Posts Tagged ‘home care marketing’
How to market home care services?
Catering to those who need home care services can be gratifying and fulfilling work; however, marketing these services may present a tough challenge for home care agency owners. Home care is an “at need” service because people do not pay attention to these services until the need arises. The key to home care marketing success is being called when the need arises.
So, how do you get people to call? You give them a reason, based on their need for information. You stay in front of them on a regular basis so they remember your agency name. Unfortunately, the needs for home care often come at unexpected times, and what home care means may not be totally understood. Be the local, approachable resource for information and be a comfort during a time of tough decisions for your audience.
As a former home care agency owner myself and a marketing expert with today’s technology, I know from working experience that growing an agency means:
- Having the right information available in a variety of online ways;
- Interacting and responding appropriately, online and directly;
- Integrating all outreach, communication efforts with online inbound efforts.
My next post will explore finding your target audience and referral sources. In the meantime, check out MOSTSM, our coveted monthly turnkey marketing communications program designed for home care agencies—so you can put my strategic marketing practices into play immediately.
Home Care, home care marketing, Homecare Marketing, homecare marketing plans, marketing strategy, monthly communications
Inbound Marketing as it Relates to Website Development
As promised, more on inbound marketing and how it relates to website development and overall strategy. Every day, people are seeking web-based information to learn about home care services, to vet agencies and find jobs. There’s an enormous advantage of having a marketing strategy on the web—24/7 interaction and collaboration with your audience; control of information; ability to have a presence where people are searching. Oftentimes, if an agency cannot be found online, potential clients and referrals will move on to the next provider whose information is available at the click of their mouse. So, website strategy all starts with pursuing, persuading, and keeping in touch.
When designing a website to be a successful marketing tool, be mindful of search engine optimization (SEO)—key words written into your messaging that will help your company to be found during online searches (think Google, bing, etc.). And, use your new site to build a referral base and contact list. Many agency sites use a “Contact Us” form for online visitors to fill out for referral tracking and future outreach.
A contact management process allows companies to remain in regular communication with people and helps keep the agency top of mind with emails or newsletters. However, going beyond basic contact information and asking more questions can mean the difference between just another email address and a potential referral source. When implementing a “Contact Us” page, ask referral sources for additional information such as:
- Is there a specialty service you provide that our patients might want to use?
- Do you have educational needs that one of our home care experts could fulfill?
- Is there a particular type of patient that you work with best?
- What is the most important item you look for when making a referral?
Also, create a separate section within the online contact form for direct inquiries from potential patients or family members and ask:
- Are there any physical limitations which require special assistance?
- Are there special dietary needs or restrictions?
- What is the current level of physical activity?
- Are there any special medical conditions?
And for each and every inquiry, ask:
- How did you hear about us?
Collecting answers to these simple questions will help the intake process run smoothly. Just remember to keep it brief! Check back next week for tips you won’t want to miss about marketing messaging that engages and connects with your target audience.
In the meantime, if you have questions about marketing your home care agency, I would love the opportunity to strategize to help you meet your marketing needs. Or, book me to speak at your next home care or marketing event.
home care marketing, inbound marketing, marketing strategy, website strategy
Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts
Hello, Worcester! My travels have now brought me to the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts’ Private Care Conference. To follow up on my presentation at the 2009 conference, I will be sharing the latest cutting-edge Internet marketing media applications for managing and growing a private care business. Presenting “Marketing for the Future Now: Going Mobile, Web-Enabled, Social Networking,” tomorrow’s discussion will cover usage statistics, characteristics, various platforms and the overall process of using online inbound marketing as an integrated component of a successful marketing strategy. I’ll demonstrate these strategies to ignite agency growth and identify the best methods for marketing communication efforts.
My experience spans nearly all aspects of the home care industry—from owning and operating a home care agency to serving on national boards and influencing political leaders on home care issues. Today, I’ve assumed the role of home care marketing expert and provide counsel to national organizations and businesses on aging and care issues as well as strategic marketing for products aimed at those targets. I’m also armed with strategic knowledge of the latest developments in mobile technology and social media, a new frontier for leaders in home care—so I aim to introduce a fresh marketing perspective that is relevant to audiences today.
