Ahhhh, summer…a time for vacations, picnics, relaxing days by the pool or at the beach…but, post-winter holiday strategic planning? For the wise home care agency owner or senior care provider, the answer is a resounding YES.

Devoting a little time now, during the summer months, to strategizing a holiday marketing campaign that includes several touches to your referral partners, clients and consumers, will poise your agency as the one to be remembered when the post-holiday season hits.

January is well known to be one of the busiest months in the aging care industry – a time when families have spent extended periods of time with senior loved ones and have become aware of the need for additional care at home. In fact, according to SeniorHomes.com, home care inquiries spike in January, as much as 58% more than in the weeks leading up to December holidays.

So, what should you be doing now to ensure your agency is the one families and referral sources are turning to in January? Try the following:

• Determine your strategy. Hopefully, your agency has a strategic plan in place from which you’re already working. (If not, we can help you with that!) Review your plan and tweak as needed to include some pre-holiday outreach. Ideas can include:
  • A postcard series (we recommend at least 3 separate mailings)
  • An educational PPT presentation to the community on a relevant topic, such as warning signs that home care may be needed
  • Digital marketing, such as eNewsletters, blogs, social media posts, web banners, etc.
• Begin implementation now. Don’t wait until the holiday season kicks in; creating content and design, coordinating printing, mailing and emailing, scheduling presentations, etc. takes time and can easily become overwhelming in the midst of the holiday rush. And, it’s important for your marketing efforts to include multiple touches, over time, to make an impact and for your agency to be remembered.
• Enlist professional help. If the thought of managing and implementing a marketing campaign makes you feel like diving off the deep end, partner with a professional marketing agency, preferably one with a focus on aging care marketing, to handle as much or as little of the process for you as you’d like.

Investing a little time now to setting your holiday marketing plan in motion can reap tremendous rewards for your agency when the post-holiday season rush hits in January. Contact the home care marketing experts at corecubed for more tips on keeping your agency top of mind throughout the year, or to get a jumpstart on your holiday marketing!