How to Start a Home-Based Promotional Supplies Business

Starting a home-based promotion supplies or advertising specialties business can be exciting and fun. You will be selling items such as key chains, coffee mugs, T-shirts and calendars with corporate names and logos. Schools and small businesses such as restaurants are also potential customers. It is best to sell promotional supply items through an established direct sales organization, such as Kaeser & Blair or Advertising Specialty Institute. Startups costs are minimal.

Step 1

Set up an office in your home with a computer, printer, fax machine and file cabinet. Use a revenue/expense ledger to keep track of all sales and expenses.

Step 2

Create a business name for your promotional supplies business. Use a name like Jones Advertising Specialties, which is highly descriptive. Register your doing business as through your local county or city administration office, according to Business.gov. Apply for a vendor's license at the same time, as you will need to pay sales taxes on in-state customers.

Step 3

Reference business opportunity magazines, such as "Entrepreneur" or "Small Business Opportunities," in search of promotional supplies direct sales companies. Check for advertising specialty companies online through search engines, such as Google.com and Yahoo.com.

Step 4

Call some of the promotional supply direct sales companies. Find out if your potential supplier will ship orders out for you, which will keep your inventory costs down. Choose the promotional supplies company that offers you the best commissions or lowest per-unit costs. Make sure your direct sales company sells a large variety of your preferred products.

Step 5

Ask your promotional supplies company if they provide a website for your customers. Plan on using this website for customers to place future orders from you. Include your website on all business cards, brochures, catalogs and order forms.

Step 6

Call corporations, schools, restaurants and churches. Talk to business managers, principals, owners and pastors, respectively, about ordering promotional supplies from you. Set up appointments to visit these types of individuals in person.

Step 7

Take a catalog, brochures, business cards and order forms with you on all sales calls. Fill out an order form when people order from you. Leave a brochure, business card and order form behind if an individual needs more time before placing an order.

Step 8

Take all orders home with your each day. Place individual orders for people through your direct sales company. Just provide the direct sales company with the name and address of each customer. Allow the direct sales company to ship all of your orders out to customers.

Step 9

Place classified advertising through your local newspaper. Invite people to visit your website or call you for additional information.

Step 10

Make sure you pay income taxes on your profits. Be aware of the deduction you can take for using your home office for business, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Things Needed

Tip

Contact your best customers every month or two to see if they need more promotional items. Take an order over the phone or thorough your website if the business has wants to order again. Contact all companies about any knew products that you are marketing.

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Tuesday, April 30, 2013