More details about the Private Care Conference can be found here. Have questions about marketing your own home care agency? I would love the opportunity to strategize your marketing needs.
association marketing, home care marketing, inbound marketing, Internet marketing, website marketing
Home care marketing expert Merrily Orsini’s articles
December 2011: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year for In-Home Care
With the holiday season in full swing, it’s easy for most people to get lost in the hustle and bustle of decorating, shopping, cooking, and traveling to visit family. Unfortunately, it can also be easy for families to forget to include their less mobile relatives and friends in holiday traditions. The holidays are one time of year when private duty agencies can shine — bringing joy to homes and creating ways for clients to enjoy the holidays and feel part of the celebration.
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November 2011: Private Duty Home Care and the Stock Market: What Have the Fluctuations Wrought?
In discussing issues relevant to the private duty/private pay market, the issue of who pays is always one that generates the most conversation. Other than private funds, there are some ways to pay for private duty care, but they take either pre-planning or timing.
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October 2011: Limited Restrictions Equal Unlimited Care
While regulation may be a very good thing in terms of providing mandates for quality in care and staffing, it can stifle the provision of the variety of services that a frail client requests and is willing to pay someone to do. Limited restrictions enable the range of service options to span more of what one would traditionally think of as in-home care.
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September 2011: Private Duty’s Role in Hospice Care
The most important role that any caregiver can have in the life of a terminally ill patient is to provide excellent quality-of-life care, making life as comfortable and pleasant as possible for the patient in his or her final days. Private duty care can reinforce and supplement other care from family members and organizations such as hospice and other palliative care programs and allow patients to take an active role in thier care if they wish to do so.
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August 2011: Paying for Long-Term In-Home Care
The silver tsunami is arriving. Starting this January and for every single day for the next 19 years, more than 10,000 Baby Boomers will reach the age of 65. Add to this the fact that a person born in 2011 has a good chance of living to be at least 78, and it isn’t difficult to see how the number of people requiring care will grow dramatically. How to pay for long-term care is an issue than many people ignore until there is a care need.
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July 2011: Care Portals: Enhancing the Value of Private Duty Home Care through Technology
Agencies providing in-home care, especially those for which one pays a fee, are constantly trying to improve their services. They’re always looking for more ways to retain clients and maintain communications among clients, caregivers, family members, physicians, and others on the care team. Care portals have served as a big improvement in this area of care.
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June 2011: Lifespan Respite Care Initiative: Better Resources for Respite & Family Caregivers
The challenges of caring for a loved one are a daily part of life for many people, and as the population ages, the number of family caregivers will increase. Respite care provides a valuable break for family caregivers and is available in most areas for those in need of help.
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May 2011: The Tablet Computer: Home Care’s Friend
Portability and accessibility are key concepts for communicating in the world today. More and more, business is done on the go — which means efficiency is a huge selling point for devices designed to make any type of business portable or “in the cloud.”
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March 2011: Activity Based In-Home Care: A Model for the Future
“Person-centered care” is all about home-based activities that engage people who are aging in place, the term many use to describe remaining in their homes and communities as they grow older rather than receiving care in institutional care settings. The trend in long-term in-home care is moving rapidly toward not only offering basic care and support for living, but also an active involvement of the home care agency in discerning what activities and pastimes can be incorporated into a client’s care.
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February 2011: The Winds of Change: Using the Power of the Internet
The internet has revolutionized our society in so many ways. Not only do we have a constant stream of information at our fingertips at all times, but we can communicate and conduct business in ways never before dreamed of, and there is a seemingly infinite cache of resources to help the home care agency thrive in this highly competitive climate.
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January 2011: Integrating the Web and Social Media into the Home Care Marketing Strategy
With the veritable onslaught of new and ever-changing technology of the last decade, businesses of all types and sizes are being forced to re-evaluate the efficiency and modernity of their marketing strategies. Those who have embraced Web and social media marketing are seeing some amazing results in brand recognition and customer loyalty.
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December 2010: Spreading Holiday Cheer the Techie Way
The holiday season is one of the busiest times of year for home care agencies, and it is a particularly challenging and stressful time for patients and their families. However, today’s agencies have an advantage in that technology has made it easier to reach out to clients in a personal -albeit digital- way.
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November 2010: Cause Marketing Meets Social Media
Boosting Your Agency’s Profile While Making a Difference
By now, many home care, home health, and hospice agencies are actively using Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and more to help build their agency’s profile and drive search engine optimization results. As you become more familiar with how you can market via these mediums, consider another great concept perfect for our industry: cause marketing.
