Hey Website Gurus.....

[Fate]

I have switched careers and have everything I have sunk into a new business helping the elderly. It is something I felt drivin to do and have been living on almost a non exsistant savings. Some of you know my situation, I took care of my grandfather until he pasted earlier this year. We could not find an assisted living facility I would put my dog in let alone my grandfather. I found some decent Nursing homes, but grandpa was not ready for that. So I decided to make my own and came up with a new type of facility that is not institutionalized like a nursing home. I am ready to open the doors to a new type of assisted living facility that is more home oriented and gives a higher degree of care. I made a mediocre website to get the word out. I am having my final inspection on the 15th

The govt. is very slow, and this has cost me alot of $$$$$. My question is, how can I drive potential clients to my site at the least amount of cost? I am not a web designer as anyone looking at my website will be able to tell. I have the free hosted site from my host location right now. I will switch it to a better site once I have some money coming in. Does anyone have some ideas??? The website I have is pretty much like a online brochure to explain the business. This type of facility is not a well known concept. I am not really suppose to advertise until after 15th, but trying to get ready. I am promoting the business through normal means such as newspapers and other media. I would like to get towards the top of search engines. I have the google ad sense thingy, but no luck with it yet.


HELP PLEASE!!!!

 

[Fate]

The link is below in my signature, the www.oasisinparadise.info link

 

[Mr Bogus]

Couple things I hit right off...

Free hosting.... bad news... you do not need others ads on your site, it also adds a sense of "hey they cant afford web space?" (PM me, i will set you up with a commercial hosting account for the first year till you see what you want to do)

AdSense.... will generate business but I have no idea how well it will work in your case as you need a more "local" client.. I would make sure your ads are kept to local viewers..

I would be working the local ad scene myself (nothing cheap about any of it) but find out where your clients watch or listen (talk radio?)

I would also hold off on anything UNTIL you have licenses in hand (you never know what delay could be in store) Site design is subjective... hundred views, hundred opinions.. make it simple, easy to navigate and try to anticipate your visitors wants and needs... (probably the toughest part of web design after you figure out the "look")

Best of luck!! I firmly believe this is going to be a blossoming business and I am actually looking at setting up something similar with a Dr I work for, we have 8 acres that would work nicely for "Assisted" living facility...

 

[Bosshound]

That IS AWESOME !!!!!!!  My father died at the Young Age of 91.  We Finally had to put him in a HOUSE with other old people that was More Private than a Nursing Home. It Cost me a A BUNDLE of MONEY but I did what I had to do. Luckily he only lasted 6 months in that place before he Passed. That Last Year of His Life He Really wanted to go if you know what I mean

 

[Revvv]

Bogus is dead on.

In terms of advertising, word of mouth is more valuable than any printed word or broadcast. There are millions of ways to be seen, but happy, impressed people refer others.

Oh, if you have a connection with Churches, that can open a lot of doors if you have a good reputation.

 

[300Busa]

make up some vinyl stickers with the website address and put them on your car, etc.

 

[Fate]

Couple things I hit right off...

Free hosting.... bad news... you do not need others ads on your site, it also adds a sense of "hey they cant afford web space?" (PM me, i will set you up with a commercial hosting account for the first year till you see what you want to do)

AdSense.... will generate business but I have no idea how well it will work in your case as you need a more "local" client.. I would make sure your ads are kept to local viewers..

I would be working the local ad scene myself (nothing cheap about any of it) but find out where your clients watch or listen (talk radio?)

I would also hold off on anything UNTIL you have licenses in hand (you never know what delay could be in store) Site design is subjective... hundred views, hundred opinions.. make it simple, easy to navigate and try to anticipate your visitors wants and needs... (probably the toughest part of web design after you figure out the "look")

Best of luck!! I firmly believe this is going to be a blossoming business and I am actually looking at setting up something similar with a Dr I work for, we have 8 acres that would work nicely for "Assisted" living facility...

Thanks for the advice. We are in Florida so there will be a draw from other states. I have been working with large groups of attorneys, hospice, other elder care professionals, and we should have a good draw of residents, but the more we get, the more facilities we can open. We are charging as little as possible to make the facility work so we will need more faclities. We are going to take medicade and only 10% of the facilites in the area take it. We will be opening our budget to advertise. I am a firm believer in advertising. Atleast 25% will go to promote for more leads. We are hosting free seminars this month and should have potential residents from that too.

I am sending you a pm, would like to talk more to you if you don't mind and also about hosting website.

 

[Fate]

That IS AWESOME !!!!!!! My father died at the Young Age of 91. We Finally had to put him in a HOUSE with other old people that was More Private than a Nursing Home. It Cost me a A BUNDLE of MONEY but I did what I had to do. Luckily he only lasted 6 months in that place before he Passed. That Last Year of His Life He Really wanted to go if you know what I mean

Our facility is a home. It is 3800 sqft though, it is huge. But same kind of deal. They charge upward of $12,000 around here a month for assisted living. We are a 3rd of that.

 

[Fate]

Bogus is dead on.

In terms of advertising, word of mouth is more valuable than any printed word or broadcast. There are millions of ways to be seen, but happy, impressed people refer others.

Oh, if you have a connection with Churches, that can open a lot of doors if you have a good reputation.

