Your HCED Tip Has Arrived

Attend local events, health fairs, and community gatherings to promote your services and engage with potential clients and referral sources. Expectations are 1 community event and 1 networking event per month. If there is none, start your own – even a simple Facebook Group!

Attend local events, health fairs, and community gatherings to promote your services and engage with potential clients and referral sources. Expectations are 1 community event and 1 networking event per month. If there is none, start your own – even a simple Facebook Group! 

Maintain open and transparent communication throughout the recruitment process. Keep candidates informed about the status of their application and provide feedback when possible. Use text messages to remind them of interviews, orientation and onboarding. You will see better compliance with texting!

Emphasize the importance of work-life balance and offer scheduling options that accommodate caregivers’ personal commitments and preferences. Say “Flexible Schedules!!!” This is a benefit over working in a community or facility.

Consider obtaining industry-specific accreditation or certification. This can enhance your reputation and demonstrate a commitment to quality care.

Showcase your company culture, values, and commitment to employee satisfaction on Social Media. Emphasize a supportive work environment, opportunities for growth, and recognition of caregivers’ contributions. Not only will this help with recruiting but families want to know the environment as well.

Before a family ever calls your home care agency, they’ve already formed an opinion based on your website. In many cases, it’s your first—and most important—sales conversation.

If your site looks outdated, is hard to navigate, or doesn’t clearly explain your services, you may be losing referrals before you even get a chance to speak. Ask yourself: would you trust and hire your own agency based on what a family sees and feels in the first 10 seconds?

Your website should quickly answer key questions, build trust through testimonials and reviews, and make it easy to take the next step. In home care, clarity and credibility online directly impact your ability to convert interest into referrals and admissions.

Gatekeepers aren’t obstacles—they’re your first relationship. If you want stronger access to decision-makers in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living communities, your approach matters more than your persistence.

Start by treating the gatekeeper with the same respect you would give an administrator or discharge planner. Be clear, friendly, and intentional about why you’re there, focusing on how your home care agency supports patient outcomes and makes their job easier. Avoid generic “just checking in” visits and instead lead with purpose tied to real facility needs.

Second, be consistent and recognizable. The more familiar your name becomes, the less resistance you’ll face over time. Lastly, leave something of value—even if it’s just a helpful resource or insight that benefits their day-to-day work.

When you shift from “getting past” the gatekeeper to building trust with them, access to decision-makers becomes much easier.

A successful total office call in home care marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all conversation. The key is tailoring your message to each role you encounter.

With the Executive Director (ED), focus on big-picture outcomes—how your agency supports census stability, resident satisfaction, and family trust. Keep the conversation strategic and centered on partnership impact.

With the Director of Nursing (DON), shift to clinical alignment. Talk about patient safety, continuity of care, reducing readmissions, and how your caregivers support care plans and communication with clinical teams.

With the Marketing or Sales Director, emphasize collaboration. Discuss how you can support their referral pipeline, enhance discharge transitions, and create shared opportunities to serve families faster and more effectively.

When you adjust your message based on who you’re speaking with, every office visit becomes more relevant, more memorable, and more likely to generate referrals.

target industry CEU events where your referral sources must attend to keep licenses. Google “CALA conference [your state]” or “LNHA event [your city].” Register, mingle with administrators and social workers who are required to be there, book 1-on-1 meetings.

Gatekeepers ignore brochures—but they remember creativity. One of the simplest ways to stand out in home care marketing is to tie your drop-by visits to unusual national holidays and bring a small, themed item that sparks curiosity and conversation.

Instead of a generic visit, show up on “National Donut Day,” “National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day,” or “National Caregivers Day” with a simple, thoughtful treat and a note connecting it to your mission of supporting patients at home. The goal isn’t the item—it’s the memory. Gatekeepers are more likely to pass you along when you’re associated with something positive, timely, and different from every other agency walking in with flyers.

Consistency matters more than cost. A well-timed, creative drop-in can open doors that cold introductions never will.

Check nationaldaycalendar.com monthly. Non-threatening way to get past gatekeepers.

Create Instagram Reels and TikToks featuring your caregivers (with permission) doing real work – playing cards with clients, cooking together, going on walks. Tag with #caregiverjobs #hiringnow #[yourcity]. Younger caregivers search jobs on social media not Indeed.

