As a home care agency professional, you know that in-home assessments enable you to ensure that the care plan meets the client's specific needs. But, did you know that in-home assessments can create the type of relationship that contributes to more hours per client and better client retention? There’s a sales term for a series of techniques to build trust, establish rapport, and gauge the client's interest in services. It’s called the trial close. 

Trial closes involve asking questions or making statements designed to elicit a response from the client. These questions or statements gauge interest and gather feedback. They are customer-centric ways to guide conversations and learn how to serve seniors and their families more effectively.  

1. Assume the Partnership: This approach assumes that the client will choose your agency. You ask questions that assume the senior is ready to begin services. For example, you might say, "So, when would you like to get started?" If the client responds positively, you can discuss the next steps. If the client responds negatively, you can ask why. Either way, you’ve learned something important and moved the conversation forward. 

2. Provide Alternatives: This involves presenting the client with two options and asking the client to choose one. For example, you might say, "We offer both hourly and live-in care options. Which one would work best for you?" Not only does this approach enable you to assess the client's needs and preferences but also affirms the senior controls the decision-making process. It’s a respectful way to determine how the client would like to proceed. 

3. Summarize and Verify: With this approach, you summarize the key points of the conversation and ask the client to agree or disagree. For example, you might say, "Based on what you've told me, it sounds like you could use assistance with bathing and getting dressed. Is that correct?" This approach helps you ensure you have accurately assessed the client's needs. It also allows you to uncover any concerns or objections before moving forward with the care plan. 

4. Confirm and Connect: Listen carefully to the client’s expressed needs and wants, then repeat back what the client said to you. This shows that you are engaged and interested in the senior and empowers the senior to choose you and your agency’s services. For example, you might say, "You mentioned that you're having difficulty with daily activities like bathing and dressing. Our caregivers are trained to help with those tasks. Would you like us to schedule a caregiver to come by and help you?" This approach helps you build trust and establish a commitment from the client. 

These powerful communication tools allow you to address any concerns and ensure the care plan meets all client's specific needs, which helps you get the most billable hours. And, these techniques enable you to provide the highest quality of care, while also building strong relationships that lead to long-term success. 

In home care, people sometimes express interest in your agency but fail to respond to your emails. While this can be frustrating, it is a common situation. According to research conducted by InsideSales.com, it takes an average of 8 attempts to reach a prospect, and only 2% of sales are made on the first contact. Luckily, there are strategies to re-engage these prospects. 

1. Plan to follow up in the short-term. Some prospects only invite you into their home after you establish a relationship with them. These prospects need time to feel comfortable with you and your services. When planning your follow up, be consistent and caring. Remember every interaction with the prospect should be about the prospect’s needs and wants.    

2. Know your audience. More than 70% of marketers say personalization increases customer engagement, with an average increase of 20% in sales when using personalized experiences.  Identifying your audience is an easy way to personalize your emails. When establishing contact with a new prospect, it’s vital to understand if your audience is the care recipient or loved one. For example, people searching for a parent make up the largest portion of Caring.com users. These searchers have minimal time and often choose a home care agency more quickly than those searching for themselves. Customizing your emails to these searches can lead to increased engagement, which in the home care industry can equal more new clients who take more hours.   

3. Build a relationship. Home care is a very personal service. So, establish a personal relationship. Plan a follow up email that asks how the care recipient is doing. This second email should be more empathic with a more personal tone. “Hi – I reached out a few days ago in response to your request for care for your father, John. I haven’t heard back from you and I’m a little concerned. Is everything okay? Please let me know if you’ve made arrangements or would like to schedule a call to talk about your father’s needs.”   

4. Plan to follow up in the long-term. During the first few days after receiving the referral, reach out often. As time goes on, connect on a regular cadence of one month, three months, and six months, then annually. Share valuable information that's not directly tied to the sale but demonstrates your expertise and interest in the care recipient’s well-being, such as "how to prevent falls in the home" or "the top 10 foods for heart health.” This enables you to maintain a connection with prospects who might postpone plans to start care, or those who initially choose another agency. 

Re-engaging with prospects who have shown interest in your home care agency but have failed to respond to your emails requires patience, consistency, personalization, and relationship building. Following these tips can lead to increased engagement, trust, and ultimately, more new clients for your home care agency.

