Advertise on podcast: Care Home PR And Marketing Masterclass Podcast

In this episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing Podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR talks with Simon Blunden, a business development consultant specialising in the care and healthcare sectors, including specialist care services, care home providers, general hospitals, and mental health services.    His consultancy draws upon a long career helping major providers achieve sustainable and strategic growth. Simon's journey began in the NHS, where he trained as a manager and developed an early understanding of how clinical quality underpins operational success.   Simon transitioned into marketing and sales within private healthcare, leading to senior roles with leading organisations including Priory, Huntercombe, Castlebeck, and Chartwell Private Hospital., designing strategies to open new services, add bed capacity, and improve revenue and margins while maintaining high standards of care.   This experience shaped his focus on targeted growth within complex, specialist services.   In this episode he Simon shares his expertise on getting more clients for your specialist care providers including: • Why every growth plan should start with quality of care — clinical excellence is the engine of commercial success because, "if it makes good clinical sense, then it makes good business sense."    • Why business development works best when you integrate within operations, "embed yourself alongside those operational teams and you'll learn what makes those services tick."   • The evolution of marketing, from mailshots and meetings to digital platforms, Simon explores how the tools have changed — but the principles haven't.   • The power of a CRM system and using integrated platforms like HubSpot to manage databases, track campaigns, and measure impact.   • Strategic lead generation, targeting a small number of key decision-makers in local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and the importance of, "doing your homework before you try to approach them."   • Understanding public sector stakeholders and using published board papers and meeting notes to inform your approach.   • Avoiding 'analysis paralysis' by using data to act, not overthink.    • How specialist care relies on a relatively small number of key commissioners and placement leads.   • Implementing database discipline to keep your contact lists updated — "it's still the most valuable sales tool you have."     • The double-phone call technique, "phone once, they won't pick up — phone again straight away and they usually do."   • Using the 'Nine Before Nine' and 'Five After Five' rule to, "catch key people before and after the day starts."   • Why face-to-face still matters through in-person meetings and impromptu drop-ins, "armed with a box of biscuits."   • Using strategic open days to stand out by hosting CPD sessions and events outside of busy industry weeks to attract decision-makers.

In this episode of Care Home PR and Marketing Podcast, Adam James and Samara Ullmann of Springup PR reveal how to get regional news TV coverage for care homes – to amplify awareness, boost staff morale and positively impact residents and their families. They focus on how care homes can craft compelling stories and how securing media coverage for care homes can drive community engagement and contribute to enhancing their reputation in the local area. Adam and Samara provide insights into the strategy behind media pitches, explaining how a strong human interest angle is key to capturing a journalist's attention. In the episode Samara and Adam discuss: •             The power of media exposure and how "TV coverage brings incredible benefits—not just for awareness, but for boosting staff morale and making families and residents feel proud". •             Why care homes should target individuals aged 45+, who are more likely to consume traditional media such as the 6 pm news. •             The "ripple effect "of TV coverage and how this can lead to immediate calls to care homes, asking about the specifics of the story, like how they improved residents' lives. •             Why it's crucial to "hijack the news agenda," using current events to create relevant stories about care homes helping to address these issues. •             The importance of visual storytelling for TV with stories needing a visual element to capture attention, "whether it's music therapy, dog therapy, or even a piano performance by a blind resident". •             Why care homes should focus on human stories that highlight the benefits to the individual, their family, and the wider community. •             Why local journalists are eager to share positive, uplifting stories from care homes that benefit both residents and the community. •             Why the local press love stories where care homes engage with their community, "like a care home donating food from its allotment to a local food bank". •             The importance of media training and why it's important to "ensure that the spokesperson feels comfortable and confident." •             The pitching process, "making sure to send a clear, concise email with a full package for the journalist: the story, interview opportunities, and what they can film." •             Why you shouldn't pitch stories when there's a regional crisis happening, "wait until journalists are less busy with breaking news," for the best chance of success. •             The importance of building relationships with journalists by picking up the phone and speaking directly to the news desk to ensure your pitch is received well. •             How care homes can shine in the media though "a bit of preparation and the right story," to present themselves positively in the media, benefiting both their reputation and their community.

