what's the etiquette when approaching local businesses?

[nankypeevy]

In the interests of a full picture - here's a mammoth post...

'm sloooowly getting back to work - but have never worked for myself and need a bit of advice about how to speak to other businesses.

I'm a physio, going to work privately seeing as how the NHS can't give me a school hours/school term contract (bloomin' cheek)

My background's in community elder care - so, seeing older people in their own homes. There's a problem with waiting lists locally and lots of people prepared to pay me to come to their homes.

The plan is to provide physio services and exercise classes - I've got a mobile clinic and a mobile gym.

I've just been to a conference where I got chatting to a film producer of really great film about veteren athletes, you'll fall in love with Les by the end and I might be able to get a license to show the film and use it to launch my business.

I thought I'd hire the local hotel's business room (they have a big screen and it's all accessible), show the film for free, do a "walking stick MOT" and a demo exercise classes.

There's a chiropodist, an optician, a pharmacist, a beautician, a builder, a shop that sells aids like walking sticks and things to open jam jars, a gardener, etc, etc all local to me. There's a big sainsburys across the road from the hotel, they do an "assisted shopping" service which is little known.

I'd like to make links with these businesses, as they'd be able to tell their people about my service.

I'd really, really like for the other businesses to get involved - do a "spec check", BP check, foot check or whatever.

And, I'd like them to give vouchers or freebies to make up goodie bags for the people who come along.

There wouldn't be a charge for the attendees or the other businesses.

Here's the question - do I just approach them by email initially? With a link to my (work in progress) website? Or, is it better to turn up in person?

tia

Dont mail drop and e-mail as it gets binned. Mail drops give you about 1-5% success rate.

Get in touch with your local chamber of commerce/business link and see if there is any funding/match funding for marketing. Get a free editorial put in their brochure and see if the local press will also do this. Dont get in the advertising trap of spending £1000 then being told you need to do it again.

Not sure whether you can get around the school hours trap as you may lose trade by not working in evenings or working with a local athletic trainers. They will expect weekend appointments too.

Be careful with vouchers/freebies you could seriously undersell yourself and be in much debt before the profit kicks in. What you need is return custom and not sure if freebies do that.

You need a professional website, with email contact and mobile no. Again there may be money available.

Thanks, bacon.

I'd been in touch with the business gateway ages ago, that's a good prompt to get back to them.

I paid a designer to build the website, I'm pretty pleased with it. needs a couple of tweaks, but it looks better than the competitors'...I'll post it on here after a couple of days' more work and beg for some feedback!

I've got a post-grad in sports stuff, and I've used that to make links with a clinic that's 10 years established. I'm hoping to do a reciprocal referral thing with them, on a friendly working basis. They don't want to do domicilary work, and I don't want to compete with the eleventy billion clinics doing sports/backs/necks.

Right, am away to do some actual work on the website instead of procrastinating, whichis my main skill.

Hello

As long as you are offering them something in return for them promoting your services like the opp to give you vouchers for your goodie bags then I would have thought they'd be interested. From their point of view you are an unknown (sorry if that sounds harsh!), so they are going to want to ensure whatever the deal is, they get something out of it too. I'd email then a taliored message & then follow up. I guess it would be good to show them a draft of the invite to the event to give them an idea of what it will look like?

I would actually think one step further...could you involve them in event more so with demos/a stand each and it could be a larger "Keep mobile in retirement" - or something - event? It might create more of a draw and importantly they would be able to invite their existing customers? I also wonder if it would tick the Local Authority's boxes about keeping people active/healthy, might be funding or they might be willing to promote it.

Orgs like the WI and www.u3a.org.uk/home.html would help you reach potential guests.

I have no real experience of your market (aside from struggling to find somebody to look at my foot locally!) but is there a market in approaching private care homes?

Sounds really great - good luck.
WS

Thanks, water - that's a good idea. I don't have any profile at all amongst the other businesses, apart from being a known face and customer!

Age UK are happy if I do the event as a fundraising thing for them. That'll give me an "official" badge - I was concerned about possibly appearing to be trying to fleece little old ladies...

I did think about offering the other businesses a table at a day-long event. Pharmacies and opticians and chiropodists are all keen on doing health promotion stuff, but it's hard to make time to organise targetting the right people - so, if I'd organised it and all they had to do was turn up, that would be attractive to them. Particularly as these people are also the business' market?

Private care homes are the second bit of my business plan. There's lots of research showing that older people's response to exercise is really positive and that the elderly frail should be doing 150 mins a week, and that leads to remarkable effects on their memory and reducing falls, and, and, and... I am writing up exercise sessions for the fit elderly, the frail elderly, the confused, the chair bound etc. Am hoping to do my own research and then flog it to the nursing homes for them to deliver to their own residents. That'll be the cheapest way for the nursing homes to provide the exercise for their residents, who will be easier to manage as a result - the research is pretty conclusive on that which is really exciting.

Not enough hours in the day...

Want to tell me where you are in the country? I might know someone who does foot prodding? PM me if I can help.

Hi

I definately think they'd be interested in your event, esp if you sort it all out. I just know that people were wary of me first, and I have realised, that newbies don't always turn into long term frelancers/busineses, so just be aware of that when you approach them.

Care home plan sounds great too.

I have found a sport massage person who is having a go, not quite the same as physio obv but it is feeling a bit better. Aside from childbirth though, never really felt in as much pain. I'll be taking something to bite on next time!! Thanks anyway.

Good luck with it all!

WS

Nanky...
I may be late to the party here as I think you said on the other thread that you were not going ahead with your 'event'.

I have no doubt about the value of the service you offer and the research you mention is well grounded- I used to work in community care where maintaining and extending mobility was a big focus because of the knock on benefits for quality of life, ADL etc etc

I wonder if linking with existing local services is an avenue to pursue?
E.g. a progressive local pharmacy might be willing to host an information day where you are available to talk to customers, they also have a chiropodist that day, a diabetic nurse, optician? Thats a venue and audience sorted without you having to do as much foot work.
What about local primary care practices...I know most have in-house PT but could you add a specialist level on a consultancy basis?

And as for fleecing old ladies.....personally, if I wanted PT for my dad, I would rather pay for someone I feel knows what they are at instead of being on a waiting list for the local Basic Grade on-rotation PT .

Well, The Event will happen - just in a less grand affair.

One of the things I am learning is that my bright ideas have to GENERATE income, instead of just costing me more of my loan!

So, the Big Launch was coming out at £7 a head, attendees limited to max 100 because of access issues. Not all the attendees will want physiotherapy services there and then - so, it would be expensive for not much immediate return.

And, I need some immediate return to pay back my loan. To my Dad. Which is fantastic that he is able and willing to support me, and I am very grateful - but kind of embarrassing to be 40 years old and still using the bank of dad.

So, I am now going to do a walkign stick MOT at the library which has a nice room, parking and good access. I'll do the same link with the other businesses and invite them to get involved. Should cost less than £100 - lots of word of mouth and, hopefully, will generate some business.

Going to speak tot eh business gateway next week, and got a coupla meetings at nursing homes about trialling the exercise classes.

That's a good point about rotational PTs. It's a problem - value myself!

Forgot to mention I read that the chamber of commerce with advertising a big grant for new micro-business a few months ago think it was around the £2000 mark. I would def try the chamber - there are plenty of grants available which come fromthe EU - you must get as much help as possible.

Wow - I didn't know about that! When I spoke to the business gateway they told me there weren't any grants available - that'll teach me to to my own research!

Great - will contact them tomorrow. thanks bacon.