.png)
There are many ways that adult day care directors and staff can increase their exposure and market their care community. Seeing participant numbers go up and experiencing a growing revenue stream requires more than the finest facilities and diverse activity programs. High quality, original content for your marketing and outreach initiatives are paramount. Fortunately, technology makes it simple to supercharge your marketing efforts.
Here are some tips on how to collect and curate engaging content for your adult day care service. In turn, this will help you increase your participation rate and convert interested parties.
Document a service user’s journey to use for a case study
Can you think of a participant who was depressed when they first started attending, but has flourished in your day center? What about someone who overcame a challenge with the help and support of your staff?
Chances are you can probably think of multiple! Document these journeys and successes in a support plan and you've collected material ripe for a great case study. If permission from the participant and/or their carer is granted, you can publish the case studies on your website or share them with prospective service users.
Have a system for storing photos and videos
Photos and videos are excellent forms of social content for digital marketing. Events, outings and activities are happening all the time in your adult day care. You don’t want valuable media content going to waste sitting in someone’s camera roll. Furthermore, you want to ensure that whoever is posting to social media channels, typing up newsletters and communicating with families knows where they can find photos and videos from day-to-day operations. Make sure staff are sending or saving pictures and videos to a designated place (a care management system, shared Google Drive folder, email address, etc). This way, you’ll already have a wealth of clips and photos to use in your content the next time a marketing campaign rolls around. Additionally, these make great content for newsletters or emails. Of course, always make sure you obtain permission from the service user and/or their loved ones before using their photos for marketing materials.
Use Digital Signage
Digital signage is a programmed display of menu options you could have on a computer or television for all to see. Providers may display any combination of activity schedules, dining menus, photo slideshows, etc. Having digital signage in your lobby or community room is a wonderful way to inform participants about what is on that day or any upcoming events. When using a slideshow of photos, it is also a way to show visitors how happy and engaged your participants are.
Use space for hosting
If you aren’t open on the weekends, consider renting out your space to be used by participant families for baby showers, birthday parties, holiday gatherings, etc. Additionally, if you have the extra space, why not use it to host things like family counseling, church services, public health events, or caregiver support group meetings? It gets more people in your doors, making both the general public and members of the healthcare community aware of your center.
Post your Activity Calendar
Print off your activity schedule and post it on local bulletin boards. Places like cafes/restaurants, libraries, laundromats, churches, grocery stores, gyms, seniors centers, and beauty salons are likely to have a designated space to advertise. Some national chains that do this include Whole Foods, Panera, Starbucks, and Jimmy Johns.
Partner with organizations
National organizations like AARP, Alzheimer’s Association, the American Heart Foundation, Veteran’s Administration, etc. typically have regional or state-level branches. Finding ways to partner with them so that they can educate others about your services can be a rewarding opportunity.
Nurture the connection with your service users' families
Word of mouth referrals tend to lead to the highest conversions. People generally trust what their friends and family members approve of and seek their advice when searching for something new. Brainstorm ways you can easily build trust and rapport with your participants' family carers. There are family care apps that let you easily share photos, schedules, and message with service users and their families. Offer your space to be used for hosting their family get togethers and events. Host support groups and special family events from time to time. There are so many ways to go about doing this, but the important thing to communicate regularly and meaningfully.
Create a Slidedeck for your day center
Create a promotional slide deck of your adult day care community. Use participant and staff stories and testimonials. This can be printed off and made into a scrapbook that can be shown to caregivers during a tour. Or it could be emailed to any potential referral source.
Connect with partner providers and referral sources online
Of course, you should visit doctors and social workers that have sent referrals in the past, ensuring they have information on your program to distribute to their clients. However, consider requesting them to ‘like’ your Facebook page and inviting them to a provider luncheon or holiday event. Add them on LinkedIn and Twitter and engage with their posts. This gives them more chances to see your content, stay connected and keep you top of mind.
Demonstrate value
In everything you communicate and create, be sure to highlight what sets your program apart and what needs you meet/problems you solve. If you don’t have a digital care management system, consider investing in this type of software for your adult day care. Not only does it help organize day-to-day operations and record care, but it enables you to gather valuable data. Being able to show reports that demonstrate efficiency and quality of care with statistics is highly valuable when it comes to getting partner organizations, referral sources and local legislators behind you!
.webp)
.png)