This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Jac Owen, founder and managing director of Connect, which handles enquiries on behalf of care homes. Jac discusses with host Adam James of Springup PR how Connect helps care homes increase their occupancy by managing enquiries effectively - emphasising the importance of handling inquiries with empathy and understanding, recognising the emotional journey of callers, and ensuring enquiries are followed up appropriately. Jac highlights the need for care providers to be accessible and responsive across various contact methods, including phone calls, emails, and live chats. She also shares her insights into training staff to handle inquiries with a personal touch, avoiding a tick-box approach, and ensuring clear communication about next steps for callers. The discussion also touches on the importance of following up, the benefits of having transparent pricing, and the various ways to measure and improve conversion rates from enquiries including: •   The importance of "understanding the emotional journey," of callers looking for care for their loved ones  •   How care providers should be accessible via phone calls, emails, live chats, and even WhatsApp.   •   Training should focus on listening skills, empathy, and avoiding a tick-box approach.   •  Follow up calls are a courtesy and show care and interest and "should be done in a way that is helpful and not intrusive".   •   Having "transparent pricing," on the website is important but should be "balanced with the opportunity to discuss the value of the services".   • Measuring success by tracking enquiries and ensuring effective follow-up.   • Care providers should "continually review and improve," their enquiry management processes with training and support for staff.   •   Calls should start with "empathetic listening," to understand the caller's needs and concerns.  •  Always provide clear next steps to the caller, ensuring they know what to expect.   • Handling enquiries with a "personal touch rather than a scripted response," makes a significant difference.  • Ensuring enquiries from multiple channels are managed efficiently and effectively.  •   Consistent engagement and follow-ups "build trust and demonstrate commitment".  •   How it's essential to discuss the "value of the services," during initial enquiries, not just the price.   •   Being adaptable to the needs of callers and "providing tailored responses," enhances the overall experience.

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing Podcast features Stephen Forster, founder of the Care Social Network.  Drawing from his background in care and recruitment, Stephen shares how to revolutionise care worker hiring for care homes. Stephen used to work as domiciliary care assistant in Huddersfield, and it was here that he advanced to HR manager subsequently helping to double the size of the company within two years before founding recruitment and retention company Care Social Network.  In the episode Stephen focuses on: "Why you can recruit all your carers via Indeed": Stephen believes care providers need only use Indeed for hiring care assistants – and he offers unique insights into optimising job adverts and budgets.  "Indeed is 100% a golden ticket. Learn how to use Indeed you can smash it! One provider I've been helping has at least 500% more applications while using the same budget as previous," says Stephen. He adds: "focusing your efforts on Indeed rather than spreading them thin across various channels," is key. Why "it's now a candidates' market – so you must strip back your entire recruitment processes to make it work"  Stephen addresses how overuse of agency staff can lead to permanent staff being unhappy, which ultimately negatively impacts care. Why "time-to-hire: is vital:  "Often if someone applies for a care job on Indeed the care home will reply three days later, and it's often a boring ad. And yet they expect candidates to get back to them!?" says Stephen. "The truth is you must treat applicants with unbelievable respect, like gold dust - and get on the phone to them straight away" "I use a VET (voicemail, email, text) system, and I do this twice per day, per applicant.  "Remember, candidates may be applying for 4 or 5 care jobs in one go on Indeed. So you have to be fast "And you must sell the company ethos to candidates, and why your provider is the best place to work." Stephen gives the example of one Lancashire provider with three homes which cut agency usage from 60% to 5% saving over £10,000 a month in agency fees. Why face-to-face interviews are, in the present recruitment climate, more about "candidates interviewing the care provider."  Why lengthy screenings of applicants via the phone need to be reduced - and face to face interviews should be around one hour. Why offering jobs on the spot should not be considered as "being desperate".  Rather it's about doing "whatever it takes," to get the right person to work for you. No-shows: "Providers complain that potential applicants are not good enough and do not show up – but when I dig deeper it's because processes are not good enough from the start," says Stephen. Hiring registered managers: Stephen recommends "using Indeed and its CV search features to proactively reach out to potential candidates, potentially saving on recruitment fees…..You can hire a new manager for £250 – and that can be done by every care company…"

