Transcript
How do I get more clients from my home care business?
The biggest challenge with starting any kind of business is client acquisition. And in this video I’m gonna share what we’ve learned doing marketing for home care agencies throughout the United States so that you can work towards getting your first clients and growing your home care agency.
My name is Frank, I’m the founder of Sagapixel. We are a home care marketing agency that works with home care agencies across the United States to generate leads through PPC and search engine optimization. In this video I’m gonna share some actionable steps that you can take right now.
1. Set Up Your Google Business Profile
Step number one, set up your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). If you perform a search like home care agency near me or caregivers near me, you’ll see that you have this map results right here. Here you have the listing of the business address, phone number, a link to the website, directions to get there. The process for getting this set up is really simple. Just go over to business.google.com, fill out the profile. They’re gonna mail a postcard to your office—you just need to take the code that they give you, enter it into your profile, and you’ll be listed on Google (and eligible to show up in the map results, see below).
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re gonna be showing up in the map results for a search like caregivers near me, but you will have a profile.
Collect & Promote Client Reviews
Client reviews are a powerful tool for attracting new clients. Potential clients often rely on reviews to gauge the quality of your services.
Encourage your existing clients or their families to leave reviews by sending out requests for reviews or by directly asking them. You can do this via follow-up emails, phone calls, or during face-to-face interactions.
Make it easy for current and past clients to leave reviews by providing direct links to your Google Business Profile, Yelp, or other review platforms. The easier you make the process, the more likely your clients or their families will follow through with leaving reviews.
Promote positive reviews on your website and social media channels. Testimonials can be a compelling proof of your quality service and are often seen as more reliable since they come from someone that isn’t directly associated with your home care agency.
Engage with all reviews, positive and negative. Thank clients for their feedback and address any concerns promptly and professionally. Replying to reviews shows you’re invested in providing the best home care services possible.
2. Have a Review Acquisition Strategy
Now, one of the steps towards getting your home care agency to show up in the map results is my second tip. Have a review acquisition strategy. Getting reviews in particular for your Google Business profile. It should be a core part of just your general operations. If you have existing families that you’re taking care of already, then asking for a review along with a thank you note or an invoice or following a meeting should be just a part of the way you do business.
Just like you don’t want to go to a dentist that has zero reviews, people don’t wanna hire a caregiver that no one has ever reviewed before. Getting these reviews is going to also help you to show up in the map results to show up on Google. So incorporate it into your processes.
3. Start Doing PPC for Your Home Care Business
Here’s why you should do PPC for your home care agency. If we take the example before of the search that I performed, this wasn’t the first thing that popped up on the, in the search engine results.
This was despite what you may think people do click on these ads and they do drive leads. We manage Google Ads for dozens of home care agencies across the country, and I can tell you that we can pretty predictably drive leads at a cost of anywhere from 60 to probably on the high end, maybe two 50 or $300 a pop. So again, if you can close half of those, you can calculate what kind of return you can expect from doing Google Ads.
Now we have a very refined, optimized process that’s using data across dozens of home care agencies over several years. So it may take a little longer if you try to do it yourself, but once that campaign is set up by someone that knows what they’re doing and that’s been optimized, you should be able to count on pretty predictable leads. Uh, as long as you continue running the ads, the next step that you can take is to start doing search engine optimization.
4. Do Search Engine Optimization for Your Home Care Agency
Now, ideally, you should hire somebody that really knows what they’re doing, but if you don’t have the funds yet, there are some steps that you can take right now.
Have Dedicated Pages for Each Home Care Service
The first thing is to have dedicated service pages for all the type of care that your customers are looking for.
While you may think that you are just simply a home care agency, your customers are looking for things like 24 hour care near me, Alzheimer’s, dementia care caregivers, home care agencies, companion care. Having dedicated pages for each one of these services is going to increase the likelihood of a page on your website showing up on Google for that search.
We often see the home care businesses will put up a catch all page to cover all the different types of services they provide, only to result with a page that really isn’t in the eyes of Google, particularly relevant to any of these searches.
If you provide transportation services, 24-hour care and Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care, what in reality is that page really relevant for like what search is? Is it likely to pop up on Google for if you have a competitor in your local market that has dedicated transportation services for seniors page, they’re going to be the ones that are showing up on Google.
So again, get these pages built out.
5. Get Listed on Home Care Directories
Another thing you can consider is to get listed on websites like care.com. People do use these directories to compare and contrast all of their options. That’s one of the reasons why Google is showing a number of directories in the top results here. There’s usually going to be a cost associated with being able to get into the positions that are gonna generate those leads. So look into it. Do a search like caregivers in the city where you’re located.
Take a look at the directories that are ranking on Google. Contact them and test it out. Some of them are gonna be cheaper than others.
