Understanding Your Target Audience: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating NDIS Client Personas

It’s pretty common for NDIS providers to overlook one of the most crucial aspects of marketing: understanding their target audience. That's why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to creating client personas, so you can develop a deeper understanding of your potential participants and create marketing strategies that resonate with them.

You don't have to be a marketing expert to grasp the importance of knowing your target audience. In fact, it's a simple yet essential concept to understand, especially for NDIS providers without a marketing team. Without knowing who you are trying to engage and resonate with, it's incredibly challenging to create effective marketing campaigns and see the results you desire.

Well, simply put, client personas are fictional, generalised representations of your ideal NDIS participant. They help us understand our clients better and make it easier for us to tailor our marketing efforts to their specific needs, behaviours and goals. Here at 2Brownies, we've seen time and time again the positive impact that well-crafted client personas can have on the success of our clients' marketing campaigns.

Creating client personas might seem like a daunting task, especially if you're just starting out or have limited experience in marketing. But we've got your back! In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the whole process, from gathering information about your potential participants to putting the finishing touches on your client personas.

Understanding your target audience is vital for the success of any business, but it's especially important for NDIS providers. With limited budgets and resources at your disposal, you need to make sure that your marketing efforts are as effective as possible. That's where client personas come in.

These next steps are only relevant to NDIS providers who have been in business for a while. If this isn’t you, don’t worry! You can skip to the next part where we address your specific situation.

If you ARE a provider who’s been in business a while, read on.

The first step in creating client personas is gathering information about your existing participants and potential participants. There are several ways to collect this data:

1. Participant Surveys - Conduct surveys, either online or in-person, to gather feedback and insights from your existing participants. You can ask about their preferences, needs and pain points, as well as demographics and any other relevant information. If you have this information already as part of your ongoing client relationship management, collate what you can so that you can start to identify key persona traits that are common to most.

2. Social Media - Monitor your social media profiles for participant feedback and engagement. Look for patterns and trends in your audience's behaviour, as well as their likes, shares, and comments. You may find that your client personas go beyond participants to include their family and loved ones, community partners or other supporters.

Once you've gathered enough information, you can begin analysing the data to identify patterns and trends.

If you're a new NDIS service provider, the task of creating client personas may seem daunting, especially when you don't have previous participant data to rely on. Don't worry, you're not alone, and this task is far from impossible. A well-crafted persona can help you understand the needs, goals and challenges of your prospective clients, making your services more tailored and effective.

Begin by outlining a few broad categories of potential clients. Think in terms of age groups, types of disabilities, and the services they might require. Are you focusing on younger people who require early intervention services? Or perhaps adults in need of mobility support? 

The next step is immersing yourself in research. Talk to stakeholders like local healthcare providers, community organisers or even family members of those who might require NDIS services. Don’t forget online forums and social media platforms; they’re goldmines for understanding people’s real-world challenges and needs.

This is where you can let your creativity shine. Based on your research, create mock-up profiles of potential clients. Give them names, backgrounds and specific needs. 

Here’s an example:

Example Persona: Jack, The Tech-Savvy Teenager

Background:

Jack is a 17-year-old high school student who loves video games and coding. He was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which has significantly limited his mobility and requires him to use a powered wheelchair. He also has a part-time carer who assists him with daily tasks.

Needs:

• Highly specialised mobility support, including accessible transportation
• In-home personal support services for activities of daily living
• Access to assistive technologies that can support his educational goals

Goals:

• Complete his high school education and pursue a degree in computer science
• Build social connections, both online and offline
• Gain a sense of independence within the boundaries of his condition

Challenges:

• Physical limitations that affect his access to traditional schooling
• Need for frequent medical check-ups and therapies, which can disrupt his daily schedule
• Finding social outlets where he feels included and valued