You’re in the home care business to help people. So, it can be frustrating to send emails to prospective clients and get no response. Fortunately, there are some simple, proven techniques to increase your response rate. 

1. Write a compelling subject line. People are more inclined to open emails that are specific, relevant, and personal. In fact, emails with a personal subject line are 22% more likely to be opened. To make your subject lines more personal, include the care recipient’s name.  To make your email subject line more relevant and specific, add a phrase stating that your email is in response to a referral. Here’s a subject line to try: A Response to Your Caring.com Inquiry: Home Care for John Smith”. There are also free online tools that you can use to help you determine if it’s a good subject line for increasing the chance of the email being opened, such as this one.    

2. Express empathy and understanding. As the saying goes, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." So, ensure the first sentences of your email reference the name of the care recipient or the contact. Then talk about the details provided by your referral source. This establishes that you know the situation and care about the outcome. For example: “Good morning Mr. Smith – You contacted Caring.com about home care for your father, John Smith. Sorry to learn he had a fall recently.”   

3. Position your agency as a great match. Provide a brief intro to your agency. If you’re part of a franchise, say that. If you’re a local boutique agency, let the prospect know. If you’re an award-winning agency, have the associated badge or a “Read our Reviews” link in your email signature.  Briefly explain who you are and how you can assist. You could say something like: “While John recovers, I can get a caregiver to help him with bathing and dressing. Because my agency has provided care in this area for more than 20 years, I have several excellent caregivers in your neighborhood. They would love to help John.”   

4. Ask the prospect to choose between two options and respond to your email. All too often, agencies send emails to introduce their services and forget to end the email with a call to action – a request for the prospect to do something. In this case, ask the prospect to reply to the email and set up a home assessment. Whenever possible, give two options. This is called a closed choice, a respectful way to encourage decision-making.     Also, make sure the contact knows that your assessment is free. For many people, home care is their first experience with senior care. These people don’t know that you’re willing to meet with them at no charge. And the word “free” often compels decision making. You might say: “I can stop by your house tomorrow to talk about John’s needs. Would you be home at 10:00 am, or would 2:00 pm be more convenient for a free assessment?” 

Following these tips will encourage more responses to your emails -- especially if you reach out as soon as possible, keep the email short, and customize your email to each prospect. In part two, we’ll talk about how to follow up with prospects who need more prompts to respond.  

When seniors and their loved ones begin to research home care options, there is often a precipitating event, like a fall, that highlights the need for care. This urgency can lead to lots of questions about available services, hours needed – and of course, price.

It’s easy to answer these questions on the phone during the initial call, but at times this approach can be a disservice to the senior or loved one. To much information at once may be overwhelming, and early discussion of pricing can lead to sticker shock. On the other hand, they might not realize exactly how much help they need and underestimate the hours needed per week. In both scenarios, you can lose the opportunity to earn a new client for what may have been a great fit. Instead, be intentional with what information you cover in the initial call and what you choose to discuss during an at-home assessment.

Initial Call

During the initial call, prospects often want to know the cost per hour, and you often want to know how many hours the client needs. Both of you are asking the same question, “How valuable is this potential relationship?” So, ask questions to show your value first! Be kind, be empathetic, be curious, and avoid the temptation to talk about price.

When a prospect inquires about your rates during the initial call, redirect the conversation. You can say something very simple and empathic, such as, "Before we go into that, I'd really like to understand how we can help you. What have you been experiencing lately?" Listen carefully and ask clarifying questions, then schedule an in-home assessment.

In-Home Assessment

Before you begin the assessment, recap the reason why you're there and verify the prospect’s basic information - but don’t talk about price right away. Instead, ask questions to uncover the prospect’s needs. Learn about ADLs and chronic conditions.  Ask who cooks the meals, does the laundry, cleans the home. Find out about hobbies and interests that the potential client loves to do but cannot anymore.

As you discover ways your agency can assist, make a note with an estimate of the hours needed to meet each need. Once you uncover all the pain points, focus on the solutions you can provide and present your care plan. 

Resist the temptation to talk about money and hours just yet! Ask for the prospect’s opinion of the care plan and refine it as needed. Seek to understand the prospect’s point of view and demonstrate the value of your agency. Once you and the prospect agree on the care needed, then talk about hours, cost, and payment.  