Offer “Shift Flexibility Matching” – during interviews pull up your calendar and say “What days and times work best for your life?” Then actually assign clients matching those preferences. Most agencies force caregivers into random shifts. You’ll stand out immediately.

Schedule 2-hour case startup meetings (not 30-min phone calls) where care coordinator goes to client’s home WITH the caregiver on day one. Walk through entire routine together, check that walker height is correct, show where supplies are, introduce caregiver to family. First impression sets tone for months.

Conduct home safety inspections during case startups – remove loose rugs, test grab bars, check medication organization, ensure working smoke detectors, confirm emergency numbers posted. Document with photos. Prevents falls that cause case loss and shows families you’re thorough.

Consider obtaining industry-specific accreditation or certification. This can enhance your reputation and demonstrate a commitment to quality care.

Showcase your company culture, values, and commitment to employee satisfaction on Social Media. Emphasize a supportive work environment, opportunities for growth, and recognition of caregivers’ contributions. Not only will this help with recruiting but families want to know the environment as well. 

Before meeting with a hospital or skilled nursing facility, review its Medicare.gov readmission data. If readmission rates are above average, tailor your conversation around how your home care agency helps keep patients safely at home. Highlight services such as medication reminders, fall prevention, assistance with daily living, meal preparation, transportation to follow-up appointments, and caregiver support—all of which help address non-clinical factors that can lead to avoidable hospital readmissions. Using facility-specific data shows you understand their challenges and positions your agency as a valuable partner in improving patient outcomes.

Skip the generic brochures and leave something that sparks a conversation. Pair your marketing materials with a thoughtful, low-cost item like a snack basket, hydration station, coffee kit, seasonal treat, or wellness-themed giveaway. Add a handwritten note and a clear message about how your home care agency helps patients remain safe and independent at home. Creative drop-offs make your visits more memorable, encourage staff engagement, and keep your agency top of mind when a home care referral is needed.

Imagine your next referral depended entirely on a 30-second conversation. Would your pitch sound different from every other home care agency, or would it blend in? Focus less on listing your services and more on the unique value you bring—how you solve problems, support families, communicate with referral partners, and help clients stay safely at home. A memorable, benefit-driven elevator pitch can be the difference between being remembered and being replaced.

Want more caregiver candidates to show up for interviews? Take a cue from the airline and hotel industries—send text message reminders. A quick confirmation the day before and another reminder a few hours before the interview can significantly reduce no-shows. Keep your messages short, friendly, and include the date, time, location, and a contact number. Consistent communication creates a better candidate experience and helps keep your hiring pipeline full.

Your online reputation is often a family’s first impression of your home care agency. Just as most people avoid businesses with poor reviews, prospective clients and referral partners are more likely to choose an agency with a strong online presence. If your Google or Facebook rating is below 4.5 stars, make improving it a priority. Consistently ask satisfied clients and families for reviews, respond professionally to all feedback, and showcase the exceptional care your team provides. A strong reputation builds trust before you ever answer the phone.

When families or referral partners search for home care, your Google Business Profile is often the first thing they see—before they ever visit your website. An incomplete, outdated, or neglected profile can cost you credibility and referrals. Make sure your hours, contact information, service areas, photos, and business description are current, and actively collect and respond to reviews. A well-maintained profile builds trust, improves local search visibility, and encourages more people to contact your agency.

Don’t market alone—partner strategically. Align with a trusted home health or hospice agency to create a coordinated discharge solution for hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and physicians. Together, you can offer a seamless transition that addresses both clinical and non-clinical needs, giving referral partners one reliable team to call. By co-marketing, sharing educational resources, and coordinating patient transitions, you strengthen your value proposition, increase visibility, and position your agencies as the preferred choice for safe, successful discharges.

Every home care agency should know its readmission rate—and be ready to talk about it. If your agency consistently helps keep clients out of the hospital, that data becomes one of your most compelling marketing advantages. Track your readmission rate, compare it over time, and use it in conversations with hospitals, physicians, and skilled nursing facilities. Referral partners are looking for agencies that improve outcomes and reduce avoidable rehospitalizations. When you can confidently show how your agency helps achieve those goals, you shift the conversation from price to performance and position yourself as a trusted partner.

