When running a care home, your first thought might be to make sure that you have enough staff for your residents, that they are properly trained on the job, that you have excellent catering for your residents… the list is endless, as it should be. However, something that might be low on the list that is very important is marketing your care home. Without adequate marketing, the public will be less likely to know that your care home exists, which will do it a disservice and prevent potential residents from getting through the front door.
So, with this in mind, this piece is going to take a look at why you should market your care home, along with some tips on how best to do it. This is a time to showcase what you offer in your assisted living facility, and why people should trust you with their loved ones.
Let’s get into it.
Attracting Residents
You can’t have a care home without having people to care for, and getting the word out about your assisted living business is important to let people that know you’re available to do this.
One of the reasons why marketing is important is that itcan help you attract new residents to your care home, but it is also important that you have an effective marketing plan for it to be a success.
Your marketing campaigns should include showcasing the quality of your services. This should include factors such as the amenities that you offer to residents, the caring, safe, and clean environment you provide, and the recreational activities that residents can enjoy, to name a few.
By having a marketing campaign that shows off everything your care home has to offer, you can show potential residents and their families why they should choose your facility over any other competitors.
Build Your Brand and Reputation
Marketing is an important asset that will allow you to establish and maintain a positive reputation in the care home community, as well as with those who are residents.
Everything from positive reviews, glowing testimonials, and word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied residents and their families can really help to build trust and credibility for your company. This will put your assisted living facility on the map, which will then make your care home an attractive option for prospective residents.
You can encourage reviews and feedback from the care home, run campaigns that showcase any positive feedback you’ve had from residents and their families, and also include any ratings, certificates, and awards that you’ve won as a business.
Make sure to cover all of these in your assisted living marketing campaign so you can give potential residents a clearoverall picture why you’re the best choice for them.
Highlight Your Strengths Against Your Competitors
No two care homes are the same, and it’s no secret that choosing a care home for you or your loved one can be stressful. The pressure to get a living situation right is high, and wanting to choose the best thing for a family member or friend can be a big decision.
Having strong marketing campaigns will allow you to highlight what sets your care home apart from all the others. Whether it’s your personalized care plans that you’re proud of, the well-trained and plentiful staff you take care of, the unique facilities you offer, or any specialized services that you provide, marketingcampaigns that highlight your strengths and unique selling points can help you stand out among the other care homes in the same or surrounding location.
Increase Residents
While a care home’s main priority is to take care of those who need itand assist people in living a high-quality life right up until the end, it’s also a business. Without people choosing to become residents in your care home, money won’t be coming in, which means that the business can’t be kept running.
It’s important to market your care home consistently to bring residents in so that you’re able to keep up adequate residency levels to meet your financial obligations. This will help to keep the care home running. The better you can maintain higher occupancy rates, the more viable your business will be. Unfortunately, empty rooms and beds represent lost revenue, so your marketing efforts that can help keep occupancy levels up are crucial for the financial success of your assisted living facility.This means you can keep providing the high-quality care that you’re known for and that you believe in.
Keeping it in the Community
Generally, when people are looking for a care home or assisted living, either for themselves or their loved ones, they don’t like to stray too far away from home—and why should they? When you’re marketing to your immediate community, and keeping them in the loop, you’re always marketing to potential residents.
Keep your local community in the know regularly about what you offer as a care home, the level of care you provide, and the services you offer. This information should be easily accessible for those who are looking for it, and your name could be the first one that sticks out when the time comes to search for a high-quality assisted living facility.
Get this information out by using options such as Facebook groups, notice boards, newsletters, or local round-robins, to name just a few. This helps your brand to be in the forefront of people’s minds when they’re looking for care.
Reasons to market your care home don’t really differ from marketing to any other business, however, the nature is sensitive, and the risks are high for residents and family when it comes to choosing the right home. Don’t lose out on occupancy by having weak marketing campaigns that don’t give enough information or the right information for those who are looking for it, as it’ll be a shame for both your business and those who are looking to become residents.
Make sure to be consistent in your approach, keep on top of trends, and always strive to improve what you can offer.