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August 2010: New Techniques Boost Traditional Marketing Efforts
I am a proponent of online marketing trends, but I believe there is still value – particularly in the home care market – for traditional marketing. The question then becomes: How do you merge traditional and new marketing techniques?
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July 2010: Using Video in the Web Boosts Your Google “Juice”
If you are just trying to “dip your toe” into the social media pool, video is a great way to start. It can be dynamic, entertaining, memorable, and highly personal to the viewer. Here is why I recommend using video on your website.
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June 2010: Window to the World: Are You OPEN for Business?
Increasingly each day, with broadband Internet access becoming the standard and with computer availability/comfort/usage expanding across the generations, people are searching for answers and resources online.
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May 2010: Meet the Web 2010: Interactive and Informative
Today and tomorrow demand “interactive and informative” from your agency’s website. Consumers, vendors, clients, patients, physicians, and all manner of interested people are using the Internet to find solutions to health care problems and to find resources to meet their needs.
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April 2010: Private Duty Home Care: A Reflection on the Industry
Whether it’s called a “Silver Tsunami”, the standard “Age Wave”, or something similar, the projections are clear that by 2030, almost 20 percent of our population will be over 80 years of age. Life expectancies are increasing and people are living longer, healthier lives. Yet, it seems so many of us have our eyes closed when it comes to planning for how to cope with the rising tide of the elderly population.
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March 2010: “Sticky Features” Build Your Home Care Facebook Brand
The ability to be found on the Internet when someone is seeking information about services is the #1 task for a home care agency’s Internet marketing efforts. Being a player in social media is one way to help those seeking services or employment to find your agency. Building a fan base on Facebook takes consistent work, encouragement of interactivity, and “sticky” features which will provide perceived value to your fan base.
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February 2010: Facebook…for Business?
From fan pages to powerful applications, Facebook is a marketing outlet that every home care agency should look into using. Today, more and more businesses are using Facebook as another tool in their online marketing suite.
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January 2010: Social Media Meets Home Care? Take a Look at Social Media Marketing
By now, most people are familiar with what a blog is. But have you wondered what people are talking about when they mention words like “social media,” “Facebook,” and “Twitter?” If you don’t already know what they are, as a home care, home health, or hospice agency concerned with marketing, you would be wise to learn.
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December 2009: Keeping Score Helps a Business Reach Success
Has your agency made marketing plans for the year? Have you met your business goals, or have you moved farther from them? And how are you gauging whether or not you’ve been successful in meeting these objectives in the first place?
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August 2009: Alzheimer’s Care: A Primer for In-Home Care
From personal experiences with the disease to education about Alzheimer’s, Merrily Orsini, MSSW, departs from the world of marketing technology and provides a primer for those looking to provide in-home care for Alzheimer’s clients. Also included are how-to’s for incorporating Alzheimer’s care into an agency’s service offerings as well as caregiver training tips.
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July 2009: Jump Into Social Media With A Successful Home Care Blog
The trend is clear; everyone is seeking more information about health care online, and seniors are a very active and increasingly savvy Internet user group. The blog is the easiest way for a home care agency to jump into the Social Media world.
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April 2009: Zero in on Urological Disorders and Grow Your Reach
One of the most successful ways to use a home care company Web site is to educate on a variety of issues that relate to needing assistance with activities of daily living.
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March 2009: Make the Agency Web Site a Resource and Watch the Hits Increase
The increased visibility of your agency from press releases, Web links, and e-newsletters will result in calls for services and traffic driven to your agency Web site.
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February 2009: Looking Towards the Future: Modernizing Marketing
Internet marketing is the wave of the future for home care agencies.
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January 2009: Using Your Agency Web Site as a Hospice Care Resource
Hospice and end-of-life care are perhaps the most sensitive types of service an agency can provide.
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December 2008: Year End Ramp Up: Web Site Strategies for 2009
Unlike many businesses, agencies providing care experience very little, if any, year-end downtime. << read more >>
November 2008: Holiday Dress-up for Your Web Site
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is a special time of year, albeit stressful, and particularly so for those who provide in-home care. << read more >>
October 2008: Feeling the Heat of Keeping Up with Changing Legal Requirements? Your Web Site Can Keep Your Agency Cool!
