Ever bought care for a relative or friend? If so, I would bet that one of the main things you did was ask family and friends for recommendations. No amount of marketing copy or social media content beats word-of-mouth recommendations when it comes to finding the right care for your loved ones.

Two truths

A) People buy from people. Care is a people business, so opinions of care services from people the buyer knows will always count for more than any content on any platform.

B) Word-of-mouth is the best kind of marketing - and it's free. This applies in any kind of business, but particularly in the care sector.

However, it's hard to measure and control word-of-mouth, and you are already paying for marketing online and on social media. So why seek it? Because positive word-of-mouth is so vital to driving business that it's worth the extra effort.  That means more work, but as Walfinch home care is a franchise, we support our nationwide network of franchisees to achieve this.

Getting out into the community

Thousands spent on online and social media marketing is (usually) a great investment. You absolutely have to do it. But in the care sector, if you want to stand out, you have to do more than this. You can't just market care services online, like car parts, taxi services or boxes of groceries.

People want to know who you are, who your carers are, and what it's like to deal with you. After all, they are trusting their relatives to your care. Their biggest fear is that your service will be less than caring, unreliable or even cruel.

The personal meeting says more

If potential clients - and local health service contacts - have met the care company owner, they get a feeling for what they, and the service, are like. It's the same in any sector. When you are taking on a new customer, or considering buying into a franchise, or looking for a new business partner - you want to meet them in person. The same applies if you are a care buyer, private or institutional. Meeting your potential care providers in person beats any amount of internet marketing, however good.

Leaders promoting healthy longevity

One of the jobs of a care company leader should be to get into the community and meet people. At Walfinch, our franchisees run Thrive Clubs: accessible exercise or arts and crafts sessions at local venues, led by professionals and attended by our franchisees and members of their care teams. The sessions are open to everyone, free of charge. They benefit people's physical and mental health and provide opportunities for social interaction - all of which are known to improve wellness and promote healthy longevity.

At the sessions people can also find out about home care - what it is, how to apply and who can help. Some sessions also feature speakers about relevant issues, such as applying for power of attorney, inheritance questions and pensions. We also offer information from The Royal Osteoporosis Society (for which I am a Business Ambassador) about how to check your own osteoporosis risk using its Great British Bone Check tool. 

A care company aiming to prolong healthy lives may sound contradictory - you may think we'd be profiting from encouraging ill health! But our care services improve people's lives rather than just maintain them. Walfinch's focus on activity means our local care services stand out, and attracts favourable word-of-mouth.  It benefits clients and communities and develops Walfinch franchisees' businesses.  Everyone benefits. 

To make this community engagement work you must be

  • Doing it for the good of others: If you use the sessions to hard sell your services, people will be turned off.
  • Credible: You must believe in the aim of  improving healthy longevity in your community. People will soon see if you are cynically going through the motions.
  • Committed: Willing to fund and put in the extra work it involves.

Does it work?

Getting your name known in the community, among ordinary people and the local healthcare professionals, takes a little time, but it pays off.

Ian Thompson, franchisee Managing Director at Walfinch Welwyn and Bishops Stortford, says: "We help run activities sessions alongside the Hertfordshire Care Providers Association. Around 20 people from the community come along and we can take our own care clients.

"We have had singers, arts and crafts sessions and even a safe sports day. I join in. It's fun and it and makes us better known in the community. We have got several new clients as a result."

* Walfinch is the only home care franchise in the UK to champion an active lifestyle as part of care. Agree with Walfinch's aims? Discover the Walfinch franchise at walfinchfranchising.com