According to AARP, “By 2020, 117 million Americans are expected to need assistance of some kind.”
What does that tell you about elder care facilities? They will be in need of many accounting services, from payroll to risk management and from government regulations to retirement and VA benefits. Additional services could also be provided to families that use the facility in areas like estate planning, wills, trusts, and more.
As an accounting firm, you can offer those services. But, how do you get in front of the facility managers to make your pitch? Then, what do you to do incentivize them to increase services with your firm? Here are some tips.
- Research is the most important factor. With the proper research, you can cut down on the amount of time it takes to find the type of facilities you want to target. Using tools like Hoovers and Dunn and Bradstreet research tools can help you to narrow the search by facility location, type, size, revenue, and demographics. Once you have a list, break it down into a three-tiered group. Add the most lucrative prospects to Group A, the middle prospects to Group B, and the low-hanging prospects into Group C. Group B is usually the largest group, requiring the most effort.
- Website design will also make a difference. Ensure your target market is represented on the site. If using stock imagery, be sure to include photos and videos that mirror the target you are trying to attract. Consider increasing the page’s font size for quick reading by facility staff who might have little time on their hands. Incorporate an easy-to-subscribe newsletter that highlights information facility managers and staff can use. Last, be sure to incorporate testimonials throughout the site from other facility managers using the firm’s services.
- Search Engine Optimization will be key for the website’s visibility across browser search. Keyword placement on elder care pages, landing pages, and content will help to drive searchers to your site organically. Some keyword examples would be “assisted living facility accounting,” “Quickbooks online for assisted living facilities,” “assisted living management accounting services,” “finance 101 for assisted living facilities,” “long term care accounting,” “asset management for assisted living,” “asset management for senior living facilities,” “assisted living operating expenses,” “elder care facility accounting,” and “assisted living accounting providers.” You could swap the term “assisted” with “senior” if that’s your firm’s preferred term. Keyword placement should only be made on pages focusing on that service line, content related to that industry, or landing pages focused on lead generation from that industry. Avoid sprinkling the terms on all pages of the site, or it will dilute your SEO efforts all together. Take this same approach when marketing to the facility patients’ families, such as “will and trusts,” “estate planning,” “retirement planning,” and more.
- Generate short videos that answer pain points facility managers might have, such as topics about employee benefit plan audits, financial statement audits, tax filing and compliance, and internal control best practices. At the end of the video, incorporate a call to action to set up a free, 30-minute presentation at your facility to learn how you can help solve their problem.
- Downloadable, branded content is also a great way to increase lead generation. Provide high-quality downloads, such as checklist, FAQs, and tip sheets that facility managers can use. Be sure to use a short, landing page form that requires visitors to add an email address, phone, and facility name to get the desired content. Then add those names to your monthly email list.
- Create a plan for face-to-face presentations as well. Consider a lunch-and-learn format that is either broadcast or done in person for high-profile topics that are timed for the market need. For example, hold a tax meeting prior to their budget cycle and year-end filing due dates. It might take some time to understand your client’s timing, so a CRM system might help you to trigger reminders to meet with them before their need.
- Traditional marketing, like post cards, is also a good way to keep your brand in front of people. With printing costs at a fraction of what they were just five year ago, this is a much more cost-effective option. Ponder the image you’d place on the postcard so it resonates with the recipient. Get right to the point about what you can offer and place that prominently on the card’s front or back. Create a marketing plan that distributes postcards on a monthly or quarterly basis with unique landing page URLs, so each postcard may be tracked by website analytics, which will help determine its ROI.
- Search engine marketing (SEM) is also a good way to get your name in front of assisted living directors who seek your services. You will need a budget for this, but consider when is the most opportune time to run ads. If it’s spring, put more money toward a daily campaign, than a campaign that runs in a slower season. Then, use a monthly campaign that only runs a couple days per week. Buy high-quality terms that reflect the facility manager’s needs, such as “elder care facility accounting services.” Look at your competition by doing an incognito search on your computer. You can view their ads and click to their landing page to see what they are doing. That should give you an idea of ad format, content, and landing page quality.
If you are contemplating social media platforms, here are some popular hashtags to consider #CareGiver, #SeniorCare, #CareGiving, #LongTermCare #Facility, #SeniorLiving, #AssistedLiving, #HealthCare, and #HealthCareAccounting.
Creating a local listing for your firm’s physical location is also helpful. In the description, include prominent keyword phrases potential clients would search for, such as elder care facility accounting services, financial services, bookkeeping, tax, compliance issues, and more. The local listing includes a map with the firm’s location, photos provided, a description about your company, company age, specialties, and hours of operation. Best of all, it’s free.
Now that you have several options to attract potential clients, which will make it to the top of your marketing plan?
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Tags: Accounting, Firm Management