All of them should be able to drive some leads for you. This is a slow and tedious one, but you need to network. Start knocking on doors if you are not busy, if you’re starting off your home care business, start visiting healthcare providers in your area.
You’ll find the physical therapy, rehab facilities, basically any healthcare providers that take care of the type of patients that you may be able to help. You need to get to know all of them, get earn the trust, start speaking in their events, sponsor your local little league. Do whatever you can to start getting your home care agency out there trusted and top of mind when a healthcare provider gets the question, Hey, you know anybody that could take care of my grandmother.
6. Engage with the Local Community
Building a presence in your local community is essential for establishing trust and recognition. People will want to confirm that you’re a local home care agency and prospective clients will likely appreciate how you help make their communities better places.
Participate in Community Events
Participating in community events is a great way to get clients for a home care agency. By attending local fairs, festivals, and health expos, you can directly engage with potential clients and their families. Make sure to have informative brochures and friendly staff ready to answer questions about your services.
Set up a booth at local events to interact with the community. Offer free health screenings or informative brochures about your home care services. Potential clients or their families will already be attending these events, so you just need to meet them there.
Participate in or sponsor local health fairs. These events attract individuals who are likely to need home care services. Provide information on the services your home care agency provides and the benefits they offer.
Get involved in community service projects. This shows your agency’s commitment to the community and helps build relationships with prospective clients, their families, or other healthcare professionals that could provide referrals to your agency.
Book Speaking Engagements
Booking speaking engagements at local clubs, senior centers, and health organizations is another effective strategy. When you share valuable information about home care and health management, you position your agency as a trusted resource. This approach not only builds credibility but also opens doors to new client referrals.
Offer to speak at local senior centers, clubs, or community groups about the benefits of home care and how to choose a home care provider. These events are likely to have high-intent individuals who might be considering some form of assisted living which gives you an opportunity for guiding them to your agency.
Conduct workshops on topics like senior health, chronic disease management, or caregiver support. This positions your agency as a knowledgeable and caring resource.
Partner with local educational institutions to speak about career opportunities in home care, attracting potential staff and increasing community awareness.
Sponsor Local Events
Sponsoring local events is a strategic way to raise your agency’s visibility in the community. When you sponsor events like charity walks, health fairs, or local sports teams, your brand gets prominent exposure. This helps establish your agency as a community-focused and trustworthy provider of home care services.
Sponsor events that align with health and wellness. This not only promotes your agency but also shows your support for local causes. Local youth or adult sports teams are also great options to sponsor. This increases your visibility and demonstrates community involvement. Finally, you can sponsor cultural or holiday events to connect with a diverse range of community members.
7. Build Professional Referrals
Professional referrals are crucial for a steady stream of new clients. Building relationships with healthcare professionals and complementary businesses can significantly boost your referrals.
Partner with Local Healthcare Professionals
Partnering with medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators can significantly boost your client base. These professionals can refer patients who need home care services to your agency. Considering that 7 out of 10 people will need assisted living care in their lifetime, building a strong network of referral partners can help you reach a large and growing population before they commit to a facility.
Establish partnerships with local hospitals, clinics, and physician offices. Potential clients or their families are more likely to trust their doctors overseeing advertisements for your home care agency, so having referral partners means having a trustworthy voice behind you. Additionally, provide them with informational materials about your services.
Work closely with discharge planners at hospitals to ensure they have your information when recommending post-hospitalization care.
Finally, connect with geriatric care managers who can refer their clients to your services when their patients or their families inquire about nursing or home care.
Forge Relationships with Complementary Businesses
Forming partnerships with complementary businesses like pharmacies, medical equipment suppliers, and financial planners can also drive client referrals. These businesses often interact with individuals who may need home care services and can recommend your agency to their customers. Networking and establishing referral agreements can be mutually beneficial.
Partner with local pharmacies and medical supply stores. They often interact with individuals who may need home care services and can serve as a trustworthy source to support your organization similarly to doctors and clinics.
Build relationships with elder law attorneys and financial planners. They can refer clients who are planning for long-term care and have a good understanding of their clients’ needs.
You can try to connect with assisted living facilities for referrals with the idea that some clients are staunchly against moving into nursing homes. However, those businesses will more likely continue to convince those clients that retirement communities are the best option and probably won’t refer clients to your home care business.
8. Use a Marketing Mix
My last tip is to recommend that you not rely entirely on one marketing channel.
Algorithm updates happen. Lead generation websites change their pricing. Things happen. And if you are relying on just one way for you to get your business, you’re at risk. The best marketing is a mix of channels. So you should be picking between Google Ads, SEO, lead generation websites, networking and mixing all of these together so that they can compliment one another and have a backup if one of them stops working.
