A Guide to Identifying and Addressing Growth Barriers
For many operators, the care sector can be a challenging landscape to navigate. Over the past decade, Prosperwell, a multi-award-winning digital marketing agency specialising in the care sector, has partnered with care providers to help them overcome growth-related hurdles. Having worked with providers through a myriad of industry challenges, we’ve identified key patterns that differentiate the behaviours of high-performing care providers.
This article aims to highlight common behaviours of underperforming care homes and provide actionable insights to help them overcome these so they can attract more clients, retain quality staff, and ultimately provide better care to their residents.
1. Lack of a Clear Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Importance of a USP
A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) distinguishes a care home from its competitors by highlighting unique benefits and values. A strong USP attracts clients and staff, making the care home the preferred choice in its community. Without it, care homes struggle to stand out and retain both clients and staff.
Signs of a Weak or Absent USP
Underperforming care homes often have generic messaging and lack a clear brand identity. They fail to communicate their unique strengths, leading to a perception that they are no different from other care homes, reducing their appeal.
Strategies for Developing a Strong USP
- Identify Core Strengths: Highlight what sets your care home apart, this could be specific amenities, offerings, services, or approaches.
- Use Testimonials: Showcase the positive stories of residents and their families to show what it’s like to be at your home.
- Articulate Your Values and Mission: Clearly convey your care home’s values and mission.
- Refresh Marketing Materials: Regularly update materials to reflect new services and achievements, keeping your branding consistent.
By developing a clear USP, care home operators can illustrate to potential clients and employees the distinct qualities that make their care home the best choice, helping them stand out in a competitive market.
2. Ineffective Marketing and Client Acquisition Strategies
Current Marketing Trends in the Care Sector
The care sector has seen a significant shift towards digital marketing, especially post-COVID. Despite this, many underperforming care homes aiming to increase private enquiries often rely on outdated marketing tactics or social media posting as the linchpin of their digital marketing plan. Traditionally, this has not proven effective in driving leads for the care sector, which is very much need-driven. Most people only begin searching for care the moment they need it, so while social media posting can help build credibility and showcase the home’s culture, it doesn’t directly target people at the exact moment they are looking for care.
One effective approach to find high-intent prospects has been the use of PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising. By targeting individuals actively searching for care services online in their local area, care homes can reach potential clients precisely when they need it, proving to be more effective than social media posting or traditional methods like leaflet dropping.
3. Poor Staff Recruitment and Retention Practices
Signs of Underperforming Providers
Ignoring staff feedback and not effectively promoting your business to prospective hires are clear signs of underperformance. Many providers miss opportunities during interviews and initial calls to highlight unique benefits and a positive work environment. Lack of enthusiasm from representatives can leave a poor impression, while failing to act on staff feedback leads to low morale and high turnover.
How to Improve Recruitment and Retention
- Promote Unique Benefits: Clearly articulate your care home’s unique benefits, career development opportunities, and positive work culture during interviews.
- Engage Enthusiastic Representatives: Ensure interviews are conducted by knowledgeable and enthusiastic representatives to positively influence candidates.
- Implement Feedback Mechanisms: Regularly collect and act on staff feedback through surveys and exit interviews.
- Foster a Positive Work Environment: Recognise staff achievements, encourage teamwork, and maintain open communication.
- Offer Competitive Packages: Provide competitive salaries, benefits, and incentives.
- Provide Career Development: Offer training and advancement opportunities to improve skills and job satisfaction.
By focusing on these areas, care homes can enhance recruitment and retention, creating a supportive and engaging workplace that attracts and retains top talent.
4. Not Using Technology to Streamline and Support Sales Process
Behaviours Leading to Inefficiency
Underperforming care homes often suffer from inefficient sales processes, leading to increased errors, delays, and workloads. Many lack dedicated sales staff, forcing lead handlers to juggle multiple roles and deprioritise sales efforts. Others have team members who find sales uncomfortable and difficult to implement professionally. This leads to inefficient follow-ups, missed opportunities, impersonal communication, and slow response times, causing leads to go cold and allowing competitors to capitalise, ultimately affecting occupancy rates and revenue.
Enhancing Operational Efficiency
To improve efficiency, care homes should:
- Adopt CRM Systems: Streamline client interactions and follow-ups with automated reminders and communication tracking.
- Prioritise Speed to Response: Respond quickly to inquiries to show attentiveness and value for potential clients’ time.
- Develop a Structured Follow-Up Process: Create a process with multiple touchpoints and personalised communication to build trust.
- Embrace Technology for Scheduling and Follow-Up: Automate scheduling and follow-up reminders to reduce errors and ensure timely communication.
- Create User-Friendly Digital Records: Use digital records for easy access to client information and improve interaction quality.
- Promote a Positive View of Sales: Encourage staff to see sales as a way to help families make informed decisions.
By incorporating sales automation and CRMs into your sales process, care home operators can improve follow-ups and enhance operational efficiency, leading to more effective client acquisition.
Conclusion
In summary, underperforming care homes often exhibit behaviours such as lacking a clear USP, ineffective marketing strategies, poor staff recruitment and retention practices, inadequate operational efficiency, and neglecting customer feedback. By addressing these behaviours and implementing the suggested strategies, care homes can overcome growth barriers and enhance their performance, ultimately providing better care for their residents. Taking proactive steps to improve operations, marketing, and staff management can lead to sustainable growth and a better reputation in the community.
Tobi Alli- Usman
Managing Director & Founder, Prosperwell
