New York -- May 09, 2024
One of the most challenging parts of running a small to midsize home care agency is bringing in new clients. Having tto establish a steady stream of leads is daunting task for new agencies, especially those without the contacts or funding for extensive administrative. But that doesn’t mean that lead generation is impossible. It is just a task that will take some effort. And putting in the work is a game of patience. You may not see results right away, and might even be deterred from continuing further. However, with patience, effort, some funding, and consistency your hard work will pay off.
So what is the key for lead generation?
Building relationships
Many new agencies advertise their services through simple, easy, but ultimately ineffective means. Some just leave brochures or make phone calls asking for referrals. And while that might work, you are competing with other agencies who had the same thought. Building relationships could mean joining relevant community groups, finding fairs or conferences, and just speaking to other adjacent professionals. Focus the conversation not just on your services, but also to learn about them and their practice. By building relationships you can establish yourself as part of the community and a reliable source for quality home care.
Pitch your services personally
Related to the above take the time to craft a pitch for your targeted referral sources. Tailor the pitch to the kind of patients you want, the specific sources you are targeting, and the kind of services you offer. Think about what makes you different from all the other agencies. Determine ways in which you can differentiate yourself from your competitors.
How do you do that? By creating a target client demographic, and seeing how your agency can support them. Who are your caregivers and what do they specialize in? Do they speak any additional languages that can attract a new patient base? What are your payer methods and workflow policies? These are important concerns to think through so that you can pitch to the right referral sources. Otherwise you might end up wasting time by barking up the wrong tree as they say.
Go online but in the right way
Advertising is important as well because it’s how you get the word out there. Part of advertising means finding the right channels to reach the right people. That can mean posting and advertising on Facebook, attending trade shows and community events, and building a strong web site. More and more people are going online for their information, especially Facebook groups. Make sure, however, that you are choosing the right social media channels for your advertising. Find out who your audience is and where they are.
How Carecenta can help
The benefit of working with Carecenta is that it streamlines all of your operations through its extensive features. The software can also store and integrate all of your new patients information. As you build yoru census, you can uploa their information and find the right caregiver. Carecenta is a tool designed to help streamline these processes so that agency owners can work to develop their business. Having a home care management software, even if you don't think you need one, can really take some work off your plate.
As you are building your agency, it is important to consider long-term sustainable referral sources that can keep your agency running. There are many elements to get in order such as a home care management system and caregiver recruitment/retention. Bringing in new clients however is a top priority for your annual revenue and long-term sustainability.