Are prospective caregivers eager and excited for the opportunity to join your team? If not, then you should keep reading…
Home care agencies continue to embark on a new world of recruiting challenges that continue to rise. As these changes emerge, agencies need to evolve with the times. Many business owners make the mistake of thinking more applicants will solve their problems, but this is often not the case. From a client perspective, if you get more leads does that mean more sales? No, because you still need to get them to schedule a consultation AND get them to sign up for services. The same goes for caregivers! Think of it like a boat that is filling up with water. If you keep trying to get all the water out of the boat before plugging the holes, then it is a never ending battle. So, what can you do?
The key is focusing on skills and strategies that will convert the great employees that are already applying to your organization. When you implement the right techniques, it will not only increase your interview show up rate, but it will increase hires. Once you lock in the “sales” process for caregivers, then you can spend more time and resources on driving traffic to your caregiver recruiting funnel. To convert more caregivers, we need to create your Caregiver Irresistible Offer!
Before we dive into the different pieces of your proposal, we must first discuss the importance of leveraging technology and automation. If your agency does not adopt these tools, you will not be able to sustain your business in this market. There are a ton of great companies that provide this service, and it is extremely affordable. By leveraging automation, you will save your recruiter 20 hours a week which will allow them to focus on higher quality tasks of recruitment and retention. If you have not done this yet, then you should stop reading and go do that now.
Your Caregiver Irresistible Offer is broken into a few different parts, but for the sake of time we are going to just go over a few of the core pieces. One thing to note about these principles is that they can be leveraged in multiple areas of marketing your home care business.
1. The Hook
In a world of so much digital stimulation, we need to do everything we can to grab the attention of our audience and that is why hooks are essential. These attention grabbers should be used everywhere from print materials, emails, social media posts, and videos. It is always the first thing: the top of the flier or brochure, the subject line, the first line in the text or image, or the first sentence spoken. Effective hooks allow you to grab the attention of your viewer so you can get them to the core of your message.
Great hooks speak directly to your target audience OR they create curiosity to take the next step whether that is reading on, continuing to watch, or opening that email. For example, if you create an amazing email, it does not matter if they don’t open it and so the subject line is the most important piece. Creating successful hooks is a skill set to develop but there are a lot of resources online to help you out. Take the extra time to think of attention grabbing hooks in everything you create, and you will see immediate results.
2. The Problem
What is your ideal candidate struggling with? How does working for your organization help to solve their problem or are you just another agency? In some cases, you can create a hook that addresses their problem. For example, “Tired of being just another number?” Notice how this example is targeting existing caregivers and their pain point. If you want to go in the more positive route, you could say something like “Wake up and know you are making a difference” or “More income and more impact.”
When you understand what your target wants then you can better deliver messaging that will resonate with them. Selling is problem solving! When you can be the solution to their problem then you will begin to attract and convert more high level care professionals.
3. The Offer
The offer is based on all the benefits and features that create a value stack for your prospective applicants when they become part of your team and should showcase you as the solution to their problem. There are a few different areas that are designed to hit on different aspects of the caregiver psyche. Most people think money is the most important thing, but caregivers are willing to take less for a positive work environment. Are you treating your employees as expendable and just another number? Do they feel a part of your team? Do you have regular recognition and appreciation events? Prioritizing this will not only help to hire more caregivers, but also retain your existing team members.
Another part of your offer includes growth which can be in the form of education as well as an opportunity to advance in the organization. If you have a scheduler who was once a caregiver, then that is a great story to share.
Many agencies are doing a lot of these things already, but fail to market it. If you are waiting to talk about culture in orientation, then that is already too late. If you are doing all these great things, then you need to show it!
4. The Proof
THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE MAKER! Agencies “say” they have great company culture. Agencies “say” people love working for them. However, if you want results then you need to PROVE IT!
One of the most powerful marketing materials for attracting top caregivers, in addition to client and referral sources, is social proof! There are a few core ways that we can showcase social proof. The first and most obvious is with testimonials which can be highlighted in written form and in video format. You can see video examples at www.thedigitachamps.com/examples.
Another option and the most overlooked is content that showcases your company culture and employee experience. This could include photos or videos of caregiver appreciation, holidays, or any other employee activities or events that you have throughout the year. This evidence of a positive work environment can also be used in marketing automation throughout your recruitment process and should be illustrated on social media. If you are waiting to showcase company culture during orientation, then it is already too late! TAKE MORE PHOTOS!
There are a few more sections that you may include, but this should give you a good head start and action items to build out your offer.
In conclusion, it is essential to remember that recruiting is selling and by improving this process will maximize your efforts in this tough market. Navigating the challenges of caregiver recruitment demands a nuanced approach beyond the mere influx of applicants. Crafting compelling hooks, addressing caregiver problems, presenting a comprehensive offer, and providing tangible proof form the blueprint for a successful caregiver recruitment strategy in the ever-evolving home care market.
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