In Conversation with Gabrielle Pumpian to Bring Her Insights on Leveraging Growth Strategies for Home Care

Using growth strategies in home care helps stay competitive and meet the increasing demand for services. One key approach is diversifying payer lines, which includes tapping into government programs like Medicaid and Veterans Affairs (VA) as well as private insurance options such as long-term care insurance.

Expanding service offerings, such as specialized care for dementia, chronic illness, or post-hospitalization recovery, can attract a broader client base.

Strategic partnerships with hospitals, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), and healthcare providers also open referral channels and increase credibility.

Further, investing in the latest technology, such as home care software and telehealth solutions, enhances efficiency, compliance, and communication with clients. Marketing efforts, particularly through digital platforms, should focus on community engagement and brand awareness.

Retaining skilled caregivers by offering ongoing training, competitive pay, and a positive work culture can ensure high-quality care, which is vital for client retention and business reputation.

By adopting a multi-faceted approach, home care agencies can drive sustainable growth.

To shed some light on the same, we interviewed a home care industry expert to bring her perspective on leveraging growth strategies for home care.

Let us now delve into what she has to say about leveraging growth strategies for home care:

Question 1: How has your experience in home care sales influenced your approach to growth strategies at Cheer Home Care?

I have learned a lot over the past 15 years about how to be a strategic home care salesperson. After a few years of trial and error and lots of rejection, I honed in my accounts and got very intentional with my time.

I realized that I was wasting time in accounts and relationships that weren’t going to serve me well—they didn’t have the right clients or were willing to have a 2-way relationship and therefore never produced.

Strategically, I shifted my intentions towards spending high-quality time with the people who I knew had the right fit clients for me, and focused my efforts on nurturing and strengthening those relationships.

I started finding ways to connect with referral partners outside of the “business” and found ways to provide value and support that positioned me as a partner and not just a home care rep.

It allowed me to ask for the trust of my referral sources, based on 5-7 years of strong relationship building and nurturing, to offer us opportunities right away to care for their clients.

Because of this trust and rapport, I’ve built over the years, Cheer Home Care was able to have a constant and robust stream of client referrals that accelerated our growth and allowed us to meet revenue goals month over month.

Question 2: What sales techniques have you found most effective in driving growth in the home care industry?

Some of the most effective sales techniques that drive growth are creating a strong network of trusted professionals that you can lean on to learn, ask for help and guidance, and refer out to people in need.

So much of what we do as salespeople or liaisons is to be a resource to our community. I have found that creating your own robust network can be priceless.

One way to do this is participate in networking groups and associations. Five years ago, I created my own networking group, hosting 10-20 professionals from different industries, to gather once a month and have an intentional hour of relationship-building and learning.

The premise of the meeting is to bring together vetted (by me) people who all have a common goal of helping their clients and community thrive, while also enhancing their own ability to meet new people and learn new things.

The group is centered on a case scenario that I create, that showcases a complex problem or situation for an older adult. There are complex legal, financial, and care components that I then turn to the group to help solve.

Together, we get to hear how these professionals weigh into the situation and their approach to solve it. It allows each person to get a glimpse of the way that professionals would handle the situation and allows for people to make connections with one another.

This group has proven to not only drive business for me as the home care liaison but also creates a commerce circle for the group, with more members benefiting and sharing business across the industries.

Question 3: How do you measure the success of your growth initiatives, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) do you focus on?

KPIs help keep goals on track and hold people accountable for their goals. These can show where challenges lie and give the team an opportunity to weigh in, ask questions, and solve issues.

Growth can be seen in many different ways, so it’s important for the leadership to align on growth goals and ensure that the team is all in as well. If goals aren’t being met, bringing the team together collectively, versus one department or person being blamed, allows for open communication and cohesion across all departments.

KPIs also help companies celebrate their wins, large and small, and provide a place for appreciation and gratitude for all employees. Sales KPIs that are important to track start with leads, assessments scheduled, assessments completed, start of care, referral source tracking, referrals back out to the community (creating a partnership/relationship), activity in the field (sales calls), and more.

Managing a pipeline of leads is also imperative to ensuring that growth is happening, and it’s important to align the sales pipeline with the recruiting pipeline, to ensure both funnels are moving forward and not getting stuck.

Measuring KPIs is very integral to the successful growth of any business, and in home care, it provides a lot of data and understanding as the business goes up and down.

Question 4: How do you leverage your sales background to identify and capitalize on new market opportunities?

I have leveraged my reputation in my market and beyond by putting myself out there in the world as an expert in my field. Having the years of experience and track record of success allows me to share my knowledge with those who seek more advice and learning.

I love being on podcasts or interviewed to help share industry knowledge with like-minded professionals. I like collaborating with other professionals for talks or speaking opportunities that show the continuum of care and importance of strong trusted relationships when it comes to finding resources and making care decisions.

Having a strong reputation will also make you more confident in connecting with and finding opportunities to connect with professionals outside of your industry. I have had the pleasure of collaborating with legal and financial professionals, providing education and support to their teams and clients through seminars and speaking series.

Do this in the community, such as at a senior center or adult learning center, and you position yourself as an expert and thought leader for your own community and potentially across your region or state.

Putting yourself out there and not fearing rejection is the first step-it’s ok to be uncomfortable!

Question 5: Can you share examples of successful sales campaigns or initiatives that significantly contributed to the agency’s growth?

Leveraging your network on social media platforms can be a great way to enhance branding for yourself and your company. There are so many fun ways to share information, but the key is consistency. Having a schedule of social media posts month over month will help you be prepared and plan for that branding.

Social media is a great place to share about you in a mix of professional and personal posts-ones that are authentic and resonate with your audience, and inform about your company and services.

Be creative and have fun, don’t be intimidated by social media, just be consistent.

Another example would be to collaborate with local non-profit organizations and become a community partner. Associating yourself with organizations that are doing good for the community positions you as a leader and carer for your community.

These organizations often cast a wide net with who they serve and reach, so cast that net alongside them as a community partner. You can use this partnership in your social media and website efforts, further connecting you as a community partner.

This strategy won’t necessarily drive a lot of business, but it positions you well in your market, and that’s important for growth and success.

Conclusion

The home care industry is witnessing a surge in demand, necessitating strategic growth initiatives to stay competitive. Diversifying payer lines, expanding service offerings, forming strategic partnerships, embracing technology, and prioritizing marketing and employee retention are crucial components of a successful growth strategy.

As highlighted by Gabrielle Pumpian, a seasoned home care industry expert, leveraging social media, building strong professional networks, and becoming a community partner can significantly contribute to agency growth and reputation.

By adopting a multi-faceted approach and focusing on client needs, home care agencies can position themselves for long-term success in the evolving healthcare landscape.