Since providing home care involves numerous regulatory, reimbursement, and accreditation issues, home care agencies find themselves in a constantly changing legal atmosphere. << read more >>
September 2008: Looking for Increased Productivity? Look No Further Than Your Own Web Site
Using the Internet to increase business productivity is what smart home care agencies are doing to save time and money. Harnessing the Internet and the power of your Web site to increase productivity is key to a successful business in today’s market. << read more >>
August 2008: How and Why Marketing Efforts for Private Duty Services Are Unique
Within any industry, strategic marketing and communicating services play a vital role in any business’ success. << read more >>
July 2008: You Have Implemented New Technology: Now What?
Increase ROI from new product offerings using Web site promotion. << read more >>
June 2008: Better Safe than Sorry: Using Your Web Site to Promote Disaster Preparedness
Disaster preparedness is especially important for frail people. Learn how to provide the right information. << read more >>
April 2008: “The Three G’s: Grassroots, Guerilla and Government”
Legislative issues facing home care. << read more >>
March 08: Marketing for More Medicaid Hours? Try the Internet.
Tap into an unexpected resource – the Internet. << read more >>
February 08: Using Your Web Site as a Marketing Tool for Long-Term Home Care
Families are looking to the Internet to find care for loved ones – make your Web site visible. << read more >>
January 08: Formula for a Winning Web site
Designing a top-notch, leader of the pack Web site is within your reach if you understand a few basic points about branding and design. << read more >>
November 07: Sensitive Tactics for Marketing Hospice Care
Marketing hospice services can be a delicate matter. However in today’s competitive marketplace, it is not only appropriate but essential for an agency to aggressively, yet tactfully market its services. << read more >>
September 07: Basic Rules for a “Resource Rich” Internet Site
The consumer has literally thousands of choices when it comes to finding information on the Internet. So it’s important to make certain that your agency’s stands out by being well designed, properly researched, truthful and frequently updated. << read more >>
August 07: Telehealth and Quality
In terms of medical practice, innovations in telecommunications systems and technology mean reaching more patients than ever before. Telehealth is making health care more accessible to people who have traditionally found it difficult or even impossible to benefit from modern modes of treatment or preventative care. << read more >>
June 07: Use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to be found on the Internet
Your Web site has been created; what’s next? Consider search engine optimization to get your site ranked at the top of the search results. <<read more >>
April 07: A Primer on e-Referrals
Co
mmunications today travel at the speed of Web. This means your home health company needs to not only have a presence on the Web but be easily found and contain all the information needed to make a decision or sway someone to use or refer to your agency. << read more >>
March 07: Internet Marketing 101
When it comes to using the Internet as a marketing tool, building the Web site is just the first step. Making certain potential clients can find it when they do Web searches is quite another. << read more >>
*These articles are reproduced with the express and limited permission of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and CARING Magazine. All rights reserved.
Caring magazine, home care marketing, interactive marketing, private duty articles, search engine optimization, web
Make the Right Marketing Impression
When planning corporate messaging, it’s crucial to consider the impression that will result from your marketing. The article from HealthLeaders Media titled, “Gut-Grabbing Messages: What Makes an Impression?” pinpoints positive ways to navigate successful marketing in health-related fields. From experience, I know home care is a tough service to market using traditional tactics—which is why I developed a unique monthly marketing program called MOST. The program is designed to surmount the challenges of promoting home health care services through education about the issues of chronic disease. Specifically, MOST positions clients as the top resource on in-home care in their local market and leaves a responsible and reliable impression.
The article warns about using emotion appropriately. With healthcare, it’s easy to want to lean on scare tactics to equip an audience with the grim facts. But, if you overdo it, you risk sending your listeners running for the hills and tuning everything out. On the opposite spectrum, if messaging is too positive, it may not seem serious enough for treating patients—unrealistic. A clear understanding of the desired impression is needed to determine an appropriate marketing tone. Educating your audience in a positive way communicates confidence and assurance.
Stand above the crowded field by using robust and resource-rich content. Using MOST gives you web-based instant access to a library full of themed sales, recruitment, design, and advertising materials created by home health experts. Spanning all types of sales and marketing communications, such as print, web and email, as well as services such as social media, blogs, search engine optimization and public relations, MOST lets you choose what fits your agency best.
As you consider revisiting your marketing strategy, remember the advice spelled out in the article mentioned above—and remember the ever-expanding library of resources you can use with the MOST program.
home care marketing, monthly communications, monthly marketing
