Hi Sheila, I am a new care provider with 18 years experience in care (different sectors; residential care, nursing, hospital, community domiciliary,supported living with people with disability, end of life care, enablement care for people recovering after hospital admission). I have management experience with experience in recruitment and have care and support workers available for work. How do I advertise my service?

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear H,

Thank you for your question.

The marketing of a new business is very important. Hopefully once your business is known you will never look back.

Are you registered with CQC?

Do you have a brochure?

The first thing you should do is contact the commissioning department of your local Council and enquire what their arrangements are for working with local providers of care.

Do they have a register of providers they contract with or something similar. How do you get on to that list?

That is an important first step.

You should then make contact with your local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and ask the same questions.

Another important contact will be the local GPs. At the least ask the Surgery Manager if you can leave a few brochures in the waiting room or on the notice board.

You could issue a press release to your local press in the hope that they will write an article about your new service or you could consider advertising in a local newspaper.

I would suggest that you might deliver a brochure to every house in a street near you or a sheltered housing complex. I am not saying that that will work but you might just be delivering the brochure at the very moment that someone is looking for care!

Finally if you know another provider locally ask them for advice and see what they say.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes.

Sheila