Marketing Your Services

Marketing Your Services

Veterans Affairs

Service Offering Playbook

Marketing Your Services



Providing home care services for veterans involves marketing to two different audiences. The first audience is the veterans themselves and/or their family members. These are the individuals who require care and are, perhaps, unaware of the resources they can take advantage of through the VA.

The other audience is the community resources and professionals who provide services for veterans in other areas of their lives or are directly linked to the VA. Marketing (and building strong relationships with them) is critical to getting consistent referrals to your agency for the veterans who require assistance.

As such, you need to be mindful about how you are targeting both types of audiences when marketing your services. In this section, we are going to discuss the online and digital marketing opportunities as well as the community marketing focus to help you optimize interest from both audiences.

Online/Digital Marketing

Our clients and their families live in a digital world and, as such, it is important that you have a strong online presence. This involves having a digital marketing plan that targets and reaches potential clients and their family members. A strong online presence will also help you reach caregivers to service your clients. The success of this digital marketing plan lies in understanding the unique needs and concerns of veterans. By providing them with relevant, valuable, and easily accessible information, you can establish your organization as a trusted source of support and care.

A strong online marketing strategy has a few key components.
1. To increase website traffic
2. To generate more qualified leads per month
3. To improve conversion rates from initial inquiry to client sign up
4. To increase your social media following for future client and caregiver acquisition
5. To engage with your followers and improve visibility.

These will be discussed in more detail in the section on tracking key metrics.

Target Audience

The target audience for your online marketing includes veterans in need of care as well as professional referral sources who routinely work with veterans that may require care in the home.

Components of an Online Marketing Strategy

1. Content Creation – Effective content for your target audience will help to drive traffic to your website and social media platforms. Optimized content will also help increase your SEO by using keywords that are frequently used by the target audience. If you are focusing on providing care for veterans, focus on creating informative and engaging content through these types of mediums:
a. Blog posts – write and publish blog posts with titles such as “Understanding your Home Care Options as a Veteran” or “5 Signs that It’s time to Consider Home Care for Veterans”. You can also write directly about the VA Home Care Process in a step-by-step guide that includes tips and insights for veterans that have to navigate the system
b. Videos – create informative videos about home care for veterans and promote them on your website and social media platforms

2. Social Media Marketing – it’s important to consistently post content on your social media platforms to increase visibility and awareness. Keep in mind that Qualicare Home Office posts more general social media content twice per week on Instagram and Facebook but you will want to get to the point where you are posting 5-6 times per week for the most effective results.
a. Utilize social media platforms to engage with veterans and their families
b. Create informative and engaging content that addresses the unique needs and challenges of veterans seeking home care assistance
c. Join relevant veteran and caregiver groups on platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn to share valuable insights and establish your agency as a trusted resource
d. Share success stories that show inspiring stories of veterans that have benefited from home care assistance (Ensure you do this with permission from the client)

3. Email Marketing – implementing an email marketing campaign to nurture leads and engage with existing clients will also have an impact on your ability to generate interest from your target audience.
a. Drip campaign - You can use your database of leads and contacts to create a drip campaign, which is an automated email sequence that provides further information about care for veterans and Qualicare’s services and gently leads a potential client toward scheduling an in-home assessment.



b. Newsletters – Sending out newsletters also aids in keeping Qualicare front of mind for potential leads. Newsletters can feature new blog posts, company updates, client stories, caregiver recognition and helpful resources specific to veteran care. (Note – it is important to keep in mind any privacy policies regarding direct content. For example, you may not be able to ONLY send information regarding services for veterans to a client but it can be part of a list of general resources)
4. Google Ads/Paid Advertisements – You can also run targeted ads aimed at veterans and their family members, focusing on a strong call to action to book an in-home assessment.
a. Digital agency - Working directly with a digital marketing agency with experience in PPC (pay per click) within the home care industry is key to your success in this area.
b. Budget – In order to see effective results from PPC, you will need to be prepared to spend at least $1000 per month.