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Saskia Binns, a communications, brand and marketing consultant who serves on Championing Social Care's organising committee. Saskia shares how, when starting a new care home or care provider, "it's important to understand your brand positioning, demographics, competitors, and determine your niche". Saskia also examines the importance of competitor analysis, defining your values and vision, adopting your own tone and matching images with words. Drawing on her years of experience as former head of communications at Majestic Care and building the Championing Social Care brand, Saskia shares secrets to building a brand with unique insights including: •   How understanding your brand positioning is crucial, "it's about recognising the unique essence of each care home and telling their story in a way that resonates with their community." •   Analysing market demographics, competitors, and identifying a unique market niche by conducting thorough competitor analysis to gain insights, possibly through industry forums or conventions. •   The critical considerations when building your brand and how "it's not just about what you offer; it's about how you offer it". •   The importance of strong values and vision aligned to staff and how emotional connection and values are key in care. •   Ensuring your website content connects emotionally through tone of voice and matches brand values and how "images and words must align". •   The importance of brand USP and how "your people and team will be your unique selling point." so promoting them well on social media sells the care. •   How brand colours have psychological impact, what colours associate with care and what colours to avoid in your branding. •   Why logos should reflect your company ethos, avoid overly simplistic designs and resonate with the consultancy's mission rather than focusing solely on initials or acronyms. •   Utilising Facebook is key for care marketing and ensuring a consistent brand and calls to action. •   Utilising platforms like Linkedin to build professional networks and aligning company branding across platforms. •   How "a care home's website should be more than information; it should take visitors on an emotional journey, giving them a feel for life within the home." •   How Championing Social Care started from small conversations in lockdown about care workers and has grown to huge national events led by volunteers passionate about care.

This episode of the Care Home PR and Marketing Podcast discusses how care homes can become the preferred choice in their catchment areas through effective community engagement with Carl Roberts and David Martins. Carl is the Associate Sales and Marketing Director of Boutique Care Homes, a care provider with a focus on quality and innovation.   With five years of experience in the care industry, Carl believes in being a social care influencer, building networks within your team and the local community, identifying needs, and tailoring events and initiatives to local needs. David Martins is the Head of Sales at Westgate Healthcare, an experienced professional with around eight years of experience in the care sector.  He emphasises the importance of community engagement in becoming a care home of choice.  David's strategy involves understanding and meeting the community's needs by collaborating with various local groups, offering events and building strong relationships based on shared values and goals.  The pair offer practical strategies for engagement, including becoming community hubs by offering valuable services and initiatives that address local needs, such as setting up a cinema club for young carers, and how each team member has a network that can be leveraged to build contacts and relationships.   Both Carl and David stress the importance of taking action and recommend planning events well in advance, focusing on unique and engaging ideas that benefit the community, and approaching engagement with a genuine desire to help and collaborate, including: •     Insights on how care homes can become integral parts of their communities by identifying community needs and offering valuable services. •     Tapping into the networks of care home staff members to build contacts and connections within the local community. •     David discusses the value of planning events and initiatives that are unique, engaging, and serve the community's interests. •     Both guests stress the importance of taking action and not being afraid of rejection, as the community generally responds positively to care homes' efforts to engage and contribute. •     Emphasising the importance of becoming a social care advocate and engaging with local communities. •     Dementia care providers should aim to connect with people who may not be familiar with their services, even through insurance channels. •     How local care providers play a crucial role in offering information and support to the community. •     Changing the outdated perception of care by building trust and helping people on their care journey. •     Tailoring engagement to community needs, as demonstrated by a care home adjusting its outreach for builders. •     Sharing examples of successful community engagement events, like coffee mornings and support groups. •     The significance of relationship building in sales, connecting on a personal level to guide emotional journeys. •     Getting sales basics right, promptly addressing enquiries, sending brochures, and following up with personalised calls. •     Leveraging the power of simple tools like text messages for communication and follow-up. •     The need to focus on genuine care before the formal care process begins, showing empathy and support. •     The impact of promptly addressing enquiries and avoiding unnecessary barriers in the process. •     Listening to and analysing calls for effective customer service improvement. •     Utilising live chat and text messages for engagement and follow-up, adapting to busy schedules and preferences. •     The intimate nature of phone communication, the importance of tone, and the need for effective follow-up to advance sales.