Follow this process and you will experience two benefits to your agency:

• You will complete more at-home assessments, which means you will convert more leads into new clients.

• By starting with the need, you'll uncover more opportunities for your agency to help, and those clients will often take more hours.

Not only will this process help you grow your client base and weekly revenue, seeking to understand and create a care plan matched specifically to their needs will lead to happier, longer-lasting client relationships.

If you went to any senior living industry events in 2022 or joined industry conversations on LinkedIn, chances are you’ve likely seen, encountered or heard about Steve Moran of Senior Living Foresight. Described by aging expert, Dr. Bill Thomas as “the town crier of this industry” and known for being forthright in sharing his opinions, Steve’s been writing about and discussing various aspects of senior living for over a decade — covering topics spanning from resident and staff engagement and enrichment, to sales, marketing and building a successful brand. 

Caring partnered with Steve early on, to support the mission of advancing our industry’s knowledge and success, and recently interviewed him to learn more about his influence in our industry and where he thinks the greatest opportunities lie for the months and years ahead.

Caring: You began writing the “Senior Housing Forum” blog back in 2011, and changed the name to “Senior Living Foresight” in August 2019, with an expanded content offering and increased event participation in recent years. 

Why did you start blogging about this industry — were any of your prior professional experiences relevant to senior living blogging (if so, how)? 

What were some of the industry shifts or other influences behind the name change and programmatic additions you’ve made over the years? 

Steve: I worked for a senior living organization out of Beverly Hills for several years and fell in love with the business.  When that company collapsed, I spent some time working in the electronics industry in Silicon Valley.  I didn’t like it very much and wasn’t that good at it.   

When I decided to change directions, I got to thinking about what I could do, what I liked and realized that senior living was it. I took the first job I could find which was selling emergency call systems and the same week launched the new website, Senior Housing Forum using a $5-a-month hosting plan and a free WordPress template.   My original idea was that it would help me sell more call systems.  

Then I started seeing ways the industry could improve and started writing about my ideas and those ideas resonated with the industry and helped leaders lead better.  

Since that initial website, we have done about four major redesigns and countless minor revisions. Since we launched, we have expanded a lot. At first it was a website and an email newsletter. Today those still exist, but we have a huge LinkedIn presence, a strong Facebook leadership group, a podcast, and several livestreams every week. 

At the end of the day, we are 100% committed to the idea that we want to improve the lives of people who work and live in senior living. 

Caring: At the top left of your homepage near the platform logo are these words: “Increasing Occupancy. Reducing Turnover. Creating Culture.” Tell us more about why you chose these 3 areas, and if/how these themes play out across your partnerships and content. 

Steve: The initial idea was to ask ourselves, “What are the big problems that we can help industry leaders solve?” and it was those three things. We continue to believe that when senior living organizations get those things right, they will make the world a better place for their residents and family members, for team members and for their local marketplace communities.   I would add though that in some sense the list is backward. It starts with culture and when you get culture right you will have lower turnover, and when you get those two things right you will have higher occupancy. 

Over the last year, I developed a new keynote speech titled, “Look to the Sky,” where I talk about how to create a culture where everyone loves coming to work every day.  While working on that speech, I came to realize that it all starts with having a purpose for your organization — that purpose has to be profound and something that every single team member in the organization can call their own.  

For us at Senior Living Foresight, it is making the lives of people who live and work in senior living better. 

Caring: What have been some of the most surprising or most exciting things you’ve learned about the senior living industry since you started covering it? 

Steve: The first thing is that almost everyone in the industry really cares about making the world a better place for older people. There is also a certain level of restlessness and frustration about the state of the industry as it is today, meaning there is a recognition that as great as it is, we can be better. 

At the same time, we are a pretty risk averse industry which makes us timid about changing even when we know we should. It’s easy to understand, change equals risk and not changing feels less risky, even though it may not be.  There are so many companies that didn’t change that are out of business like Kodak, Palm Pilot, Blockbuster Video and more. 

Caring: You have a lot of opinions on how large providers are doing with respect to their overall business. What are two or three things you think they need to do better immediately?

