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19 Replies Last post: Jul 28, 2009 2:40 PM by creativeiads

How do I market my business?

Jul 7, 2009 3:24 PM

Click to view Gerlaine's profile Professional Gerlaine 4 posts since
Jul 7, 2009
I am starting my own Adult Companion/Sitter for the elderly. I would like to go to the client homes,I have my business cards, flyers, car magnet and Webster developed. I would like to built my business and make it a career. I recently graduated from college for my Bachelor of Business Management and will be furthering my education for my Master Degree. I like to know how I can market my business, I gave out 70 business cards last week and I have not received any phone calls.
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Click to view bentenn's profile Mogul bentenn 33 posts since
Jul 7, 2009
1. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 7, 2009 3:45 PM
First, congratulations on wanting to be an entrepreneur. And with your education and eagerness, you will likely succeed.

Second, handing out business cards is not a sales or marketing program. May I suggest you step back for a moment and clearly define who will be your target customer AND separately who will be the target consumer of your personal services. If you will be offering 'sitting' services for those adults not able to care for themselves, those same adults will be consuming your services but they will not be the ones to actually purchase your services as that will likely be done by another family member or other caregiver. I therefore suggest you first find people or institutions that know of those adults in need of adult sitting that can refer your services to the caregivers of those adults. Examples might be medical doctors serving the elderly, hospital social services, pharmacies, blogs or groups that provide assistance to the caregivers for their elderly in need, etc.

Once you have found those potential referral entities recognize you are asking them to hire you for a very personal service - having you personally sit with their loved one alone in their home. You will likely do well by selling yourself as an honest, trustworthy, caring and educated person eager to assist elderly in need - possibly one referral person at a time. And since you will be seeking only a few clients (it takes one hour of time to sit with someone for an hour so you could not serve 70 clients in a week or even a month!), take your time selling yourself. And be sure you are bonded and have liability insurance.

Good luck. Ben
Click to view Gerlaine's profile Professional Gerlaine 4 posts since
Jul 7, 2009
2. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 7, 2009 4:06 PM
in response to: bentenn
I try different places such as pharmacies, and senior citizens organization and I still have not got any calls. Do you still have any other subjects.
Click to view Gerlaine's profile Professional Gerlaine 4 posts since
Jul 7, 2009
3. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 7, 2009 4:10 PM
Are there any free websites that will place your business ads for you.
Click to view Iwrite's profile Mogul Iwrite 1,133 posts since
Dec 29, 2007
4. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 7, 2009 4:40 PM
in response to: bentenn
This is great advice! I think you can also leverage technology to help by offering real time video in the home that the family can watch over the web to address the safety and security concerns. You can tell me you are trustworthy but if I can see it for myself that would be great.

bentenn is so right - carefully craft a message that shows your expertise. You business is going to be about developing a huge amount of trust with family members and caregivers, and nothing does that better than establishing a conversation through your marketing.

Good luck.
Click to view KARLAAMAYA's profile Mogul KARLAAMAYA 42 posts since
Jan 15, 2009
5. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 7, 2009 9:02 PM
in response to: Gerlaine

Hi Bentenn,

Social networking is a great start. Facebook, twitter, etc. Tell your friends to become fans of your page and the news about your business will travel faster than you can imagine. Also, try sites related to your business, I'm sure some of them have information about some one needing your services. Organizations that deal with the elderly, church and so on. When you're in business you got to be creative and will realize that clients are waiting where you least expect it. Good Luck!

Karla

http://www.yourpracticaladmin.com
Click to view Blabber's profile Mogul Blabber 20 posts since
May 5, 2009
6. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 8, 2009 3:30 AM
Check with probate lawyers. Sounds strange but they have clients that need assistance/care while they are waiting on a guardianship order. This is where the court orders them to a old age home or hospital or some type of guardianship care. Lawyers would like to have a quality person take care of someone like that.

Leave flyers at pharmicies, grocery stores. Look into senior expos/fairs, advertise in a local senior lifestyle magazine.

