7 Key Marketing Steps for NDIS Service Providers: The First 6 Months

Marketing is essential for any NDIS provider business, especially when you're just starting out. It helps to create awareness and visibility, build relationships with participants and referrers, and establish a brand identity. Without marketing, it can be difficult to reach potential clients.

As a new NDIS provider, it's worth noting that there are many competitors vying for the same customer base. Establishing an effective marketing strategy will help you stand out from the competition and attract more clients who need your disability support services.

However, your marketing strategy doesn't need to be complex or expensive - this is especially true for NDIS providers, as the whole industry is built on trust and respect, which really cost nothing. That's why we recommend focusing heavily on building relationships in your first 6 months of operation.

Even though a marketing strategy doesn't need to be complex, you do need to have some sort of plan in place so that you can focus your efforts for maximum results. So, let's dive in. Here are the key steps we recommend after launching your business as an NDIS provider.

When it comes to marketing your business as an NDIS provider, defining your target audience is key. Knowing who you’re targeting will help you communicate in a way that resonates with them and tailor your messaging to their needs. This step should only take a few minutes, but it's surprising how many NDIS providers have never really asked this question.



For NDIS service providers, this could mean considering factors such as age, disability, location and interests of the people you want to reach. For example, if a provider wants to focus on psychosocial recovery services for adults leaving the justice system between the ages of 18 and 65, then they would need to consider what type of content appeals most to people facing these particular challenges.

Are there any special considerations that need to be taken into account? What do potential clients need from me? Understanding what your target audience needs and wants from you can help you create more effective messages that speak directly to your client base.

Location can also play an important role when it comes time for NDIS disability support providers to define their target audience. It may be beneficial for a provider located in Bankstown in Sydney for instance, to focus only on Bankstown and surrounding suburbs rather than trying to reach participants all across Sydney. 

Defining your target audience requires careful thought, but once done correctly it provides you with invaluable insight so that all your marketing efforts are targeted to the right people. It's a crucial first step, so go ahead - take a few minutes to write down the key characteristics of your target audience and refer to it often. 

Once you've identified your target audience, it's time to optimise your website for SEO so that you can reach them more effectively. (Don't panic - if you're a 2Brownies customer, we do this step for you!)

Links from other websites pointing back to yours show Google that there’s authority behind what’s being said on-site which can result in improved rankings overall. You don’t necessarily need hundreds of links though; just a few high-quality ones from reputable sources will suffice.

This is a super-important step and something you can do at no cost when you have a minute or two throughout your day. 

It's pretty simple but can take some time:

1. Submit your website and business details to as many online directories as possible, making sure they're quality directories and not just junk websites. Use exactly the same name, address, website url and phone / email information each time.
2. Take every opportunity you can find to have other websites link back to your website. Again, make sure they're legit websites related in some way to the disability sector and not spammy.

That's it. Make sure this step is on your radar so that you don't miss any opportunities that come your way. We've made this easier by recommending some online disability sector directories you can start with here.

Creating marketing collateral is an important part of any NDIS provider's success. It can help you spread the word about your services and reach a wider audience. For NDIS service providers, having professional-looking business cards and brochures is essential for making a good impression on potential clients and referral partners.

Business cards are great for networking events or handing out to potential clients and referral partners. They should include your company, name, position, contact information, website url, logo, and a brief description of what services you offer. Carry them everywhere and use them often. (And talk to us about creating your business cards - we can help).

Brochures are super important. Why? Because they build trust and help to establish your reputation.



We recommend you have a small, tri-fold brochure that provides more detailed information about what you offer and how clients can benefit from your disability support services. Include images or illustrations that reflect the types of services you provide along with text explaining in very concise terms what those services are and why they’re beneficial.

Borrow heavily from the content on your website so that all your marketing is consistent in message and tone. Add the NDIS logo to your brochure (making sure you use the version appropriate to your status as a registered / non-registered provider).

(Talk to us about creating your brochure - we make the whole process super easy).

Bonus collateral! If you have the time and funds, posters and flyers are another way to spread awareness of your business without incurring excessive costs.

