Not that long ago, a recommendation from a medical professional, social worker, discharge planner, or friend was enough for consumers. Since these recommendations were provided by people who were trusted, their endorsement of a company offered all the assurance needed that their services would be exceptional. Although word-of-mouth referrals are still important, more and more often, these recommendations are now being coupled with online research by consumers, making your agency’s digital homecare marketing strategies more important now than ever before.
Word-of-mouth referrals have traditionally been a major source of business for home care agencies. Current and former clients, their family members, medical team, and hospital systems all drive a significant portion of business to home care agencies, based on firsthand experience and their assurance that clients are receiving high quality care. As a matter of fact, according to the 2020 Home Care Pulse Benchmarking Study, which surveyed over 800 agencies across the nation, an astounding 73% of 2019 revenue was generated from the referrals of past and current clients and their families. So while word-of-mouth referrals are crucial, the shift is now for consumers to vet those recommendations with their own independent online research.
Why Digital Marketing Is So Important
As a result of this shift, digital marketing is a must for any home care agency that wants to continue to grow. According to Google Trends, searches for words or phrases such as “home care agency” and “caregiver” have increased by more than 58% over the past five years, and home care agencies’ online presence is vital to their long-term health. And, this includes all types of agencies with varying revenue sources.
Partner with MOST, a team of experienced home care marketing agency experts with deep knowledge of the industry. We can develop and execute effective homecare marketing strategies that include a focus on your agency’s online presence, allowing you to focus on the most important aspects of your business – your caregivers and clients – while building a professional online presence that reinforces word-of-mouth recommendations. Contact us to learn more online or at 800.370.6580.