Already on that, We have contacted churches and are hosting free seminars and we are speaking in behalf of some insurance co. offering long term care insurance about the type of home we have. I also teamed up with a person local with lots of experience and is well liked. We are working with a dial a nurse group and sharing leads. We plan to host a non for profit website to promote knowledge about the processes and steps to prepare for the change. We are going to have asset protection, businesses that provide nursing and house keeping in there homes up to what to do when it is time for assisted living to a nursing home. There are a lot of ways to keep the govt from taking all the persons $$$ and we are planning to educate through the website I plan to start very soon. This, of course will produce leads for us as well.

 

[Fate]

make up some vinyl stickers with the website address and put them on your car, etc.

Stickers might work but this crazy town we are in, we can not have any type of advertising on vehicles. The homes are residential and we get fined. If they are promoting our business, they have to be magnets and be removed once in the driveway.

 

[zukracer]

My only advice is keep your audience in mind when you design and create the information on your site.  Bogus has nailed the techie side and other ideas here are great.

I've read sooooo many sites that are overly complicated or confusing and I'm in the industry

.  Keeping your audience in mind as you code things up will make it easier for them to find their way and ultimately use your services.  If it were me, I'd try putting a poll together (or similar) and maybe ask a sample of your target audience in a few local churchs what they consider important and relevant in selecting the services you are offering.  (could be you know it all already, could be very enlightening)  

 

[BusaWhipped]

Your advertising needs to focus on what's in it for them, not what you are doing. Some of the details are important, but won't attract the attention you are seeking. If you want to sell a knike, show them how well it slices ripe tomatos, don't tell them why your steel is better than the competitions.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Fate]

My only advice is keep your audience in mind when you design and create the information on your site. Bogus has nailed the techie side and other ideas here are great.

I've read sooooo many sites that are overly complicated or confusing and I'm in the industry

. Keeping your audience in mind as you code things up will make it easier for them to find their way and ultimately use your services. If it were me, I'd try putting a poll together (or similar) and maybe ask a sample of your target audience in a few local churchs what they consider important and relevant in selecting the services you are offering. (could be you know it all already, could be very enlightening)

Your right. But I think alot of the people I will be targeting will not be the elderly themselves, but their families. People our age.

 

[Fate]

Your advertising needs to focus on what's in it for them, not what you are doing. Some of the details are important, but won't attract the attention you are seeking. If you want to sell a knike, show them how well it slices ripe tomatos, don't tell them why your steel is better than the competitions.

Hope that makes sense.

People would rather know what you have for them. I may need to make some changes. I plan to have a seminars each month with speakers that are free that offer classes and advise to the elderly and also we are starting a group that is made up professionals with a goal to help the elderly. We will promote that as well on the internet. This type of home is much different than what most people are used to when it comes to adult living.

 

[Mr Bogus]

Your advertising needs to focus on what's in it for them, not what you are doing. Some of the details are important, but won't attract the attention you are seeking. If you want to sell a knike, show them how well it slices ripe tomatos, don't tell them why your steel is better than the competitions.

Hope that makes sense.

People would rather know what you have for them. I may need to make some changes. I plan to have a seminars each month with speakers that are free that offer classes and advise to the elderly and also we are starting a group that is made up professionals with a goal to help the elderly. We will promote that as well on the internet. This type of home is much different than what most people are used to when it comes to adult living.

The "seminar" route could be a good move.. I can tell you from personal experience that most people have a terrible stigma when it comes to moving a parent to a facility.

So what level of care are you going to provide?

I have heard more than one time "let me die before you put me in a home".. I would bet educating and putting the "guardian" at ease is going to be the toughest part

Now how to design the message that "it is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be"

From the homes I have had to visit, the community rooms are the worst... to many wheelchair bound vegetative people..

 

[Fate]

Your advertising needs to focus on what's in it for them, not what you are doing. Some of the details are important, but won't attract the attention you are seeking. If you want to sell a knike, show them how well it slices ripe tomatos, don't tell them why your steel is better than the competitions.

Hope that makes sense.

People would rather know what you have for them. I may need to make some changes. I plan to have a seminars each month with speakers that are free that offer classes and advise to the elderly and also we are starting a group that is made up professionals with a goal to help the elderly. We will promote that as well on the internet. This type of home is much different than what most people are used to when it comes to adult living.

The "seminar" route could be a good move.. I can tell you from personal experience that most people have a terrible stigma when it comes to moving a parent to a facility.

So what level of care are you going to provide?

I have heard more than one time "let me die before you put me in a home".. I would bet educating and putting the "guardian" at ease is going to be the toughest part

Now how to design the message that "it is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be"

From the homes I have had to visit, the community rooms are the worst... to many wheelchair bound vegetative people..

The care level is higher than an assisted living facility actually, but less cost. I is more of a "home" environment. That is why I push the difference on the site I have now about the difference from the "institutionalized feel". We are hosting the seminars at our facility so people can tour it and feel the "at home" environment. If the resident has really bad dementia or is bed ridden, I am not licensed to take them. Other than that, we are trying to take residents that can perform most day to day activities with just a little help and reminding. We plan to have adult day cares also. The seminars will also educate on the differences of the types of care including our type of facility. I am working on getting some the the local news stations involved in promoting this "new" concept. It is not really new, but very few people know it is available.