[electic]

Well heres my situation. My family just started this business where we take care of the elderly out of a home. But as of right now we have no clients

. How can we market our business? Are there services that can get us clients? What should we do?!?! This is driving me crazy right now b/c our money is just wasting away everyday we don't get a client(TIME IS MONEY!). please help us out.thank you.

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by electic Well heres my situation. My family just started this business where we take care of the elderly out of a home.

It always helps to find out where (in the world) you live!

However, think of a cooperative means of marketing, where you advertize your services at a location where there could be prospective clients. Prepare your references, have them ready and approach some doctor's offices that specialize in alzheimer's patients.

There's an entire new generation of people that work that also now have to take care of their parents. There are some large corporations that get people together that need these services. Check with the personnel departments of some employee-friendly companies.

But really, before you ask a question like this, knowing if you are in the US, Canada, Europe or wherever is important. Good luck!

 

[perplex]

my family were thinking about a care home for elderly. we never done it in th end but it might be an idea to think about caring for special needs people instead of elderly. you get a lot more money.

but sorry i dont know how you could market your business, put info at your local clinics and newspapers i guess

 

[Wodgy]

How you choose to market your company will depend on the dynamics of the particular market you're trying to target. Who are your customers, specifically? That is, who pays the bills? Are you targeting your service primarily at middle-aged adults who have to look after their aging parents, or are you targeting the service at the aging adults themselves? Are your services covered partially or completely by Medicare? Are you trying to sell to insurance companies engaged in the payout of long term care policies or as a subcontractor to HMOs or other care agencies?

Once you pin down who your target customers are, you'll have a better idea how to reach them. Some will be more difficult to reach than others, e.g. there is a sea of regulations you'll need to meet if your business is providing contract services to some kinds of care agencies. Find out what the competitors in your area are doing, what their pricing structure is, and try to find out where they advertise. The prior suggestion Stevesurf made about setting up cooperative marketing relationships is a good one. As he suggested, if your target customers are aging adults, approaching doctors who specialize in treating aged patients is a good strategy. Consider approaching specialty medical supply stores (the kind that sell devices for aging people) in your area and let them know you're available for referrals. Offer to refer people to them if they refer people to you. If your target customers are younger, it may make sense to try broader advertising techniques, such as advertising in your local community newspaper.

 

[electic]

Quote:

It always helps to find out where (in the world) you live!

We live in Southern California.

Quote:

my family were thinking about a care home for elderly. we never done it in th end but it might be an idea to think about caring for special needs people instead of elderly. you get a lot more money.

Would that require getting a different license than the one we already have?

Quote:

Who are your customers, specifically?

I guess right now we are targeting the middle aged adults who are looking for a place to take care of their aging parents. But, is this the most effective group of people to target?

thanks for all the replys btw

 

[MartinJ]

Have you found any clubs or retreats where older middle age men and women go to? Golf clubs is quite universal place for them I would guess.

 

[mbriant]

Where does your competition advertise? Are there some sort of Government and/or Church social assistance organization who refer people to homes? You may have missed it for this year, but I would imagine the Yellow Pages is a good place to be. Local, community newspapers ( for people who want to keep their parents nearby.) Although the cost to advertise in community newspapers isn't as cost efficient as a classified ad in a large distribution city newspaper. Bulletin boards at grocery stores and laundromats are free.

What class of people are you looking for? ie: How do your rates compare with other similar homes? That would have a bearing on where you should advertise.

An inexpensive flyer distributed via bulk postal rates can reach a large geographically targeted audience.

 

[electic]

Would some type of promotion work maybe?

 

[Wodgy]

What kind of promotion do you have in mind?

 

[Spektrograf]

electic,

Have you tried partnerships with your local senior centers, assisted living centers, hospitals? Try contacting the AARP to see if there are ways for you to connect with people that need your services. There are also local organizations for retirees.

I don't know if you have much in terms of advertising budget, but low-cost advertising would include Craigslist.org, Tribe.com, and your local Pennysavers. If you have more of an advertising budget, radio ads or local television ads may be appropriate. Advertising with the right radio station that can demonstrate reach into your target demographic can be VERY effective. In your case, I'd try the AM stations for a cheaper media buy.

Try to think like your target market. What activities do they engage in? Who do they seek or turn to for assistance, help, or advice?

Another way to think of it is to partner with those that serve your target market in a different capacity. As stated above, doctors and nurses are a good start... also, stores that supply medical and healthcare supplies... or local pharmacies... local libraries... I'm sure there's more, THINK CREATIVELY and go knocking on doors!

If you're sweating your day-to-day expenses while you're in start-up mode, I'd STRONGLY encourage you to talk to your local SBA (Small Business Association) chapter to get advice about financing. ALL SBA's will provide a level of FREE consulting to help you get on your feet. They're generally staffed with very helpful people who want to see you succeed. By getting financing, even at the level of a short-term small business loan, may buy you enough comfort and finances to launch your business properly.

Remember, as with many small service companies, your quality of service translates into strong word of mouth. Your customers know other people who are in the same demographic who may want to seek your services. Even if it's not today, good WOM means building brand equity, which means building business for the future.

To be honest, while people here can give you good advice, if you're really stressing about this... go seek professional SBA consultants. The answer to the question you pose translates to me that you haven't developed an adequate business plan. Here are links to FREE resources that are there to support you:

http://www.sba.gov/
http://www.score.org/

Best of luck to you!! I know it's difficult at the start, esp. when the road seems unclear, but there ARE lots of resources out there to help. Utilize them and PERSIST!!!

 

[Spektrograf]

About promotions, they should be after you've done the activities to reach your customers:

Target > Reach & Build Awareness > Communicate Service Benefits > Close

Promotions only an aspect of the "Close" phase of the transaction. If you haven't completed the first three stages, promotional efforts won't help you build true market traction. Instead, promotions off-the-bat will just eat into your profit margin. It's a slippery slope just relying on promo's alone. Overused, the average consumer will become accustomed to them and refuse to purchase without seeing their existence.

If you're active in the first three stages of the areas above, promo's can close fence-sitters or mitigate the perceived risk of trying a market unknown. This can help you build your initial client base, since I suspect the nature of your business is in recurring services.