty!

1.Offer complementary services or products.Do you sell essential oils?Boost your income by offering aromatic diffusers or an essential oils handbook so your customers can learn new ways to use their oils and perhaps discover new oils they want to try.If you’re a CPA, offer your tax preparation clients a financial wellness package to encourage periodic checks so you both will have an easier time with receipts next tax year.

2.Make sure you’re taking full advantage of social media.Many people go straight to the internet to read up on products or price out services and find vendors in their area.Online reviews through Yelp, Google Plus and industry-related sites can help a potential customer choose you over your competitors.And a well-run Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram account provides a fun way to interact - and get ideas from - your customers.

3.Expand your target market.You may have a lot of moms in the workforce that think of you as their savior with your homemade meals - but don’t overlook the bachelors in your neighborhood who might love to eat a dinner that doesn’t come out of a soup can.Have a mobile massage business treating professionals at corporations?Think about offering those same benefits to athletes of the local softball teams or at tennis centers.

4.Hit the speaking and vending circuits.Seek out opportunities to get your name and your goods out into the limelight.Many civic and religious organizations hold monthly meetings and welcome speakers who can help educate or entertain their members.Health and wellness fairs are a great way to display your products and explain your services one on one.Community farmers markets can also become a weekend revenue generator and potential source for new clients.

5.Pimp out business tasks to your family or friends.Enlist your spouse, kids or BFF to give you a hand with administrative tasks so you can be freed up for more important things like marketing.Hire freelancers or independent contractors to help increase your total work output while saving the overhead costs associated with having an employee.Interns are also a low cost source of help and can be recruited at your local college.

6.Team up with a complementary company.Locate a business in an industry related to yours and brainstorm ways to work together.Share audiences by holding joint speaking engagements and promoting each other on your prospect email lists.Partner with that yoga studio down the street by offering a special customer discount to their members in exchange for their using and selling your organic soy candles.

7.Hold a client referral contest.Designate one week as your Referral Contest week.Go to your local dollar store and pick up several items such as cute magnets, mugs, memo pads, etc.Write the name of each item on a piece of paper and put it in a balloon that you blow up.For every referral name your client gives you, they get a balloon they pop to see what they win.Three or more referrals get them into a Grand Prize drawing at the end of the week for the grand prize such as movie tickets or a gift card.