Developing a digital and online strategy may not be something you are familiar with or have experience in doing. Work with your business coach to help develop a strong strategy and to understand the key performance metrics. Your business coach can also help to analyze the results and help make decisions on what may need to change based on the results.

Local Community Marketing

While a strong digital marketing plan is key to attracting your target audience in the online space, it is still of utmost importance that you focus intentional time and energy on the local community marketing. Many of the seniors in your target audience (and their family members) look to local professionals and resources to help them navigate the challenges of receiving financial assistance in the home care space. Building relationships with those professional services and establishing yourself as a local resource will help you win more clients at the local level.

Before understanding how to build relationships with specific professionals within the veteran community, it is important to understand where/who your target audience may interact with on a daily basis. Veterans can seek community assistance from various organizations and resources.

Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) - VSOs like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) are dedicated to providing support and advocacy for veterans. They offer a wide range of services, including assistance with VA benefits claims, financial aid, counseling, and community outreach programs.

Local VA Medical Centers and Clinics - Veterans can access a variety of healthcare services through their local VA medical centers and clinics. These facilities provide medical care, mental health services, specialty care, rehabilitation, and other healthcare resources specifically tailored to veterans' needs.

County Veterans Service Offices (CVSOs) - VSOs are government agencies at the county level that assist veterans in navigating VA benefits and services. They provide guidance and support in filing benefit claims, accessing healthcare, obtaining educational assistance, and connecting veterans with local resources.

State Departments of Veterans Affairs - Each state has a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or an equivalent agency responsible for supporting veterans. These state departments offer information and assistance related to VA benefits, employment services, education programs, healthcare options, and other veteran-specific resources within the state.

Non-profit Organizations - Numerous non-profit organizations focus on providing assistance to veterans in various areas. Examples include the Wounded Warrior Project, Operation Homefront, Hire Heroes USA, Fisher House Foundation, and Gary Sinise Foundation. These organizations offer a wide range of support services, including housing assistance, employment programs, mental health support, educational scholarships, and more.

Local Community Centers and Social Services - Community centers and social service agencies in your area may have programs specifically designed for veterans. These programs can include employment assistance, housing support, food assistance, counseling, and referral services. Contact your local community center or social services office to inquire about available resources.

Military and Veterans Resource Centers at Colleges/Universities - Many educational institutions have dedicated resource centers for military and veteran students. These centers provide guidance on educational benefits, academic support, career counseling, and social engagement opportunities.

Online Resources and Support Groups - Online platforms such as VA.gov, Military OneSource, and Vet Centers offer a wealth of information, resources, and forums for veterans to connect with fellow veterans and access support services.

By connecting with these community groups and organizations, you will be able to develop partnerships that help you to get directly in front of the veterans in need of assistance. And, if you establish yourself as a trusted authority in the industry, these organizations and groups will tell veterans to directly contact you when they are in need of home care assistance.

Professional Referral Process

As described in the previous section, there are a variety of community resources and professionals you can target to reach your ideal client and their family members. In this section, we will discuss the overall process to identify potential referral partners, prepare to market to these partners and establish strong relationships that result in referrals to your agency,