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing Podcast podcast features Sam Lewis, editor of Care Home Professional. With a number of years experience in trade publications, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge on pitching stories and gaining recognition as an expert in the care sector. Having worked in various sectors, Sam has now found a home in the care sector and is passionate about sharing stories that raise the profile of care providers and highlight their achievements and unique perspective on the industry. In this episode, Sam unveils the secrets behind getting yourself or your care provider featured in the care sector press, particularly Care Home Professional. This includes: •         The secrets on how to pitch stories to the magazine and gain recognition as an expert care provider. •         How pitching to the press is a way to elevate your care provider's profile and reputation both regionally and nationally. •         The different types of stories that Care Home Professional covers including news, interviews, guest columns, financial results, research, and partnerships, and how you can tailor your story to maximise the chance of being featured. •         The best way for providers to proactively send their stories and content to the magazine and why. •         Sharing stories about new CEOs, acquisitions, new care home construction, financial initiatives, and initiatives related to wages and why these work. •         Why business focused stories are more suitable for the publication than those centred on the residents. •         The value of quotes and perspectives from care providers on current sector topics, as these adds depth and credibility to yourself and the publication's coverage. •         The benefits of hearing directly from your provider with a unique and valuable perspective rather than relying solely on well known industry spokespeople. •         Why you should aim to provide interesting and unique stories that the audience of Care Home Professional would want to read to increase your chances of being featured. •         How the frequency of coverage for a particular care provider will depend on the relevance and quality of their submitted stories. •         How and when to follow up on your story if you haven't received a response and whether this can affect your chances of coverage.

This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Jason Hancock, founder of Hancock and Rowe which specialises in website user experinces. In the episode Jason discusses how he helped the Good Oaks Home Care franchise after it approached him asking for a  "visual uplift" to its website and a better digital experience for families looking to find home care, and to ultimately secure better enquiry-to-customer conversion rates. In the episode Jason reveals: The importance of initial research, and how he interviewed 6 Good Oaks Home Care clients, and 6 franchise owners ahead of planning the new s The role of "site map" and "map journeys" in creating good website navigation, and using both long-form and short-form surveys during research. How he created 3 key personas for Good Oaks Home Care, including one for high-net worth families looking care and another for job-seekers The importance of testing to ensure best possible experiences for website visitors and ultimately improving enquiry rates. The process for developing and optimising a website after it's been designed and ensuring key information and calls to action are easily accessible and visible to users to help drive more enquiries

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Fiona Hales, managing director of CoolCare, an administration software provider covering "everything a care home needs to run efficiently and with profit" Fiona sets the vision for CoolCare and guides development while leading the team to create the best experience for customers. In the episode Fiona outlines the best strategies for dealing with enquiries when they arrive with your care provider, and how to ensure the best experience for prospective families and residents including: How prospective customers are more discerning and viewing more homes to find the right place for their loved ones. And why families may now have a list of 10 care homes to choose from rather than 3 The importance of having an impressive online presence through websites, and social media articles in the local media to be under consideration. "Families are now interrogating what might be the best care home for their loved one," says Fiona. How providing the best possible experience for prospective residents and their family is key in a competitive market. How the level of care and attention afforded to residents should be shown from the moment the enquiry comes in. How good record keeping is vital to the process for care providers and central digitalised records can streamline the process. The importance of good internal communication across your team to ensure the enquiry process runs smoothly. How having a standardised procedure for dealing with enquiries for all staff is key to keep prospective families informed and happy throughout the process. The impact of an inefficient process on vacancy levels in your care home and how changes to this process can increase occupancy. How a friendly, professional and personable attitude from staff is key to making prospective residents feel like "your home could be their home".

