If the roof of your home was leaking or your basement was taking on water, would you know right away who to call for help? Probably not, right? These issues are at-need services, and you’re not likely to be aware of service providers until there’s an obvious need.

Similarly, home care is an at-need service, which means that people, including professionals like physicians and discharge planners, don’t necessarily pay attention to their options until the need for in-home care for themselves or a patient arises. The key to effective referral marketing is being on the other end of the call when your referral sources need your services.

Who to target:
Putting your information out there is vital, but targeting the right people before their need for care arises will keep your agency in the top of their minds. The following are traditionally the best people to target:

• Discharge planners
• Physicians’ offices
• Rehabilitation centers
• Medicare agencies with no private duty arm
• Hospice providers
• Nursing case managers
• Pharmacists
• Dentists
• Sub-acutes / SNFs

So how do you get them to call?

• Give them a reason, based on their need for information
• Become a resource to them
• Offer solutions to the problems of long-term care questions
• Establish relationships that grow your referral network
• Stay in front of them on a regular basis so they remember your agency name
  • Offer helpful information
  • Back that up with coordinated helpful resources
  • Follow a planned program that will lead to a growing number and type of referrals

How do you keep them coming?

• Ask every inquiry, “Where did you hear about us?”
• Track who is referring
• Get their name, address, phone and email address

Increasing the types and numbers of your referrals will increase your business. Take time to analyze your referrals and make sure to follow up with them once the referral becomes a client to ensure a continued connection. Want to know how to strategize your marketing message to better target referral sources? Talk to corecubed‘s marketing experts to learn more.