Successful home care marketers don’t just show up—they plan strategically. Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living communities each operate on different rhythms, and timing your visits correctly can dramatically increase your access to decision-makers.

Hospitals are often best visited in mid-morning to early afternoon on weekdays when discharge planners and case managers are available between meetings and patient flow. Skilled nursing facilities tend to be most receptive earlier in the day, before therapy schedules and care meetings take over staff availability. Assisted living communities are often more flexible, but mid-morning and early afternoon visits usually yield the best engagement with administrators and wellness directors.

By aligning your visits with each facility’s workflow, you reduce wasted trips, increase face time with key contacts, and ultimately create more consistent referral opportunities.

Lunch & Learns should never be “just education”—they should be intentional referral-building events. To get a return on investment, you need a plan before, during, and after the session.

Before the event, confirm the right attendees are invited (case managers, social workers, nurses, or decision-makers) and set a clear purpose tied to patient outcomes and discharge support. During the session, keep the content simple, relevant, and focused on solving real challenges like reducing readmissions, improving transitions, and supporting patients at home. Engage the audience with practical examples instead of a sales pitch.

After the event, the follow-up is where most referrals are won or lost. Thank attendees, provide a simple takeaway resource, and schedule individual follow-ups with key contacts within 24–48 hours.

When done consistently, Lunch & Learns become one of the most effective tools for turning education into ongoing referral relationships.

Not all networking is created equal. Chamber mixers and general business events often put you in front of people who don’t directly influence home care referrals. Instead, prioritize industry-specific continuing education (CEU) events where your actual decision-makers—case managers, nurses, social workers, and discharge planners—are required to attend.

These events give you built-in access to the right audience in a setting where they are already engaged, learning, and open to new ideas. Show up consistently, add value through relevant conversations about patient outcomes and transitions of care, and focus on building credibility rather than collecting business cards.

When you target CEU environments instead of random networking, you spend less time chasing connections and more time building real referral relationships

Implement a tiered referral bonus: $100 for referring a caregiver who completes orientation, $200 more after 90 days, $200 more at 6 months. Pay in stages to ensure quality referrals who actually stick around. Announce monthly in staff meetings who earned bonuses to keep it top of mind.

Host quarterly “Bring a Friend to Work” days where current caregivers can bring potential recruits to shadow for 4 hours (paid for both). The recruit sees real work environment, current caregiver earns referral bonus if friend applies. Way more effective than job posting descriptions.

 Develop and implement efficient processes for caregivers to get hired, including application, interview, orientation. Text them and let them know when the next step is happening. Clear processes help ensure consistency and quality of care. 

Offer opportunities for career advancement and professional growth within your organization. Recognize and reward outstanding performance and provide pathways for career development.

Strong caregivers talk to each other. Instead of trying to pull staff from other agencies or facilities, focus on becoming known as the agency caregivers want to work for. When you are in the field, introduce yourself professionally. Let people know you are always hiring high quality caregivers. Share what makes your culture different. Leave recruiting cards at approved bulletin boards, community centers, churches, and CNA schools. When your reputation is strong, caregivers seek you out and they come to you. 

If you are not responding to applicants quickly, you are losing them. Period. When a caregiver applies, they are applying to 5 to 10 agencies at the same time. The agency that calls first usually wins. Review applications daily. Call within 24 hours. Text if needed. Keep your screening simple and efficient. Move qualified candidates forward fast. Recruiting is not just about volume. It is about speed and follow up. (Coach Leah)

Phone screens and interviews should be more YOU selling the benefits of working for your agency and less about the candidate selling themselves to you.  While the later is important, they can get a job anywhere but you want them to choose you first.

 Stagger interviews close together so candidates can see other applicants.  Use language like “if you get the job” to let them feel that it is a coveted position.

 Stagger interviews close together so candidates can see other applicants.  Use language like “if you get the job” to let them feel that it is a coveted position.