Place posters or flyers in strategic locations such as medical centres, community groups, libraries, council offices or allied health providers so that you can expose your brand to clients who might need your services. Ensure that each poster/flyer contains all the necessary contact information plus a brief description of the services you offer so potential clients can understand what kind of disability support they will receive from you.

This step is optional. We recommend it for NDIS service providers who are into social media, use it often and understand the platforms well. If this is you, then definitely add social media to your early marketing efforts.

If this ISN'T you, then focus on building referral partnerships instead. But we'd still like you to do one thing in the first 6 months:

Go to Facebook and LinkedIn and create a page for your business. Even if you never post to that page, it will at least ensure that you've secured a social media handle (ie. @xyzcare) related to your business that you can use at a later date.

If you ARE into social media, then keep reading.....

Social media is a powerful tool for NDIS service providers to build their brand. It allows you to reach a large audience quickly and cost-effectively, without having to invest in expensive advertising campaigns. With the right strategy, you can create an engaged community of followers who will help spread your message and promote your business.

To get started with social media marketing, it’s important to define your target audience and determine which platforms they use most often. If you're unsure where to start, we recommend Facebook (for participants) and LinkedIn (for referral partners).

OK, it's the last step but it's an important one.

A Google Business Profile is an essential free tool for any NDIS provider that wants to reach local clients. It helps you get found in local searches and on Google Maps, and it also provides a way for clients and their families to easily find information about your business such as hours of operation, contact details, reviews, and more.

But there are a few conditions you need to meet in order to be able to create a Google Business Profile:

• You must have a business address (a physical location, not a PO box), or
• You must be legitimately working from home in a location where clients can visit you
• You should be displaying your physical address on your website

If you are working from home and don't have an address on your website, we recommend you make it a priority to get a physical address for the business sooner rather than later. This can be a shared office space or other location - just as long as it's a physical address that clients can visit. 

Creating a Google Business Profile is a quick process but it can be easy to get it wrong. Here are the steps:

Go to google.com/business and click “Start Now”. You will be asked to enter basic information about your business such as name, address, phone number, website URL (if applicable), category (e.g. disability services & support organisation), description of services offered (this is optional).

(Read Google's guidelines before you start so that you know you're not breaching their rules.)

Once you have entered all the required information correctly you can submit it for review by Google which usually takes 24-48 hours depending on how many other profiles are being reviewed at the same time.

A quick note: It's easy to get it wrong when creating your Google Business Profile, which can lead to Google rejecting your submission. If you'd rather leave it to the experts, chat to us about our Google Business Profile services.

Once approved by Google you can start optimising your profile with additional content like photos or videos showing what makes your offering unique. (Make sure not to use stock images). You should also include detailed descriptions about each of your services - this will help boost conversions too.

Make sure that all opening times are accurate so people don’t show up to your premises expecting something different than what is actually available at the time specified online.

Finally, remember that regular updates keep things fresh; post new services or special announcements regularly and respond quickly when someone leaves a comment or question on one of your posts so people feel valued and appreciated.

Creating a Google Business Profile will help you get discovered online. It's especially useful when people are searching for NDIS support services in your local area.

Every so often during your first 6 months, take the time to review your marketing efforts and determine what's working and what isn't. It's an obvious step, but it's surprising how many businesses don't think to measure what they're doing.



When people make inquiries, ask them how they found your business. This can be highly insightful and give you key information on which channels are reaching your potential clients. If certain efforts aren't bringing in leads, ask yourself if there's anything you can do to re-focus or improve. Or better yet - chat to us and we'll help to give you some perspective on what you're doing.

It's always difficult to gain traction in your business as an NDIS provider when you're starting out. (Unless you have a lot of clients ready to go). But by integrating some key steps into your work week, you can maximise your chances of getting noticed by the right people.



Building relationships is the most important thing you can do to ensure success in your business in the early days. Because once you have your first few clients on board, they recommend your services to others and before you know it, you have the momentum you need to grow and thrive. (Read our blog post on why testimonials are essential for NDIS service providers).

Are you a small business looking to build your reputation and make your mark? We create awesome websites, social media content, blog posts, SEO and Google Business profiles for NDIS service providers across Australia. Call us on 1300 608 114 or book a chat here: https://calendly.com/2brownies/chat. Our General Manager Vanessa would be happy to answer your questions.