Getting Your Message Out

Have you considered adding some money to your marketing budget to cover the cost of advertising?

Having a great home care company and waiting for customers to come to you is no longer an option. Customers have many choices today, so if you are waiting for them to get to your name on the list, you may not have the money or patience to wait!

Advertising is a way to communicate a message from one person to another. Your goals for advertising should be to:

• Create brand loyalty for your company;
• Increase the size of your market;
• Reach those who may not know you exist; and
• Provide consumer education and information.

There are many venues available to communicate these messages including radio, television, billboards, direct mail, newspapers and magazines — the list seems to be endless. Where should you begin?

One of the biggest mistakes home care companies make is failing to advertise their products and services to the right audience. The more you know about the lifestyles of your customers — where they shop, what newspapers they read, what television shows they watch — the easier it will be to make the right advertising decisions. If you are looking to place an advertisement on a bus bench, for example, you want to make sure your audience targets — those people you want to reach — see that bench or drive through that intersection.

Since there might be several target markets for your products, you may need to select different advertising venues. Your mobility products may be of interest to one particular group in your community, while your mastectomy boutique may be of interest to a wider age range of community members.

Make a short list of the products you want to talk about, then, next to each list those people who could best benefit from this product. This simple exercise will help guide your planning as you consider advertising for your company.

Let’s look at print advertising. Print advertising should be developed with three goals: (1) to let the customer know what you sell; (2) to let the customer know how your products and services can be of benefit; and (3) to let the customer know how he or she can do business with you.

Print advertisements are not just a piece of art-work; they should be straightforward, clear, concise — and create an interest in your company.

Print advertising can be placed in a variety of publications including newspapers, directories or magazines. Before you invest in any of these, review the markets that read the product to see if there is a match with the audience you wish to reach. You are not only interested in reaching lots of people but in reaching people who may be interested in the products you sell.

Newspapers are interesting advertising products since they come in many forms. They may be community papers, regional papers or even small development newspapers. Newspapers have a short shelf life; they are quickly read and tossed out. They are rarely used for reference so, in order to gain attention, repeat advertising is often required.

Do not expect a one-time advertising placement to bring the results you want. It may take several months of regular advertising to gain the customer’s attention. You also must realize that every potential customer does not immediately see the need for the medical products you offer.

Advertising in local senior guides or community magazines is very different. These publications are often used as reference tools, shared with other family members and can be kept for months. Magazines also have the ability to show clearer pictures of your products, how they work and what they look like.

No matter where you advertise, whether in print or elsewhere, you will need to invest time, and possibly money, into determining the results. Ask patients and customers who call how they heard about you. To make the most of your advertising investment, you will want to know what’s working and what’s not.

Advertise, but do it wisely. Even a few dollars lost advertising in the wrong place is needless, costly and should be avoided.

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting Inc. and the founder and director of the DSC Teleconference Series, a teleconference training program. He can be reached at www.DynamicSeminars.com or by phone at 954/435-8182.