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Paul Robinson, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Doctify, a real-time digital feedback system for health and social care providers. Doctify allows social care providers to collect high volumes of reviews and testimonials on a consistent basis – giving you greater insight into how people view the care you provide, and allowing potential families to have that extra level of trust in you as a care operator. In this episode, we talk about how testimonials and reviews can be utilised to promote your care home operator,how operators can get more positive reviews, and what you can do with them once you've collected them. We discuss: Why reviews and testimonials of care operators are a key part of the decision-making process for families looking for a care provider. Reviews can make or break a decision to make a first enquiry. The importance of having a large volume of reviews to build trust. We discuss the why it's important to have recent reviews, rather than just older ones Where reviews and testimonials can be left – will you encourage reviews on your website, Google reviews, Facebook, carehome.co.uk or other places? Your team can work with families to create reviews personally, such as video testimonials. How sites such as carehome.co.uk use reviews to promote you as a provider – both the rating and volume of reviews How care operators can encourage people to leave reviews or testimonials How the Doctify system works on a realtime basis, using QR codes and allowing customers to leave reviews quickly and easily – and then it's up to you how you use the reviews What you can do with reviews once you've received them – will you share them on your website, social media, news releases or elsewhere? That collecting positive reviews can help change the wider perception of social care, and raise your staff morale – reviews are a fantastic data collection tool for your team. What to do with negative reviews – if a negative review is posted publicly, what should you do, and when should you have it removed? Get Our Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Mark Topps, regional business manager for reablement service Essex Cares. Mark has a long history of working in social care, starting as a support worker, then registered manager and regional manager. He's worked for multiple private and charity organisations. In this episode, we discuss how to cultivate productive relationships with local authorities. As care providers, positive relationships with local authority personnel are key – they're vital for placing funded clients and sometimes about future decisions about your service. This episode reveals some of the most effective ways to get yourselves in front of key decision-makers and commissioners, and what you should say when you're there. In this episode, we discuss: How to find out who your key local authority decision-makers are, both in your area and surrounding regions The most effective strategies to contact decision-makers – and how the Covid pandemic changed this. And with so many care providers trying to contact them, how can you stand out? How to make sure you stay at the forefront of decision-makers' minds, including with regular emails, and some of the best-received content to include. We discuss weekly emails and some best-performing examples. How to best use time with commissioners and other key decision-makers The importance of being transparent about what your care service can deliver for clients – and the value of being honest, including discussing any negative aspects. How to talk to commissioners and key decision-makers about what's included in your fees - and why it's important to talk about some of the challenges in social care, such as recruitment, budget and salaries. The value of the personal touch – it makes you memorable, and it will be appreciated! Keep up small talk, and follow and engage with your commissioners and key decision-makers on LinkedIn or Twitter Get Our Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Alfie Jones of Cahoot Marketing when we discuss everything you need to know about SEO for care operators and how you can improve your Google rankings. We discuss: What SEO is, and the basics of technical, on-site and off-site SEO for care operators. What the difference is between organic results and paid Google Ads (and why Google Ads can be a quick win) How to choose the best keywords for your care operator – how specific should you get? Why you should spend time researching keywords and what tools you can use How to talk to your web developers about the importance of SEO Tips to produce an ideal website page with the right word count and keyword usage How to improve your website's authority, including listing your care provider on directories and securing editorial coverage The amount of time you should expect to secure results Get Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Marcus Wrinch of C4B Chat, a website live-chat service specialising in the care sector. He reveals how live chat enables prospective families looking for care to get answers to their questions quickly, easily and discreetly – and from real people! Live real-person chat functions also maximise your chances of securing an enquiry in the first place before that family member goes browsing other care providers' sites. In this episode, we also discuss: The pros and cons of different types of chat services – including why AI or bot chat services with pre-programmed responses aren't always the right choice for care providers Why getting people onto your care operator website via SEO, PPC and digital and traditional marketing and PR is only half the job – you still need to get visitors to engage with you How a real-time chat service can be branded and made to function seamlessly with your existing website How a "managed" (i.e. real-person) sales chat service works, and how it can maximise sales enquiries while putting minimal pressure on busy colleagues; an external person will text and email team members to ensure someone can jump on to the chat quickly and answer specific questions How a chat service operates when none of your team is available, and how a prospective enquirer's details can still be captured How a prospective client or family member can use your website to talk directly to one of your sales, care or management team and so build that all-important rapport - and the process they'll go through Why it is important to book a prospective client or family in for a visit early in the enquiry process Why a live-chat system can be easier for a prospective client or family member than a phone call or email – it's quicker, more discreet. Plus for your as a care operator you have a written record of the live-chat enquiry. How to set up a managed chat service on your website

