What is the best way to get clients?

What is the best way to get new clients to your home care start up?

• I started a home care start up two months ago and so far I have not got any clients. I have tried giving leaflets out to stores, surgeries, churches, day care centres and hospices. Other marketing includes online classifieds, google, facebook and online offers.

• Answer:

  Develop a marketing plan and integrate your on-line networking. The details below address both topics. TIPS FOR DEVELOPING A MARKETING PLAN: TASTE, TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY What   does your research indicate is the trend in your field? Will it stay   the way you are currently offering supplies and services or will it   change? This item covers the developments you expect for the next few   years. Evan a 'perfect' business can become obsolete overnight due to   future developments. Specify a 5 year forecast of your field in your   area. SALES REVENUE FORECAST Have you developed these  targets?  This section shows your estimates of future sales revenue for  your  business. Your strategic plan, needs to spell out the specific  actions  you will take to achieve your forecast sales revenues. DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BUSINESS FROM THE COMPETITION How   does your business differ from the competition's strong and weak   points. Again, remember to carefully look at your business from the   customer's perspective. If you're not sure how your pricing policies   compare to the competition, here are some guidelines. Most people   associate high prices with high quality and extra service, while they   associate low prices with low or average quality and minimum service.   Make sure you provide extra quality and service if your prices are   higher than your competition or make sure that your prices are lower if   your quality is average and your service is minimum. DECIDE HOW TO REACH CUSTOMERS Once   you describe your target customer, it's easier to create a list of   possible ways to reach that person. One of your jobs as a  businessperson  is to decide which of all the possible methods of  communication will  give you the most exposure for the least cost in  money or time. EVALUATE THE RISKS FACING YOUR BUSINESS       COMPETITION: Most businesses have competition. How will your business   differ in significant and positive ways from your competition? If your   competition is strong, don't minimize that fact, but figure out ways  you  will adjust to or use that strength. For example, if you plan to  open a  restaurant next to an extremely popular one, part of your  strategy  might be to cater to the overflow. Another might be to open on  days or  evenings when the other restaurant is closed.      PIONEERING: If  you anticipate no direct competition, your business  probably involves  selling a new product or service, or one that is new  to your area. How  will you avoid going broke trying to develop a  market?     CYCLES  AND TRENDS: Many businesses have cycles of  growth and decline often  based on outside factors such as taste, trends  or technology. What is  your forecast of the cycles and trends in your  business? For example, if  your forecast tells you that the new  electronic product you plan to  manufacture may decline in three years  when the market is saturated, can  you earn enough money in the meantime  to make the venture worthwhile?      SLOW TIMES: Every business  experiences ups and downs. Is your business  small and simple enough, or  capitalized adequately enough, to ride out  slow times? Or do you have  some other strategy, such as staying open  long hours in the busy season  and closing during times of the year when  business is slow.     OWNERS EXPERTISE: Nobody knows everything. How do you plan to compensate for the knowledge you're short on? Write   your risk analysis by first thinking of the main dangers your business   faces. This shouldn't be hard, as you have probably been concerned  about  them for some time. Some of these may be on the list set out  above;  others will be unique to your business. Once you have identified  the  principal risks facing your business, write out a plan to counter  each.  But don't bog yourself down worrying about all sorts of unlikely   disasters. INTEGRATING YOUR ON-LINE NETWORKING Make use to the free utilities on the web, as well as focused social networking and SEO. Quora is but one tool in you prospective social networking tool kit. Most of the tools are free. Content is king and key to your success.  Integrating networking platforms together is the best approach. Link  everything together and begin answering questions as well as  registering at many of the free applications for networking web sites on  the Internet to see how that could benefit your work. Twitter,  BlogCatalog, Facebook, Widgetbox, Empire Avenue, Pinterest, About Me and  similar free applications will serve your site well. Develop  your core content carefully on your web site or blog. Offer free  applications for downloading samples of your work, testimonials,  reference materials, books and other useful tools. Box Net is free.  Behance also works well and is also free. Build in "About Me" and "Pinterest" features to further display your portfolio contents. Both are no charge. Then use SEO to network your site like spokes on a wheel. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: Strive for a focused approach with excellent content and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) via networking. http://about.me/smalltofeds