The 3 Different Types of NDIS Participants — And How to Market to Them

For your client acquisition strategy to be successful, it must take into account NDIS participants' funds management. Here are three ways participants manage their funds: 

#1 NDIA-Managed Participants

NDIA-managed participants select their NDIS provider from a list of registered providers. In other words, if you're not registered, you won't be able to target them. 

This group makes up 70% of NDIS participants, so if you're weighing up whether to operate as a registered vs unregistered NDIS provider, this could be a reason in its favour.

#2 Plan-Managed Participants

These participants contract a plan manager to handle their NDIS funds and services. Working with them means marketing yourself to the plan manager rather than to the participant directly.

#3 Self-Managed Participants

Self-managed NDIS participants work directly with their chosen NDIS providers. This means your marketing efforts will need to speak to the client’s needs and wants. You should focus on the channels that participants are most likely to use, such as social media, MyCareSpace and search engines.

Where to Find NDIS Participants: 9 Important Platforms

These platforms will enable you to connect with potential clients. Pick your channels carefully; depending on the NDIS participants you're targeting, your budget and your brand, some channels may prove more effective than others.

NDIS Plan Managers, Support Coordinators and Local Area Coordinators

Building a strong relationship with plan managers and coordinators in your area will help you attract more NDIS clients, especially plan-managed ones. You can reach out via email as well as through in-person and online networking.

Your Website

A well-written website will help potential clients discover your services and find out more about you. It can help build trust in your business, so invest time in getting the tone right. 

Make sure to include descriptions of the supports you offer along with positive testimonials. Blog posts can give clients greater insights into your values and services, as well as helping you to rank on Google for common customer queries.

Social Media

Your social media pages will make it easier for an NDIS participant to find you, especially if you run ads. Plus, by joining groups that are relevant to your target clients, you can position yourself as a friendly voice of expertise. 

While you don't want to annoy group members by posting lots of promotional information, sharing helpful tips and answering people's questions can create a relationship of trust between you and the community. This may then lead to inbound queries.

Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile can be set up in minutes, and it will ensure that your company appears on Google Maps. It can also help you rank for location-specific Google searches, such as "NDIS services in Launceston" or "NDIS services near me".

Clickability

The NDIA-recommended directory Clickability is a popular choice among participants for finding disability support providers and checking reviews of them. Adding your business details will give you more brand exposure. It's a freemium service, so you can choose the level of promotion you want to pay for.

MyCareSpace

Another NDIA-recommended directory, MyCareSpace can also help connect you with participants. It's more expensive than Clickability and doesn't have a free plan, but may make sense for your marketing strategy.

Local Business Directories

Whether it's True Local or Yellow Pages, adding your details to local business directories is a low-effort way to help potential clients in your area find you.

Traditional Advertising

Leaflets, TV and radio adverts, event sponsorship: don’t write off these traditional marketing channels. They're typically a more expensive marketing investment, but they can still play a powerful role in your client acquisition strategy.

Referrals

Recommendations can prove to be of your most powerful marketing tools, although they're also harder to control. That said, you may be able to encourage positive referrals by asking satisfied clients to review you online. Provide even your long-standing clients with your business card so they can share it with other people.

Essential Marketing Tips for Service Providers

A successful client acquisition strategy requires more than just picking the right channel. So how can you effectively market your NDIS business and attract clients?

#1 Understand Your Brand

What do you offer an NDIS participant that sets you apart from other providers? Why is that valuable? What type of participant will appreciate that?

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you hone your messaging, whether you're crafting a Facebook post or reaching out to plan managers.

#2 Know Which Marketing Strategies Are Working

Where are most of your new clients coming from? Sometimes, the answer to this question isn't as obvious as it might seem. An NDIS participant might message you via the Contact form on your website, but they could have clicked through from your Clickability page. 

Ask clients how they heard of you and track metrics such as social media post clicks and webpage referrals.

#3 Analyse and Adapt

Don't give up too quickly on channels that aren't immediately effective. Try analysing what works and tweaking your messages. A change in tone on social media or additional website testimonials could be all you need to drive more client enquiries.

Onboarding Your New Clients in Minutes

Attracting new NDIS clients is just the first step in growing your NDIS business. Once you've signed on a new participant, the most important work begins: setting up a support plan and goals, allocating support workers, scheduling services and ensuring that the client's needs are being met.

That's where disability support software comes in. With ShiftCare's NDIS software, you can onboard clients, track their NDIS funds usage, manage documentation, create rosters in minutes and bulk bill the NDIS.

Discover how the right software will help your business thrive, whether you've got five clients or five thousand. Try ShiftCare for free.