Winning New Clients: Tips for Closing the Deal

People seeking home care have many choices. In such a crowded market where it can be hard to stand out, every contact with a potential client matters, especially those all-important initial conversations. In fact, in a recent survey of care seekers conducted for CareScout, respondents said the single biggest driver of home care provider choice was their interview with the agency.¹

How can you make a strong first impression during that meet-and-greet and move toward securing the referral? Here are some simple ways to help make your agency memorable and convince a family to think twice before calling another agency. 

Care seekers in the shopping phase can be overwhelmed at not knowing what’s available, what services they need, or what those services cost. Here’s a solution you may have overlooked: Dust off the glossary from your intake packet to walk them through a brief Home Care 101. This can help care seekers feel that by working with you, they’re winning the information game.

Do your clients praise your caregivers for always being on time? Do community physicians and short-term rehabs send their patients your way? Do area home health agencies or hospices remark that you are easy to work with? Say so. Make those five-star reviews key talking points. 

Create a personal connection by sharing how and why you got into the home care business. It’s a great way for care seekers to witness your passion for what you do and your sense of pride in your company.

Let the care seeker know they can always reach you or someone else right away. (“You can call or text me at any time.”) Offer direct access to the care manager. Build their confidence that there are multiple safeguards in place to respond when something comes up.

An agency principal can be an especially effective spokesperson, embodying the mission, passion, and authenticity of an agency. Having the owner or manager speak with referrals is a nice personal touch that is also strategic.

Focus not just on care needs during the initial conversation, but also on individual preferences and personality to help identify caregivers who might make a good match for the care seeker. Does the caregiver need to be bilingual? Do Mom or Dad need someone strong who can do some heavy lifting? Offer to set up an interview with a possible caregiver.

Ask some sample questions from your care plan assessment as a teaser. What motivates you? What do you want to get back to doing? You’ll be meeting the care seeker where they are and demonstrating that by working with you, they can continue aging in place.

Scheduling, paying invoices, keeping family members in the loop … ironically, hiring help can feel burdensome to the care seeker. Describe what you have in place to ease the home care journey and keep things efficient, whether it is a quick sign-in process or shortening the learning curve for working with long-term care insurers.

Describing what you did or the criteria you met to earn the praise of your clients, other local care providers, or national organizations can add substance to your quality claims. For example, providers who belong to the CareScout Quality Network pass a rigorous 20-criteria credentialing process, including objective evaluations from clients and their own staffs.

The great agencies partner and collaborate with families and their care teams to ensure safety and the best opportunities to remain living in their communities with comfort and dignity. You are not just offering help around the house or medication reminders. You are selling your agency as an expert guide on the home care journey, a guide whose priority is your future client’s happiness.

​​​For most care seekers, choosing a home care provider is a stressful time. The warmer and more personal you can make your initial encounter, with an approach that is nurturing, empathetic, and efficient, the greater the feeling of trust and comfort the care seeker will have with you. And the better you demonstrate you are worthy of their trust, the more likely care seekers will choose your agency over many others.