Marketing isn’t a game of chance. Success lies in the data.
One of the biggest questions you’ll ask as a home care agency owner is “How do I find and attract more clients?”
We’d like to say that there’s a straightforward answer to this continuing problem, but the truth is that it really relies on how invested and successful you are in your marketing efforts, and what sources you’re using to find them.
Due to the pandemic, home care has faced a lot of hardships over the past year. Many home care agencies have shifted time, resources, and attention away from marketing in order to focus more on the caregiver shortage crisis.
While it’s important that you’re aware of the needs of your business and what the greatest growth areas are, you shouldn’t neglect any opportunities like marketing (especially word-of-mouth).
Most home care agencies are using marketing to one extent or another, but with rising competition, lack of caregivers, and increasing demand for home care services, there’s always more you can do.
We’ve collected data from hundreds of home care agencies across the country and found the top marketing sources agencies are using.
The top marketing sources for 2021
In the 2021 Home Care Benchmarking Study, home care agency owners were asked to select their top five revenue-generating marketing sources, along with identifying the percentage of 2020 annual revenue that each top method was responsible for in their agency.
(To take a closer look at the data above, right-click the image to “open image in a new tab.”)
These sources cover both referral and consumer marketing efforts. Referral marketing entails networking, such as with a hospital or skilled nursing facility, while consumer marketing involves using advertising channels to directly target clients and their families.
While both are important, we’ve heard from hundreds of home care agencies that their top growth opportunities for 2021 include strengthening relationships with referral sources and increasing client referrals by improving client satisfaction.
CUSTOMER STORY
“Nobody else in our area is doing this,” says the owner. “When we meet with a referral source, we don’t even have to talk about our services anymore.”
Measuring the impact of your marketing efforts
To make sure you’re focusing on the right marketing sources, we suggest measuring their impact by tracking the following variables:
By tracking both of these metrics, you’ll be able to accurately see which sources are worth investing in and where clients are finding your services.
Other marketing sources to consider
In the survey, some participants listed their top marketing source as “other.” While these ideas aren’t included in the top 20, some home care agencies have found success with them, so it’s important to consider all the options.
How the client and caregiver experiences impact marketing
Word-of-mouth marketing is such a powerful tool in gaining new clients and caregivers.
Erik Madsen, CEO of Home Care Pulse, has previously said, “If you’re trying to attract more clients and caregivers, what you say about your business doesn’t matter nearly as much as what your current clients and caregivers say about your business.”
With clients being the number one marketing source (and caregivers/employees coming in third), their satisfaction and experience will directly impact the growth of your agency.
The best marketing is a great client experience. If you strive for success there, everything else will fall into place. Your clients and caregivers will become your top promoters, and you’ll likely receive referrals that are of a higher quality than you’ll see with any of your other sources.
Which of these marketing sources are you using?