Steve: You would ask me that wouldn’t you?! The biggest challenge that large providers have is that their systems for doing business become more important than people. This in turn means that people are viewed as more of a cost center than as an asset. Team members have great ideas about how to make their communities better.  They understand problems better than corporate leaders, they understand solutions better than corporate leaders and they want to be heard.  Mostly they feel like they are not valued and not heard. If I had a poor performing building, I would start by going to that building (or those buildings) and say, “We are struggling here, you know it and I know. What are your ideas for making it better?”  Then really listen and figure out which things make sense and how to make them happen.  It sounds stupid simple — actually it is, but it will yield results and rapidly. 

Caring: Sometimes your opinions are viewed as controversial or challenging of the status quo. Are you finding your approach effective for initiating positive change in the industry? Have there been instances in which you regretted how you approached a subject, or conversely, instances you wish you’d done further with ‘pushing the envelope’? What does it take to get you to change your point of view on a subject? 

Steve: Heavy question. First, I am a huge, huge fan of senior living. It is making a positive impact on the lives of residents and team members and yet we have big challenges that are reflected in occupancy and staff turnover.   

Early on, I would write scathing articles about something in senior living, then realize they were simply rants and I didn’t publish them.  I have also written articles, then rethought the topic and written a follow-up article saying, “I changed my mind.”  I am sure if I went through every article, there would be a few I wish I hadn’t written but there are none that stand out as embarrassingly cringe worthy. 

One of the most curious parts of writing critical articles is how often I will get messages from people inside the organizations I am critical of, who say, “I am glad someone had the courage to say that.”

Part of what makes this hard is that I am someone who welcomes criticism, even if I disagree with it. I love the fans, and the kind words. 

It is much harder to be critical today than it was when I started out.  Back then, I knew very few people so it was easier to blast away.  Today when I write something critical, I can usually put names and faces of people I know, people I have met and even spent time with that will be upset with what I wrote.  

Right now I have an article I wrote several weeks ago that I have not submitted for publication because I know a significant number of people will be unhappy about it.  But it is something that needs to be talked about. 

Finally I try to never write a critical article about anything without offering up an idea for a better way to do things. 

Caring: In this industry, there’s a lot of emphasis on lead generation. What do you think the lead generation landscape looks like in 5 years?

Steve: There are several clumps of low-hanging fruit that are mostly unpicked when it comes to lead gen. 

• Just getting out into the marketplace, building relationships with people who can help you help residents. 

• Making the community more available to people who need a place to do an event or have a meeting.  I am talking about groups with no obvious tie to older people.  Scouting groups, mom’s groups, social clubs, climbing and fishing groups. The more people a community touches, the more leads that will show up. 

• We are terrible about telling stories of changed lives. Giving a spouse who is not yet ready for senior living a new lease on life. Relieving the guilt and worry of a daughter or son. Telling those stories rather than simply saying we do that are hugely different. We are not telling stories about residents who come back to life, who fall in love, who find new hobbies, who are continuing to change the world.  There are so many stories.

• The most recent thing I am thinking about is this question: How do we make senior living more fun?  For residents, for adult family members, for team members. Right now, pretty much no one would describe living in or visiting senior living as fun. But I believe that could change. 

Caring: You’ve regularly written about your own personal experiences caring for aging loved ones and the numerous senior living community tours you’ve taken. What are the top 3 things you think a senior living community should do on every tour they give? 

Has your experience covering the industry helped your loved ones in their search for senior living? Are there things you think communities or organizations like Caring can do to help ensure any consumer can optimize their senior living search experience (that they don’t need the industry insider ‘leg up’ to be successful in their search)? 

Steve: I wish I had a better answer to this question but shopping for senior living is hard. Choosing to move a family member into senior living is life altering and very hard to roll back.  I wish senior living communities would spend a lot more time thinking about how to reduce the friction when it comes to learning about senior living.  A very simple one is putting pricing front and center on your websites.  

Here is what I wish Caring.com would do, maybe we can even work on this together.  There needs to be a series of very short tutorials for family members on what senior living is, how to make these decisions, and what to expect.  Maybe we do them with music and with comedy — I don’t know, but I think it would help people know what to do.  Or maybe we take some of your prospects and do some videos of them asking questions and then we answer them.   I have looked at what you have and I don’t know if it quite really hits the mark. What if your tutorials were the one place everyone had to go? I have so many ideas about this. 

(Caring Note: Thank you for this suggestion and others! We have some exciting updates coming to our website in 2023 — to further support the millions of people who access our senior living content during their search and selection process.)

