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Traditional ads are great, but what your homecare agency startup needs is to stand out from the crowd to get more referrals.

Print, digital, and social media are all great ways to find clients. Though these are all solid options, there’s a whole world of creative marketing strategies waiting to be explored!

Ditch the generic and embrace the ingenious by using these five fresh strategies to bring new clients to your door:

• Pitch stories to local media

  Get your home care startup business on the local news and in front of potential clients by pitching educational story ideas to local newspapers and TV stations.

  • Is the flu season coming up? Pitch tips to prevent the spread.
  • Offer tips to keep at-home seniors safe in icy conditions or extreme heat.

  It is a kind of media coverage that promotes brand recognition while contributing to the public good. And the better the relationship you form with your local news media and reporters, the more likely they are to tap you as a regular source.

• Educate the community

  Serve your community by giving them free education. The goodwill will go a long way, and you will be able to demonstrate your expertise to your ideal client base.

  Here are a few ideas for free, in-person, and virtual events to add to your marketing efforts:

  • Partner with community centers and health organizations to educate the local community on things like at-home memory care.
  • Throw a senior game night at a local community center to help seniors socialize.

• Set up a referral program with incentives

  Make it easy and rewarding for existing clients to refer new clients to your home care agency.

  • Establish criteria for ideal new clients and make a plan for vetting referrals.
  • Set incentives for successful referrals like service discounts, gift cards, or credits.
  • Build a page on your home care agency website that walks current clients through the referral process.
  • Promote the program to current clients with printed info cards and email newsletters.
  • Track newly referred clients through the sales funnel and onboarding process so you can measure the program’s effectiveness and give referrers the credit they deserve.
  • Point referring clients to educational resources they can share with their contacts.
• Invite current clients to review services

Besides client referrals, ask for client reviews. It is one of the most successful ways to get home care clients for your home care startup business.

88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Source: Search Engine Land

Ask clients to review your agency on sites like Google, Care.com, and Yelp. Consider offering incentives for reviewers, like being entered to win a gift card or free service trials.

Ask for recommendations from local healthcare professionals and senior care centers

Partner with local healthcare professionals and health centers to form a recommendation network so you can reach out to potential clients who need your services in the immediate future.

Do not forget to return the favor and recommend them in return.

Ensure your referral partners know what you offer and provide them with literature and resources they can give their clients. Also, consider having them ask prospects if they would like to be contacted by you—that way you can collect their contact information and seamlessly fold them into your client funnel.

Conclusion

By moving beyond traditional advertising and embracing these creative strategies, you’ll transform your homecare agency startup into a trusted community partner.

Educate the public, nurture relationships with local media and healthcare providers, and incentivize referrals from satisfied clients. Thus, watch your network grow organically, fueled by the power of positive word-of-mouth and a reputation for exceptional care.