Good luck
Click to view Blabber's profile Mogul Blabber 20 posts since
May 5, 2009
7. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 8, 2009 3:34 AM
in response to: Blabber
Opps missed the free site question! There are several sites that you can list a free ad at. Go to my site http://www.blabber.biz and under the free resource button you will find a small biz category which has several FREE site to list on.

Good luck
Click to view Gerlaine's profile Professional Gerlaine 4 posts since
Jul 7, 2009
8. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 8, 2009 7:06 AM
in response to: Blabber
Click to view JMerrittCo's profile Professional JMerrittCo 5 posts since
Jul 9, 2009
9. How do I market my business? Jul 9, 2009 11:50 AM
Sounds like your headed in the right direction. Have you considered instead of a vehicle magnet, using a full vehicle wrap? I am an employee of Joseph Merritt @ Co out of Hartford and we do all sorts of unique printing on anything you could imagine. Because we can do this we catch the customers eye. Sometimes a magnet will get overlooked. We also do other signs, banners, billboard, etc. If you interested email me at Ksavage@merrittgraphics.com or call me 860.952.1529. We do everything in house and can give you a great price. We do marketing stuff for lego, diesel, jagermeister, pepsi co. etc.. Look forward to hearing how we can help your company boom!!!
Click to view MrMentor's profile Professional MrMentor 3 posts since
Jul 9, 2009
10. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 9, 2009 9:15 PM

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Click to view Analysight's profile Mogul Analysight 55 posts since
Dec 30, 2008
11. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 10, 2009 1:35 AM

Gerlaine,

Ben's given you the best advice so far. Since the people you market to will not be the elderly who need the companion sitter, it would be a very good idea to find out how many "Baby Boomer" households are in your geographic location. Many Baby Boomers are considered a "sandwich" generation, because they are caring for both their own children (the bottom slice) and their parents (the upper slice). Be sure to stress the benefits of your service, not just companionship to their parents, but a little bit of freedom to the buyer - so that they could have a little time to themselves.

Analysights can provide you with a demographic analysis and market size potential for your geographic area for a reasonable investment and a fast turnaround. If you're interested, please give me a call at (847) 895-2565.

Good luck,
Alex
Click to view koz4change's profile Mogul koz4change 58 posts since
Nov 25, 2008
12. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 10, 2009 1:10 PM
You need a detailed business/marketing plan and to be honest, for your type of business a website will not get far at first. You need to get face-time with potential clients and build an actual relationship. Don't just say, "Here's my card, call me sometime." Say, "This is what I do. This how it will help you. Can I offer you my services." -- not quite so upfront, but you get the point. People won't use your service unless you ask. And, if you offer something they want or need they will most likely use your service. It all starts with networking and then getting the people who you network with to network for you. Good Luck!
Click to view halcyonpark.3's profile Start-up halcyonpark.3 1 posts since
Jul 12, 2009
13. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 12, 2009 8:40 AM
one way might looking at referral sources such as other healthcare professionals the elderly use. Let doctors, nurses and pharmacists know of your service. In so doing you're making yourself part of the larger healthcare community
Click to view hconnections's profile Authority hconnections 15 posts since
Jul 3, 2009
14. Re: How do I market my business? Jul 13, 2009 8:06 AM
Gerlaine,

Just a few words of advice. Seeking ideas from this community definitely helps but you should also read as much as you can about how to market your business. I'm currently reading John Jantsch's "Duct Tape Marketing" which is packed with so much valuable information and ideas that I don't think I would have found anyplace else. Its really helping me to identifiy areas that I need to focus on and its giving me tools and strategies that I can implement even from now. For starters, you want to go where your potential customers are and build relationships with various organizations who share those same target customers. You may also want to begin doing seminars targeted to the adults who have elderly parents and educate them on why a service like yours is much needed. You need for your audience to understand the importance of adult companions. Find out their needs or problems and show how your services will be their solution. Also try visiting websites like Score.org and sba.gov and entrepreneur.com which all have a wealth of articles and web tutorials on marketing your business.

Best of luck to you.

--
Ktasha, your personal tax partner
www.HardgeConnections.com
Start an Internet-based business today! www.gcvacations.info
I'm mobile (914) 562-8301
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