How do I find new clients?
Referrals are essential to building and maintaining healthy home care businesses because they’re where you will find new clients.
The Home Care Association of America and Home Care Pulse jointly sponsored the Private Duty Benchmarking Study, which revealed that the number of clients was the top strategic priority of Home Care agencies. You must continue seeking clients to offset the adverse effects of competition, attrition, legislation and economic downturns. These are some great tips to help you find private home care clients.
Relationships
The top five referral sources* for private duty home care agencies were also identified in the same study.
- Clients/Families (existing & former)
- Hospital discharge planners
- Referring sources
- Medicare Certified Agencies
- Hospices
The Top 5 Consumer Marketing Sources* are:
- Search Engines
- Corporate Web Leads (i.e., franchisors’ website)
- Newspaper ads
- Consumer events – speaking at churches, senior centres, etc.
- Adverts for senior directories
* The study includes the top 10, along with many additional sources. For illustration purposes, I have chosen the top five.
These top referral sources revolve around relationships (yes, even Search Engines!) ).
Referrals, which are not outgoing activities in advertising, only occur when someone (usually an external source) is directing clients in your direction. Half of all searches for Search Engine sources may be from people referred to you by real people. They are simply searching the internet for your information.
Reputation Capital
Trust is the most important element. People need to trust you to recommend you to potential clients. This is what I call ‘Reputation Capital’. Reputation Capital is earned every time someone suggests you. Referring to someone who doesn’t work out is a bad sign for your reputation. The reputation capital of both parties goes up if they succeed. Even if they don’t know it, the people you choose to be your referral source intuitively understand this. You will lose their trust if they refer you, and you won’t get another referral. They must trust you before they will be willing to take a chance on you.
Do you plan to start your own Idaho home-care business?
Idaho is a state that offers many wonderful things, including a friendly community, great food and drink and beautiful surroundings. It also has many recreational opportunities, low taxes and affordability.
A home care business can be a rewarding venture, especially if your goal is to make a difference in the lives of senior citizens. There is a growing number of seniors living in the United States, which means that there is a greater demand for home care services.
Don’t overlook the importance of insurance for home health aides and agencies in Idaho. It keeps you working worry-free by covering any costs of a claim made against you or your business. To learn more about insurance for home health aides in Idaho, click here.
Volunteer
Building trust with your community and showing them you are trustworthy is essential. Volunteering is a great way to strengthen and build confidence. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, host a blood drive or collect clothes for the homeless. Being visible in your community can help you find clients. My experience shows that agency owners who are active in their community are the most successful.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships are available for local senior events. If you notice big banners at local beer festivals or foot races, this could be you. People will remember your name if you get your name out there. It can be fun to sponsor and attend senior events in your area. You may also have the opportunity to meet potential clients.
Exceptional care
The main ingredient is providing exceptional care for your clients and caregivers. It is a well-known fact that “the customer is always right” means you must do everything to enhance and maintain your reputation. Referrals will come in if your agency’s mission is based on the above. It is now time to move on to the next steps and tools to build your referral source. It doesn’t have to hurt your back! Flexibility is vital for you!
