How to Market Your Care Home, Your Nursing Home or Your Domiciliary Care Business
Care Ideals
Helping to improve Social Care Businesses in every respect. All these benefits, all from one place, all the time.
Whilst helping to support business growth for social care providers, I’ve noticed there are several blocks for many of them to start marketing their care business. Often, they’re tied up with the day-to-day management of their company and simply don’t have the time or resources, but equally many are unsure of where to start.
?For many, the very word ‘Marketing’ can be a block in itself, bringing to mind big, expensive agencies and complicated advertising-speak. Some aren’t comfortable with the concept of ‘selling’. But in reality, marketing your business just means finding ways to reach potential new customers and creating a company identity, based on your own values and culture, that creates trust and will attract clients and new employees.
?But the unavoidable truth is this: Marketing must take place! In an increasingly competitive market those who don’t actively seek out new clients and new employees won’t grow… and they may even fail.
?So where should you start and what should you be doing?
?In this blog I hope to provide some useful information on:
·?????the areas to concentrate on to reach new clients
·?????creating a company image that will help your care business to grow and flourish.
Your Care Business Website and Online Presence
Your most important selling tool is your website and for it to work effectively for you, it should be mobile-responsive and correctly set up for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
That means that people should be able to read your website easily when viewing it on mobile (more than 50% of global web traffic is on mobile devices), and your site should be set up so that it can be easily found on Google and other search engines (SEO).
One area I often focus on with our clients is SEO – it’s really important. There is so much that can be done to help with this, including writing blogs on topics that are relevant to your clients. As an added bonus, as well as helping with SEO, these can also be used on social media.
There are two other areas in terms of your online presence. The first is reviews and the second is online listings.
Reviews are essential to the image and reputation of your care business. It really helps with your marketing if you have plenty of positive reviews on Google, Facebook, carehome.co.uk, homecare.co.uk and Indeed.
Carehome.co.uk is also very important for online listings for care homes. Equally, ?homecare.co.uk is key for online listings for domiciliary care businesses. We would advise that when possible you also update your listings ?with details of your current staff and recent photos.
You should also search for other places to list your business online, particularly in your local area.
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Social Media for Your Care Business
?Facebook is a great place to start with social media for any kind of care business.
?Having a Facebook page creates a sense of community for families and opens a door into your care business.
Facebook can also be used very successfully for advertising – we know how daunting Facebook ads can be, which is why we also support in this area and across all social media.
Instagram can equally be used as a marketing tool, and if you’re feeling more adventurous you could delve into the world of TikTok or YouTube.
Brochures and Newsletters for Your Care Business
?Well-written, well-designed and branded brochures can make a real difference to how your business is perceived and how many new clients you attract. Another great idea is to produce quarterly or monthly newsletters. These can be printed or even better, be sent as email newsletters to all family contacts.
Creating Local Connections
?The best marketing will always be word-of-mouth recommendations, which is why creating links with your community and hosting events really help to enhance your reputation and grow local awareness of your business.
?In this blog I have provided a very brief overview of the key marketing areas for your Care Business, but I hope it helps lend some insight as to the type of activity that can help your company to grow. In future blogs I will be looking at some of these areas in more detail.
?Our One Stop Shop looks at all aspects of your business and how it can deliver great care, whilst also being profitable. In my role as Digital Marketing and Social Media Manager at Care Ideals I advise each of our clients on the best way to promote their businesses as part of the overall service we provide. Please do contact us anytime if you’d like to talk about how we can help to make your care business better in all areas.