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Neil Russell, chairman of specialist neurological care provider PJ Care which employs more than 600 staff. Neil reveals how they use innovative PR and marketing campaigns to help become "inundated" with new care and nurse staff applicants. The episode includes: Why Neil decided PJ Care's PR and marketing focus should be on  on recruitment and making PJ Care attractive to new care and nursing staff Why this "red hot" strategy was more successful than a "scattergun" PR approach Why having a defined #1 target for PR is vital - and all efforts should be made to achieve that #1 target. How PJ Care massively increased using Facebook as a tool for recruitment - helping it secure up to 6 new staff "hits" per day via the platform alone Details on how PJ Care promotes itself as as an attractive employer and place to work  What messages PJ Care communicates to help attract new staff, particularly nurses whose skills will be upgraded once working for PJ Care The approach that PJ Care employs to help retain staff, included during mandatory Covid vaccinations. How PJ Care ensures its accolades and awards are communicated to new target recruits - and the importance of conveying the message that care is a fulfilling and rewarding career and offers benefits over working in retail or hospitality Why Neil considers his care staff working "on the floor" to be his most valued staff. How to lead a successful care operator How Neil personally endeavours to meet much of his staff, who between them speak 44 languages and share a heritage with 50 nationalities Why PJ Care's slow and steady growth with a focus on quality above quantity has been deliberate. Neil's view on building a leadership team, including how it's important to learn from when you get it wrong, and the value of allowing people to make mistakes to foster learning and development. Why Neil's single most important piece of advice is to "Listen to everyone and then make your judgement. And encourage people to challenge you"

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Facebook Ads specialist Michael Rodger of Springup PR where we discuss the case study of how one care operator received the CVs of 21 care worker applicants over a 2-month period using Facebook Ads combined with a PR strategy. It includes: The most effective ways to run Facebook ads for care operators including how to test various Facebook ads.  How to use the "human touch" and testimonials from present employees and care workers into the Facebook ads. The role of lead-gen Facebook lead forms in capturing the name, email address and mobile phone number of applicants. And whether to use a dedicated landing page or not. How to run additional qualification questions, including CV data, on Facebook ad lead forms How important it is to follow up via phone to care applicants received via Facebook ads. How following up via phone doubled the number of CVs received. How 1/3 of phone calls made to interested care applicants resulted in immediate contact. Details of the light-touch script Michael used when phoning care applicants. Why follow up via phone also enables care operators to understand how effective their Facebook ads are. The huge benefit of having the foundation that your care operator is well-known and recognized as a good employee. Why building in automated email sequences, via Zapier, to the applicant and the care operator is vital, particularly to keep applicants 'warm' How of 66 care applicant leads received only 5 were classified as "dead-ends", and two-thirds (21) gave their CV for the care operator recruitment team to follow up with. Get Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster