how do you introduce a new product into a market which has never existed before?

i am trying to market home automation systems to people in existing homes who need a control system, but just don't know it yet.

This sounds like a project for a really good marketing team... you may want to check marketing professors at smaller colleges and see if any would be interested in letting their students use it as a learning experience. The prof could use it later on as a case study and you could get free advice.
You can approach a network marketing company to have them sell it for you through their word-of-mouth advertising system.
You must conduct a marketing research to the target market. This will reveal a lot of issues concerning their life style, willingness and ability to buy, attitudes towards those systems, e.t.c. Communication to the target market is a must- all promo tools must be used but emphasis should be on advertising and personal selling