Think of how different senior-care businesses and health-care businesses were one year ago. More importantly, how will these businesses change in the next year? And how will they effectively gain awareness and gain new customers in a crowded field?
Evolution
One year ago, we were just two weeks into a pandemic that many of us thought would be a one-month inconvenience – or perhaps two months tops! But by summer everything would surely be “normal” again. The playing field was even, regardless of industry or geography.
As the year progressed, franchise businesses started seeing winners (restaurants with drive-throughs and delivery, plus business-friendly states like Florida and Texas) and losers (brick-and-mortar retail, plus states with poor leadership, like California, Illinois, and New York).
We wondered where healthcare franchises would fit into this new world order. Some, like American Family Care, responded boldly with a pivot to telemedicine and a strategy to include COVID-19 testing, followed by vaccinations in late 2020 and early 2021. Some senior care franchises stepped up as well and positioned their in-home care services as an attractive alternative to elder care facilities where your loved one may be more likely to be exposed to the virus.
All franchisees who grew did so with effective local marketing.
The Next Big Change: Marketing
Local marketing, especially on the most consumer-friendly channels like Facebook and Instagram, can make the biggest impact and take your senior-care or health-care business to the next level of growth. As consumers, we all have developed new habits during the pandemic that will not be lost anytime soon. For consumers to change – or change again – they will need a compelling reason to pay attention to your brand, your method, or your local solution.
But what should you share? In order for your brand to be ready to win those consumers, you must share that your business is strong, helpful, and/or human.
Strong: Show that you are still open. You survived the pandemic. You’re not going away. Stating your current hours and services and reinforcing your location and contact information can make a difference in a sea of closed or uncertain local businesses.
Helpful: Share are some weekly tips on a topic for which you are a leader. This is not just sharing information about a service you are selling, but actual help for consumers searching for solutions.
Human: More than ever, consumers wish to make a connection with the people behind the brands and businesses. Show your team behind the scenes doing what they do best. Share images and videos of your team working hard to keep customers safe and healthy.
– Jack Monson
Jack Monson is the host of the Social Geek Radio Network, home of the number one podcasts in Franchising including The Franchise News Podcast and The Facebook Franchise Podcast. Monson is also the Chief Revenue Officer at Social Joey and has been working with franchisees and small businesses in social media marketing for 13 years. For more information, visit socialgeekradio.com, or email jack@socialgeekradio.com.