Careswitch FAQ | How should I decide which referral partners to work with and which to avoid?

Finding the right referral partners can have an incredible impact on your business. Unlike digital marketing such as Google Ads or SEO, which target consumers directly, building relationships with referral partners can give you access to a steady stream of consumers in need of care services. The question is: who should I target and how do I build relationships with them?

Dominate at the Point of Need

Let’s start with targeting. Put simply, you should target those who interface with seniors and their families at their “point of need”. The reality is that the home care industry is driven by seniors in crisis.

Sadly, it’s usually after some major event such as a fall, hospital visit or illness before seniors and/or their families consider home care. A referral from a health care professional who engage with patients and/or families at their, “point of need,” is what initiates most home care services.

In fact, 80% of revenues generated in the home care industry come from warm referrals from health care professionals. Every home care business that is serious about growth should adopt a business-to-business marketing model that helps you target and influence those who can recommend your services to seniors in need. Your marketing strategy is to dominate at the point of need. Having a dedicated marketer in your community building referral partners is the key to success!

Targeting the Right Places and the Right People

Building a robust database of influence centers or referral sources is the first place to start. Analyze your territory or geographic coverage area and consider all the places where seniors go for care and companies who provide care. Use a senior resource directory to help you identify care centers. Do a Google search to find the names of senior care facilities. Below is a list of the influence center types you should look for to get you started:

Geriatric Psych hospitals
Home health agencies
Hospice companies
Doctor offices
Memory care communities
Assisted living communities
Skilled nursing facilities / rehab centers
Hospitals

Consider places where seniors live and are managed and supported by staff who can identify a senior in need:

Independent living communities
55+ communities
Retirement villages

Consider community support organizations and companies whose mandate is to help seniors:

Support groups – Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
Alzheimer’s / Dementia Associations
Support groups – Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
Elder law attorneys
Trust Managers
Insurance agents (Long term care insurance)
Churches

The bulleted list above are the main influence center types that should be included on your target list. Let’s now review who, within those influence centers, you should visit on a regular basis.

Below is a list outlining the people in positions, who interface with seniors and their families in need. These are potential referral partners for you to target.