By Brian Bianca

Marketing your business. It’s such a broad, complicated, scary phrase to most work-from-homers in a digital age, isn’t it? New media opportunities have opened up so many marketing possibilities that the average home-business owner doesn’t know where to start. Or worse, doesn’t know how to separate himself from the static.

Relax. New media avenues are a positive development. It allows you to reach more people than you could five years ago, and it lets you reach them faster. If you know how to take advantage of these tools, the sky is the limit for your business.

Part 1: Get Noticed

Ads stare you in the face every time you pull up a webpage or open a magazine. Chances are, though, you’re so desensitized to advertising that their presence barely registers in your mind. Our brains, through years of training, are conditioned to focus only on the content we’re there for and ignore the rest.

So your promotional tactics, whatever they may be, need to stand out. And this is where new media comes in.

First off, keep it genuine. If you’re promoting your home-business opportunity, don’t just feature bland testimonials of members saying how exciting the business is; show visitors why it’s amazing. Film some testimonials, upload them to YouTube, and post them on your site. It’s cheap and it makes prospects feel connected right off the bat.

Encourage your team members to speak frankly and openly in these videos. Make sure they have an idea of what they want to say, but allow for improvisation and spontaneity—you want the testimonials to feel natural, like the person is simply having a conversation with the camera.

New media is great at knocking down the wall between marketer and prospect. By watching someone tell their story of success, prospects can see the smiles on their faces; they can feel the excitement in their voices. And that translates to positive thoughts. So the more authentic you testimonials feel, the more a prospect’s doubt melts away.

Part 2: Capitalize On Your Awareness

So, people know you’re out there. Mission accomplished, right? Eh, not quite. You’ve got them hooked, but you can’t reel them in too fast.

The next step is to take that mild interest and turn it into genuine excitement. And here’s another place new media can help. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, even blogs are great ways to make prospects feel like a part of the process.

When looking for a home business, people want to feel like they’re a part of something. They don’t want join and then suddenly be ignored. In fact, nearly every successful home-business owner I’ve ever met says the same thing about the company and the people they work with—it feels like family.

So make your presence felt. Send updates once an hour on Twitter, even if it’s just an inspirational quote or an update about someone who made a big sale. It shows prospects you’re involved on a constant basis and that people on your team are having success. Family, remember?

If Twitter’s not your thing, start a blog and encourage comments. Then, respond to those comments, answer questions, and get engaged. Find interested prospects on Facebook and send friend requests.

Little steps like these go a long way to making someone feel like you can give them the attention and support they need to start a business with you.

Part 3: Keep the Cycle Going

When all these techniques pay off and the people you interact with turn from prospects to team members, don’t abandon your efforts. Step them up.

Remember those testimonials from earlier? Grab a webcam and ask your new members to talk about how they got involved with your company and why they decided to join. Then post it on your site to attract even more prospects.

The same goes for social gatherings. If you’re going to a leadership conference or an annual event, take a camera along and film the fun. Show visitors to your site that your business isn’t just about making money; you can have fun here, too.

Also, make your site a portal for exclusivity. Meaning, if you have a new product or service coming soon, drops hints and early looks at whatever is coming down the pipeline to members on your website. Buzz is the number one method of generating awareness, and if you become the go-to source for news and product info, you’re awareness—and your business—will benefit tremendously.