It was Sunday afternoon, I was nine years old and my parents’ 1947 Dodge was polished, tuned and ready to go. Where we travelled on those Sunday sojourns really didn’t matter. It was just the ritual of going for a Sunday drive. No place in particular.

Twenty minutes could be two hours, trundling along in the back seat of that old ’47 Dodge. If I was lucky, I got to bring a friend and to pass the time and we would play “I spy”. The object was to find obscure things with vivid shapes and colours as we whizzed along. Selecting things that were not too obvious and would soon be out of site created a sense of urgency.

Well, the object in most home businesses is quite the opposite. How to get visibility. How to get recognition to help credibility and improve sales. Getting your target market to notice your business, remember it and even call you can be difficult.

Let’s take a look at some of the challenges first. In many cases exterior signage is not an option for home businesses in residential areas.

Often home businesses do not have business telephones and so they don’t get a listing in the phone company yellow pages. Many do not have a fleet of trucks traveling around the city with recognizable, visible signage.

In many cases playing ‘I spy’ with home businesses would be next to impossible. Here are some ways to improve your odds in the game.

Create an easily recognized business identity including logo, business stationery, brochures and a table top display (if you do some of the local trade or business shows).

Consider signage on your vehicle; logo; phone number and website address; the products or services you provide. When you are out doing errands you are promoting your business. Sponsoring sports teams or organizations may bring the additional visibility.

Newsletters can help your business to stay visible within your market. Make sure your web address is on everything. If you don’t have a website, talk to a marketing person to help you evaluate the need.

Join the Chamber of Commerce and other business and professional groups. The more people you meet, the more opportunity you have to hand out business cards. Find more ways to share your knowledge and help others.

If you have a service business, make sure you put a label or sticker on each piece of equipment serviced. Put your website on it. Take orders over the Internet.

On the back of your distinctive business cards list some of the benefits your business offers. Never miss an opportunity to hand them out. Keeping your cards in a box in your desk just doesn’t work. Remember the most expensive business cards are the ones that never get handed out!

You can also place ads in the most appropriate places for your business. Be patient and consistent. It takes time for the market to get to know you and trust you. One splashy ad may not do it. Monitoring the results in all areas of promotion will help to determine where to place more emphasis.

Although the old ‘47 Dodge is long gone, I often recall the images of those Sunday trips.

So, are we there yet? I’m thirsty!