Do you ever wonder, “Why aren’t more families choosing my home care agency?”
You pour your heart into providing exceptional care, and yet the bigger franchises always seem to be in the spotlight.
It doesn’t seem fair.
And you know your services change lives just as much, if not more — it’s like rubbing salt in the wound.
Wouldn’t you agree — your story deserves to be told?
I can solve this problem for you. The local media are always looking for meaningful, human-centered stories. Here’s a method that works.
It’s called a press release, and this technique is like waving a magic wand to bring attention to your home care agency.
Imagine your home care agency being featured in the local paper or TV station, and gaining the recognition it truly deserves.
All it takes is a compelling angle that grabs attention.
With the holidays approaching, here’s the perfect idea.
As you know, many families visit their elderly parents and grandparents during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. When they arrive, they realize that mom or dad needs more help with the ADLs than in recent months.
“The last time you cleaned the bathroom”
“Dad, when was the last time you cleaned this bathroom?” an adult daughter might ask.
“Mom, do you need help putting on that sweater?” says another family member.
You know the trouble signs that they notice: sloppy personal hygiene, difficulty with dressing, an untidy home, signs of early-stage dementia, or just plain loneliness.
During this time daughters and sons are open to hearing about you.
And if you’ve sent a press release that was picked up by the local media, you’ve sown the seed for new clients.
What should your press release be about? Depression in the population usually follows the major holidays. This depression is more intense among the elderly who live alone.
A major European study supports this hypothesis. When we describe this study in your release, it will make a compelling case for your prospects to call you to ask for your caregivers.
100+ stories planted in the Wall Street Journal
Press releases are used more often nowadays than before. Newsrooms in recent years have cut back on their staff due to competition from the internet. Thus, much of today’s news comes from freely provided company-written releases. For example, some years ago, the Columbia Journalism Review found that one issue of the Wall Street Journal had 111 stories on the inside pages that were taken from press releases — either verbatim, or paraphrased, according to author Robert Bly.
There was also a recent story in the Morning Call, a daily newspaper in Allentown, PA. It was about a husband-and-wife team who started a transportation service for the elderly. A deliciously long article. It benefitted from the authority of a staff reporter’s byline.
You can get the same publicity, and the media charge nothing.
Raising your brand’s prestige
What if the local media doesn’t pick up your story right away? If that happens, putting the story on a press release website will really count. Their website looks like a normal news outlet. You can download your story on a PDF, print it and put it in your sales packet.
You’ll also want to link to it in your social media posts and in your emails to others. Not only that, but if you want me to send a press release regularly to the news media, I’ll be able to build a rapport with local reporters and editors and eventually get something published.
Overall, when you get coverage in your area, you’ll be pleased when friends mention that they saw it. And wouldn’t your coverage be noticed by friends and family of your staff members themselves? Suddenly your workers look good in the eyes of others.
Wouldn’t all of this be a nice pat on the back for all your hard work?
News coverage by a Cincinnati paper
I’m hoping you’ll contact me for this project. I am well experienced in the news media industry. I began my career as a newspaper reporter and then worked as a public information director for a nonprofit before working in printing, publishing and then home care marketing.
Take one example of my “news nose” ability. I once wrote a press release comparing the cost of natural family planning vs. the birth control pill. Apparently, no one had yet made this comparison. I contacted one of the Cincinnati newspapers. As a result, my story was sent over the AP wire in Ohio and picked up by at least a few newspapers.
To give another example, I used a national news event about Christian ministers who were abducted in Haiti a few years ago. I quickly contacted a local church in the Chicago area which I knew sent volunteers to Haiti. I asked them how they were reacting to the news. I got some quotes and wrote a story that was printed in a Chicago-area newspaper, the Daily Herald.
All completely free publicity.
Here’s what the church leader, Jeannie O’Leary, of St. Mary’s Church in Huntley, IL said about my work:
👉 “Kevin did a great job of writing an article about our church ministry and getting it published in our local newspaper. He listened and worked with me to print factual information.”
News coverage for your home care company
At Savvy Senior Marketing, I have been working in the home care market for five years, and know it well. I’ve developed an array of promotional services.
But here’s how I would work with you on such a release:
- Run my story idea by you.
- Get quotes from you and write the story.
- Contact a half dozen local media outlets.
- Send it to a major press release service.
- Follow up and tell you of the results.
I will also give it additional publicity:
- Make the published article into a PDF which you can print.
- Publicize it on the local Patch news service.
“A heck of a writer…”
Are you ready to get more publicity for your home care agency?
Then let’s get started!
Here’s what others say about my work:
👉 “You are a heck of a writer….We’ve been using the newsletter…one very nice compliment from a client. I’m sure it had an impact behind the scenes.”
— John Trompeter, Owner/Operator, ComForCare Home Care of Wheaton, IL
👉 “I have been utilizing this service to get my agency in front of referral sources who are difficult to get time with. Kevin has done a great job writing personalized letters for our office and has been a pleasure to work with!”
— Caleb Johnson, Owner, FirstLight Home Care of Deerfield/Lake Forest
👉 “For people who don’t have marketing, I think you’re perfect.”
— Connie Jean Catalano, Sales Rep, Inspired Home Care, Arlington Heights, IL
Are we suited to work together?
Our ideal client is an independent home care company that wants to grow. Of course, I won’t turn down a franchise who needs more than corporate’s marketing.
Overall, I prefer that my clients have at least two years’ growth.
If you do not have a marketer or salesperson on staff, let’s talk!
One advantage over the larger marketing agencies is that you get the work done by me, not by a minor staffer. But the drawback is that my consulting hours are limited. I can take on only so many projects. So, contact me today.
Let’s get started! Please complete the survey at SavvySeniorMarketing.com/homecare.
