advertising

[5under5]

Hello! Good morning!
I have a small home studio. I've done several jobs for friends and family either for free or for very little. I'd like to get more clients and actually make some money! With my studio being at my house and having 5 small children I worry about giving my address out to just anybody.
So for those of you with a home studio, how to you advertise? How can I get more business?
Thanks!

[golfecho]

I do not know anything about local or zoning laws, but my sister just started a small home based service business (not photography). She saw a advertising bag on her door with a package of those postcard sized indivdual advertisements in it. She looked into it, and the cost was $50 for 1000 homes in her local area. This seems like it might work for you, since you can print it any way you want, and have just a phone number instead of address. She got plenty of calls (her lesson there was to have a "business line" in place BEFORE you send out the cards). This plan let her get started very locally, and at a small initial budget and workload so she could adjust her business service processes along the way . . .

[5under5]

That's a great idea! I'm going to look into that.
Thanks!

[Shootfilm]

Have a talk with your home owners insurance company prior to inviting people to your home for business purposes.

SF

[5under5]

I didn't even think of that. Will do.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Personally as a start up business advertising anywhere is a huge waste of money. It's a fact that the public needs to see your name & business offers many times before they act. On top of that you need to show great work. I'd would take slow steps and find other ways to market yourself. Of course Word of Mouth is huge, ask for referrals and just get your face in front of folks.

Ernst