Creating effective marketing for your care home is simple, but not easy. As you will know from running a care home, demand is cyclical. What I mean by this is that the large majority of people who buy care services, buy when they need to (probably later than they should have) rather than being convinced to move into a home as a preventative or a lifestyle choice.
Care homes still have a poor reputation with the general public. They are perceived to be low-quality, smelly places where people go to die. As we know from our 10-plus years working in the sector, this is very much not the case. A good care home can offer people a new lease of life or help them enjoy the last stages in an environment that is better suited to their needs.
So how on earth do you create good care home marketing?
As the demand is built in, I think you need to think about it more from a sales perspective.
When someone is ready to buy from a care home they will look you and your competitors up online. This is probably not where the journey starts, in all likelihood it started with some kind of word-of-mouth referral, which might go something like this…
Roll film…
Care home marketing scene
Tracey & Barbara meet up at the local coffee shop, they exchange pleasantries and sit down to have an extra hot cappuccino with chocolate sprinkles.
Barbara;
I am really worried about mum, she is not coping at home and we have tried to help, but me and the rest of the family just can’t cope anymore.
Tracey;
I know how you feel, my dad was the same a few years ago, his dementia was getting really bad, he wasn’t eating properly and had a fall, we decided a care home would be the best option for him. He went to Oaktree House, the home in the next village.
Barbara;
Oh yes, I have seen them on Facebook a few times they hold that lovely fate every year, doesn’t Laura’s husband work there?
Tracey;
Yes he does, They really helped my dad, he was really struggling and being in the home helped him so much.
Barbara;
Thanks so much, I will get in touch with them.
—
So now Barbara goes and looks Oaktree house up online. This is where your digital shop front comes into play. Making sure that all the elements of your care home online look fantastic is really important. As a company who spent many years making video content for care homes we believe video is one of the strongest ways to make your online presence stand out and to explain who you are as an organisation and what you do.
What else does your marketing for care homes digital shop front need?
- Website
- Online Profiles – Such as carehome.co.uk – Trustedcare – Autumna *& Lottie
- Google Business Profile
- Photos
- Videos
- Social Media Profiles
- Reviews
Trust is so important in the care space, as in most cases, care seekers are looking to you to look after a loved one, probably their mum or dad. They are likely to feel hugely guilty and will have their own preconceptions about care. They will also likely be surprised that it is not free and will perceive it to be very expensive.
Nine things you should have or do when marketing your care home
- Website, with good local SEO & live chat
- Online Profiles Sorted
- Video Content – Our YouTube channel is packed with content
- Photos
- Run or Attend Local Events
- Digital Out of Home
- Flyers
- Digital Campaigns – PPC, Video Ads
- Fantastic Sales Process
These activities aim to build trust, boost your reputation and ultimately increase sales for your care home.
Five on a Bike has years of experience working with sales and marketing people cross the care sector, we offer bespoke packages to help your home increase sales.
