Creative Marketing for Home Health Care Agencies
Marketing Strategies for Home Health Care
At home senior care is an important part of our society and a big part any family’s budget. As many people choose to stay as independent as possible, home health services will be in greater demand in coming years. With so many options available, how do you choose which service provider will best meet your needs?
This is the dilemma for many families and/or aging seniors who are looking for the best in home health services.
Those home health services providers who can answer that question for their audience and give them confidence that they are making the right choice in home health care will get the business.
The following are some creative ideas for making the decision making process easier for your audience and ultimately getting them to say ‘Yes’ to you.
Create a Professional Online Presence.
It can not be stated enough — it is 2022, and everyone looks online for information. Almost 90%+ of searches begin on Google. You need to be on page 1 of your prospect’s search results page if you hope to be included in their evaluation of providers. Today, this generally requires a concerted effort at Search Engine Optimization for your website, and possibly a ‘pay-per-click’ Google Ad campaign.
And if you are not represented in a professional manner when they find you, they will not include you in their decision making process.
The first thing that you need to have is an up-to-date Google Business Profile. This will ensure that your local prospects see you when they do searches for services. Google serves them the local providers, usually in the ‘Map Pack’ which is part of the Business Profile information.
And if your business has several different locations, you will want to make sure each of them is represented similarly.
As you might know from personal experience, some searchers call prospective home health providers right from that map pack list.
The Value of 5-Star Ratings
One of the biggest ways to stand out in this search list is to have a ‘5-Star’ rating. It is a quick way to establish credibility. Every satisfied customer should be asked to add a rating and review to your Google Business listing. It truly can represent According to BrightLocal, having a 5-star rating earns a business 28% more clicks vs. having no rating.
If they are on a mobile device, that click may represent a phone dial to your business. Make sure that they reach a professional sounding person or message.
If they are on a desktop browser, that click may be to your website. In that case, make sure that your site is professional looking and it has contact information, such as phone numbers and email addresses. You should also provide links to social media pages where people can find out more about your business and see how you engage with your audience.
And don’t forget to include your professional profile and company page on LinkedIn. This is often one other way that people get to see you as a professional provider.
Build Brand Awareness.
Another effective way to promote your at home senior care business is through word of mouth. People who hear about your business from friends, family members, or other sources will often refer them to you. It’s important to keep these referrals coming because they can help you build brand awareness.
Promote Your Services.
One of the easiest ways to do so is by creating a website with an online form where people can request more information about your services. This can also allow for you to send out occasion emails that help to nurture your prospects to considering you – when they decide that they want/need your services.
You can also use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to share news about your business. Invite your network to follow your business social media channels. And plan to use it to educate AND promote.
Develop Relationships with Local Professionals.
If you work with a local hospital, clinic, or other medical facility, you should develop relationships with local professionals who provide similar services. This will help you gain access to new clients and referrals.
Because of HIPPAA compliance, you are limited in asking for ‘leads’ to contact from medical providers. But, a doctor or primary care provider will probably be aware of the needs of their patient’s and can possibly encourage them to contact you to learn more about the services you provide.
Offer Specialized Services.
You can also offer specialized at home senior care services that aren’t available anywhere else. For example, if you specialize in treating patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, you might offer an online training program to teach others how to do so.
This provides you with an expertise and/or perspective that will set you apart from many of your competitors.
Finally, Scalability is An Important Factor.
It is important to have a marketing plan that meshes with your business plan. Are you a single provider, or a multi-market corporation? How fast can you scale your business – IF you started to receive an abundance of new leads?
Keep this in mind as you begin any marketing campaign for at home senior care services. We recommend that you start small. Test the ‘return on that marketing activity’ and then decide to scale it up or add/replace it with new marketing efforts.
Keep in mind what that next new home health care client represents in new revenue and profitability, so that you can best determine what the ‘cost of sale’ to earn it should be.
All of the these questions can be built into a comprehensive marketing plan. We would be happy to help you develop one for your own home health care business.