Caring: When you think about our industry, what keeps you up at night? What most excites you and brings a smile to your daily work? What are you most passionate about, and find most meaningful in your senior living work?

Steve: What keeps me up at night: I talk to a lot of people who are terminally discouraged about senior living, but I am not one of them. While there is a lot still to be done, the industry is evolving and changing.  I see lots of small evidences of positive change nearly every day.   

My very public confession is that my passion is more for the front-line workers, many of whom would live on public assistance but choose to work in senior living instead.  More than any other time, they are making better money and having more of a voice.  

I find meaning every time I hear from a leader who is leading better because of some bit of content we have produced.  We get those messages nearly every day via email, private messenger, in the form of online comments. It means we are making a difference in the lives of people.  We are making the lives of those who live and work in senior living better.  

***

We appreciate Steve taking time to answer these questions, hosting the Senior Living Foresight platform for relevant and constructive industry discussions, and sharing about his passion for senior living.  

We’d love to hear from you too! Please comment on our LinkedIn post or email us to share your thoughts on any of the topics in this interview, or others you think are important for our industry to reflect upon. 

The number of online searches for senior living and senior care has increased significantly within the past decade, up to 15,500 online searches per hour as of late 2021.

Caring.com helps senior living communities get in front of online searchers through a portfolio of high-ranking senior living websites.Our expertise in digital partnerships has shown us the best practices that leading communities follow when it comes to converting online leads. 

To support your community in better competing online, here are our top four tips for converting online leads into new senior living residents:

Adapt to the “Modern Day Drive-By”

Historically, a first step for the decision-making process was to drive by the physical community. The landscaping, lobby decor, and a smiling receptionist were all factors in whether the community made a positive first impression. 

With more and more seniors and their loved ones beginning their search online, they may rule out or add a community to the top of their list before ever stepping on the property — based simply on what they found online. Are you putting the right amount of care and attention into the online experience to ensure your prospective residents and their family members have a positive first impression?

Optimize Your Online Presence

By maximizing and maintaining a positive online presence for your community, you are opening the door – physically and digitally – for potential residents. Maximize your online presence by ensuring your community appears wherever care seekers are searching. 

Caring’s portfolio of websites rank for generic searches, such as “retirement homes,” where consumers go early in their process to learn about different care options and compare providers. And, the best practices for optimizing your profile on a site like Caring.com can also be applied to optimizing your website. 

These best practices include adding professional-looking community photos and providing a detailed list of your amenities and services. While several factors go into your pricing for residents, providing estimated ranges online can help a prospective resident determine if your community is within their budget. Your website or online listing acts as a digital salesman and should entice and help qualify potential residents. 

Finally, consistency is key. Make sure the branding and information on your directory listing matches what is shown on your website, Google Business Profile, or anywhere else you are digitally advertising.

Build a Strong Sales Process

If you’re struggling to convert online leads, take a broader view of your sales process. 

First, remember they are a lead, not a guaranteed move-in. They may be early into their research journey and are likely considering multiple communities. The best way to help potential residents come to a decision is through compassion. By listening to their situation and learning about them as a person, you are able to determine how best to follow through and serve their needs. 

The biggest key is follow through. Unable to reach a new lead on the first call? Try again, and again. Approximately 80% of sales are finalized after more than five touch points! 

Get Reviews & Manage Your Online Reputation

Reviews are pivotal in today’s world, and it’s not just with younger generations. 71% of U.S. adults 55 and over read online reviews of businesses. On average they read 7 reviews before they can trust a business. 

Not only are reviews important in attracting more inquiries, they’re also very influential in driving higher lead conversion. Among many partner reviews case studies Caring has conducted: the data showed that community listings with more than 15 reviews average close to 8 times more move-ins compared to communities with little to no reviews.

The pandemic has increased online usage and the popularity of consumer reviews. At Caring, for instance, we published 60% more reviews in 2021 compared to 2020. 

In addition to hosting consumer reviews, Caring also supports communities in responding to reviews — whether negative, positive, or in-between.

When your future residents go online, don’t lose their interest to competitors in your area. Follow these best practices and others to ensure you’re found and best represented online.

***

Looking for ways to boost your community's digital curb appeal? We can help. Contact sales@caring.com or call (888) 808-0453 to learn how to enhance your listing as a new partner today.