Building Professional Referral Relationships

1. Identify Key Referral Sources - Begin by identifying professionals who are most likely to refer patients for home care services. These might include general practitioners, geriatricians, neurologists, social workers, hospital discharge planners, professionals at senior living communities, or any of the options in the previous section. Create a database of these key sources with contact information of people you want to speak directly with.
2. Create Informative Materials – Collect any brochures, case studies, and one-pagers that clearly outline your services and their benefits, particularly with regard to veteran services. These materials can be distributed to potential referral sources.
3. Understand their Needs - Understand what your partners need and how you can help meet those needs. For example, they may need a reliable home care service to refer their patients to, or they may need educational resources about home care for their patients and families.
4. Communicate Your Value – When talking with potential referral partners, clearly communicate the unique value of your home care services and how they can benefit the partner's clients. Highlight specific services that meet the unique needs of their clients and the quality of care that you and your caregivers provide.
5. Establish and Grow Relationships – Having strong relationships with referral partners is not done in just one interaction. Continue to follow up with referral partners and find out how you can help them. It is meant to be a reciprocal relationship, not one built on a transaction.
6. Networking events - Networking is crucial in establishing professional referrals. Attend local medical conferences, healthcare events, and seminars to meet potential referrers. Regularly visit clinics, hospitals, and senior living communities to build relationships with the staff. Attend specific veteran events and expos where you can even set up a booth to showcase your home care services and engage with veterans directly.
7. Education Sessions - Provide educational sessions or workshops on home care options for veterans. Partner with local senior centers, retirement communities and other community organizations to host these events. Provide educational materials that explain the benefits of home care assistance for veterans and how to access VA programs.
8. Regular Communication - Keep your referral sources updated with changes or advancements in your services. Regular email updates, newsletters, or personal meetings can be effective for this purpose. You can also include them in any drip campaigns to referral partners that can highlight client stories, new service offerings, caregiver recognition, and company updates.
9. Client Success Stories - Sharing successful case studies or client stories can build confidence among potential referrers. It helps them understand the effectiveness of your service and its positive impact on the clients’ lives.
10. Provide Exceptional Service - Providing top-notch care will naturally encourage professionals to refer their clients to your services.
11. Follow-Up and Appreciation - After receiving a referral, follow up with the referrer to thank them and provide feedback on the client’s progress. This helps to build a solid and trustworthy relationship with your referrers.

Building strong relationships with professional referrals requires consistency, tenacity and patience. Over time, as you continue to meet with professional referrals and provide them with value, you will become a trusted partner and receive consistent referrals, helping you to grow your business and help many of these clients. If you are unsure of how to approach your potential referral partners, work with your business coach to develop a community marketing plan.

Pricing Your Service

There are two distinct VA benefit programs that most directly relate to homecare - VA Aid and Attendance and VA Homemaker Benefit.

VA Aid and Attendance Benefit

If a Veteran qualifies then they get this money monthly to spend on any kind of medical expense (including homecare). For example, you may be contracted with a company called “Vet Assist” that does the paperwork for the veteran and this organization pays you the hourly rate. Note - Veterans who qualify for this specific benefit are lower income, but can pay out of pocket beyond the dollar amount they get from the VA. But because they are lower income these are smaller hour clients at best.

There are three main ways for a family to secure this benefit:
1. Do it themselves - very lengthy process with a lot of paperwork
2. Hire an attorney to do it for them - can be expensive but is being handled by a professional
3. Vet Assist - This is an organization that does the paperwork for the Veteran and their payment for the initial and ongoing paperwork/compliance. This company is paid for their services by taking a portion of the monthly benefit. Vet Assist then pays the home care agency directly for the homecare but rates are on the lower end.


VA Homemaker Benefit

This is the benefit that you want to focus on getting access to for your agency. Each area in the US has its own local rate they pay to contracted agencies. The rates used to be quite average but have more recently skyrocketed in the last 3 years (since 2020) and have gone up each subsequent year. Eligibility is based on medical need (not income) so some of these people will be in a position to pay out of pocket for hours beyond what VA provides for them.

Example from the field: Steve Kidwell in San Diego has been contracted with the VA since 2020. There are 15 agencies contracted in San Diego, and all receive the same referrals each week. There are about 20-40 referrals each week (each in the range of 6-58 hours/week), and often are medical conditions that only worsen over time, and they can be given more hours. Agencies respond to which ones they can do, and then the VA social worker decides who gets what. Each veteran also has 30 respite days/year they can use which is 6 hours/respite shift. The higher rates provide higher margin clients, which also allows you to pay caregivers / advertise higher caregiver rates for those who want to work with Veterans.

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