If you’re looking to get more NDIS clients, you’ll need to focus on your marketing efforts. Below we’re exploring everything you need to know about marketing your NDIS business, from creating a plan and budget to converting customers.

1. Create a Marketing Plan

There is a huge range of channels that NDIS service providers can take advantage of to market their services. However, not all of them will be well-suited to your organisation. That's why a good marketing plan is essential.

The first step is understanding your brand. You need to know what makes your organisation unique and attractive to NDIS clients, whether it's your expertise or your person-centred support. How are you different from other NDIS service providers?

You should also identify the NDIS participants you want to work with and the services you'll provide. This will help you decide what messages to focus on in your marketing.

Finally, it's time to choose how you'll market yourself: the channels you'll use, the priority they'll have and how much funding you'll allocate to them.

We'll explore the different channels available to you in this article. Remember to focus on the ones that best suit your brand and your team's skills. Your goal should be to reach and convert your ideal client with minimal time investment on your part. This way, you'll ensure that it's a cost-effective marketing tool rather than a drain of resources.

2. Connect with NDIS Support Coordinators

Successful NDIS providers market themselves with the support of the NDIS gatekeepers: support coordinators and local councils.

Contact your local area coordinators. They specialise in connecting NDIS participants with NDIS service providers. Make sure they include you in local LAC flyers listing local NDIS providers.

3. Build Your Online Visibility

Digital marketing can make for a cost-effective marketing tool for NDIS service providers. It provides a way for NDIS participants to discover your services and engage with you.

A website means you won't have to work so hard to find NDIS participants: they can come straight to you. Make sure your website is accessible and contains all the important information about your brand and services. After reading it, NDIS participants should know exactly who you are and what supports you offer.

With social media, NDIS providers can speak directly to the disability community. It can be a valuable source of customers, especially if your posts see good engagement.

You should also look for online groups and portals, such as MyCareSpace or Yellow Pages. MyCareSpace is a community directory connecting NDIS participants with local NDIS providers. It's an excellent way to ensure NDIA managed participants discover your services.

It's important to have all of your business information on Google My Business to enhance your online visibility. Read our blog "Using Google My Business to Boost Your NDIS Providers' Online Presence" to perfect your Google My Business page.

4. Capitalise on NDIS Branding

If you're an NDIS registered provider, make sure it's obvious. Download the NDIS logos. Including them in your marketing will help you find NDIS participants.

5. Encourage Word of Mouth

Word of mouth carries great weight among the disability community. Happy clients will want to refer people to your services, and this can be a valuable source of inquiries from your local area.

Try asking clients who have already given you positive feedback if they could write an online review. This can kick start the process of online word of mouth marketing.

6. Don't Forget Traditional Advertising

Successful NDIS providers market themselves in a variety of ways. It's easy to hyperfocus on online marketing. However, old-fashioned marketing methods can prove great resources for advertising your services in your local area.

Try creating leaflets and taking out newspaper ads describing your services. Contact your local radio channels to ask about commercials, and make small talk while doing so. If you make a good impression, you could be invited to do an interview.

Just like with social media and your website, traditional advertising should communicate what makes your organisation unique. It needs to clearly describe your services and make it easy for people in the local area to connect with you.

7. Make Signing Up for Your Services Easy

Whether it's via a community directory, website or local LAC flyers, remember the success of your marketing efforts isn’t measured in views, likes or comments. It’s measured in conversions. So, make it easy for NDIS participants to sign up for your services.

Identify the pain points in the customer journey. Are there multiple ways to contact you, including email and phone calls? If someone has a question, can they connect with a real human or will they be stuck chatting with a support bot?

And, once someone has contacted you, how quick is the process of signing up, onboarding and receiving services?

If it's not easy for interested persons to sign up for NDIS disability support, then you need to rework your processes. Otherwise, participants could end up going to other NDIS service providers instead.

Read our blog "The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Your NDIS Provider Business" to get more marketing tips and tricks.

NDIS Tools that Will Support Your Business as It Grows

Marketing your NDIS service provider business is only the first step in growing it. You also need to convert prospective clients into customers and provide excellent disability services.

Many NDIS providers struggle with growth. As they sign on new NDIS participants, they find they don't have the staff or the infrastructure to properly provide all these disability supports.

That's why it's important to pick your tools carefully. You need software that makes scaling your business easy, so that you can focus on delivering services that support people instead of admin work and systems management.

ShiftCare's NDIS software is designed to grow with your company. It has built-in NDIS functionality, from bulk claims to NDIS plan management. The rostering tools make adding more clients and staff members simple. And it has a 98% positive satisfaction ranking from service provider businesses of all sizes.

Try ShiftCare for free today to discover how it can support your business, no matter how big or small it is.