A primary goal of the United Kingdom’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is to help people live healthier, longer, and more independent lives.
From 2016 to 2021, DHSC spent £25.4 billion with private vendors, making it the 5th largest public sector body.
Generally, healthcare has accounted for a growing share of overall public spending, since being prioritised over other public services. In fact, it will account for 46% of the UK’s total public services spending by 2024/25 – up from 34% in 2009/10.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered the way that DHSC manages the procurement process.
Funding for nursing and social care has been inadequate, barely meeting currenting demands. It has not even begun to address other pressing issues within residential care homes and personal care services.
For businesses looking to work as suppliers within the respite care and care home sector, it pays to be strategic in your marketing efforts.
More Than Words Marketing has created the following 5 step plan to demonstrate best practice when marketing to any care provider in the UK.
1. Decide who to contact
The Care Quality Commission maintains an extensive database of nursing home, residential care home and dementia care organisations that many businesses use for marketing.
However, at More Than Words Marketing, we feel it lacks a lot of the crucial information necessary to carry out successful campaigns in the residential care sector.
By using our list of care homes into the UK, you can find information about 21,437 care homes and nursing homes, as well as personal information about each contact, giving your sales team the ability to interact in a way that caters to the specific interests and needs of the organisation.
2. Understand how residential care has changed
With the high levels of reported deaths in the care homes sector during the pandemic, the demand for residential care beds has declined as families delay placing their loved one in a home.
With fewer self-pay clients, increasing numbers of providers are struggling to stay afloat.
Simultaneously, although there has been an increasing demand for nursing care services, only those with a determined “critical” or “substantial” need have been able to receive state funded resident care.
This means that elderly people are becoming increasingly reticent to go into care homes.
In addition, modern individuals have better access to ratings and information about dozens of potential nursing homes, including CQC ratings.
Following COVID-19, as the strain on supply chains eases, procurement managers’ focus will begin to shift from tactical to strategic approaches.
To future proof their business, they are looking at budget management control opportunities from suppliers.
3. Know your worth
A deeper understanding of individual adult social care organisations can help potential suppliers to inform care home prospects about the value of their products.
Incorporating competitor comparisons into your email marketing messages has shown proven results in increasing response rates.
Today, almost all customers perform some sort of comparison research before making a purchase.
If you can offer your customers a benefit that your competitors are not, you make your job much easier when it comes to converting them and demonstrating value.
Also watching your competition can provide insight into what works in your niche and what doesn’t.
As a result, you will be able to better figure out your own approach that demonstrates the value of your products or services to customers.
Moreover, you will be able to differentiate yourself from your competitors – even when they offer the same product or service as you.
Do some competitive analysis on each of your competitors so that you will know what your advantage is and how to utilise it to appeal to residential homes in your niche.
Differentiators are powerful marketing tools that can be used in marketing materials and on your website.
4. Understand the fundamentals of care
Every care service and residential home is required to comply with the fundamental standards listed on the Care Quality Commission website.
Among them are:
1. Patient-centered care – the NHS must provide continuing healthcare tailored to the resident’s needs and preferences.
2. Properly trained and equipped staff – the staff of care homes must be capable of providing the care and treatment required.
3. Appropriate premises and equipment – clean, suitable, and well-maintained equipment must be used.
4. An obligation to be truthful – residents or family members of those residing in UK care homes should be kept informed about their care.
Try creating different kinds of content, such as blog posts, videos, webinars, e-books and whitepapers etc, to help your customers to use your product more effectively. After sales care is essential to customer retention.
5. Personalise product and service value
It is essential to demonstrate how your products and services can offer value, solve an issue, aid efficiency and enhance the care provided to residents.
More Than Words Marketing can provide an outsourced telemarketing service to clients who provide products and services to the UK care sector.
Our team can use calls to set appointments or generate leads, but we can also gather valuable intelligence such as current supply arrangements or contract renewal dates.
The more information you have, the easier it is to enhance the effectiveness of your future direct marketing and sales activity.
Work with More Than Words Marketing to access our list of care homes in the UK and additional marketing services.
Our number is 0330 010 8300, or you can email us directly at [email protected]