The quality of service you provide is paramount to your success. Ensure your caregivers are well-trained, compassionate, and reliable. Consistently deliver high-quality care that meets the needs of your clients. (Coach David)

Hire skilled and dedicated caregivers who share your commitment to providing excellent care. Invest in ongoing training and development to keep your team motivated and equipped with the latest skills and knowledge

Offer a gift card drawing for caregivers who write positive review on social media/google

Offer a motivating referral bonus for caregivers who help bring on a new team member.  (Ex:  $250 bonus for a CG who completes 40 hours.)  Make sure to ALWAYS talk it up.  People won’t do it if they don’t know it is available.  Get in the habit of whenever a caregiver calls, remind them about the referral bonus.

Create a “Caregiver Career Path” visual showing advancement from companion care → personal care → specialized dementia/hospice care → lead caregiver → care coordinator. Display during interviews and post in break room. People stay longer when they see growth opportunities not just “a job.”

Partner with community colleges offering CNA programs – offer to hire their students upon graduation with a sign-on bonus. Post flyers on campus bulletin boards and speak at career days. You get first pick of newly certified caregivers before competitors even know they exist.

Use the “Blanket Strategy” – see 5-7 contacts per facility visit (social worker, DON, admissions, floor nurses, activities director) instead of just one. Spend 15 min each for 90 min total. When multiple people see you in one day you look like you own that facility and they start talking about you to each other.

Go to Medicare.gov and look up each hospital’s readmission rates for CHF, COPD etc. Create a Canva graphic showing: Hospital 15.3% / Your Agency 3.2%. Walk in and say “I noticed your CHF rate is 19.2%. Here’s how we keep patients home by following discharge plans to the letter.”

Be specific when asking for referrals.  “We are the agency to call to help reduce hospital readmissions.”

March is National Social Worker Month.  Be planning events and activities NOW that can get you time in front of them then.

Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to raise awareness of your home care services in your community. Utilize a mix of online and offline channels, including websites, social media, local advertising, and community events, to reach potential clients and referral sources.

Collaborate with hospitals, clinics, senior centers, and other healthcare providers to generate referrals and expand your client base. Establishing strong relationships with healthcare professionals not just case managers but the ENTIRE office, all of whom can help you tap into new markets and enhance your credibility. Ask them who else they work with. 

Be insanely easy to refer.  ASK:  “When you need us FAST, what is the best way for you to reach us?”  Then create a contact card to distribute.

 When visiting referral partners lead with “where do families struggle after discharge?”  Then be there to “paint a picture with words” about how your agency is the solution to that problem.

 Use the Blanket Strategy online and instead of partially filling out your profile, fully optimize it with updated photos, accurate services, a strong description, fresh posts, current reviews, and correct contact information. Spend intentional time on it monthly. When families and referral partners see a complete and active profile, you look like you own your market and they begin trusting and talking about you before you ever walk through the door. (Coach Leah)

 Go have a look at your website like a stranger would. Not as the owner. Not as the marketer. As a daughter looking for care for her mom. Read your homepage. Look at your photos. Click through your services. Is it clear? Is it current? Does it feel warm and professional? Is it easy to contact you? Families and referral partners are researching you before they ever call. If your website feels outdated or confusing they move on. Make sure it reflects the level of care and professionalism you actually deliver every day. 

Build a Dual Discharge Program with one home health marketer – visit discharge patients together. Create a one-page “Safe Transitions Program” flyer with both logos for nurse stations. SNFs love one call getting two coordinated services instead of managing separate vendors.

Calculate your readmission rate (national home care average is 3%) and create a comparison chart in Canva: Hospital 15.3% / SNF 22.1% / Home Health 15.8% / Your Agency ___%. Bring to every meeting to show you solve their biggest pain point.

Identify what sets your home care business apart from competitors and emphasize these unique selling points in your marketing efforts. Whether it’s specialized care programs, innovative technology solutions, or exceptional customer service, highlight the value you bring to your clients. Secret shop your competitors quarterly. 

 Happy clients are more likely to refer your services to others and become loyal customers. Regularly solicit feedback from clients and their families, and use this information to improve your services. Take the reviews and post it or create collateral on it. 

When the “people can’t afford home care” objection comes in – agree with them!  It will throw referral sources off guard.  “We know that not everyone can afford home care.  We also know that not everyone who can afford home care will choose it.  But we do know that 40% of the people who are presented with the option can and will find a way to opt in to additional support.”  (Based on national averages from Activated Insights.)