Care Home PR And Marketing Masterclass Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing Podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR talks with Simon Blunden, a business development consultant specialising in the care and healthcare sectors, including specialist care services, care home providers, general hospitals, and mental health services.
 
 His consultancy draws upon a long career helping major providers achieve sustainable and strategic growth. Simon's journey began in the NHS, where he trained as a manager and developed an early understanding of how clinical quality underpins operational success.
 
Simon transitioned into marketing and sales within private healthcare, leading to senior roles with leading organisations including Priory, Huntercombe, Castlebeck, and Chartwell Private Hospital., designing strategies to open new services, add bed capacity, and improve revenue and margins while maintaining high standards of care.
 
This experience shaped his focus on targeted growth within complex, specialist services.
 
In this episode he Simon shares his expertise on getting more clients for your specialist care providers including:

• Why every growth plan should start with quality of care — clinical excellence is the engine of commercial success because, "if it makes good clinical sense, then it makes good business sense." 
 
• Why business development works best when you integrate within operations, "embed yourself alongside those operational teams and you'll learn what makes those services tick."
 
• The evolution of marketing, from mailshots and meetings to digital platforms, Simon explores how the tools have changed — but the principles haven't.
 
• The power of a CRM system and using integrated platforms like HubSpot to manage databases, track campaigns, and measure impact.
 
• Strategic lead generation, targeting a small number of key decision-makers in local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and the importance of, "doing your homework before you try to approach them."
 
• Understanding public sector stakeholders and using published board papers and meeting notes to inform your approach.
 
• Avoiding 'analysis paralysis' by using data to act, not overthink.
 
 • How specialist care relies on a relatively small number of key commissioners and placement leads.
 
• Implementing database discipline to keep your contact lists updated — "it's still the most valuable sales tool you have." 
 
 • The double-phone call technique, "phone once, they won't pick up — phone again straight away and they usually do."
 
• Using the 'Nine Before Nine' and 'Five After Five' rule to, "catch key people before and after the day starts."
 
• Why face-to-face still matters through in-person meetings and impromptu drop-ins, "armed with a box of biscuits."
 
• Using strategic open days to stand out by hosting CPD sessions and events outside of busy industry weeks to attract decision-makers.

In this episode of Care Home PR and Marketing Podcast, Adam James and Samara Ullmann of Springup PR reveal how to get regional news TV coverage for care homes – to amplify awareness, boost staff morale and positively impact residents and their families.

They focus on how care homes can craft compelling stories and how securing media coverage for care homes can drive community engagement and contribute to enhancing their reputation in the local area.

Adam and Samara provide insights into the strategy behind media pitches, explaining how a strong human interest angle is key to capturing a journalist's attention.

In the episode Samara and Adam discuss:

•             The power of media exposure and how "TV coverage brings incredible benefits—not just for awareness, but for boosting staff morale and making families and residents feel proud".

•             Why care homes should target individuals aged 45+, who are more likely to consume traditional media such as the 6 pm news.

•             The "ripple effect "of TV coverage and how this can lead to immediate calls to care homes, asking about the specifics of the story, like how they improved residents' lives.

•             Why it's crucial to "hijack the news agenda," using current events to create relevant stories about care homes helping to address these issues.

•             The importance of visual storytelling for TV with stories needing a visual element to capture attention, "whether it's music therapy, dog therapy, or even a piano performance by a blind resident".

•             Why care homes should focus on human stories that highlight the benefits to the individual, their family, and the wider community.

•             Why local journalists are eager to share positive, uplifting stories from care homes that benefit both residents and the community.

•             Why the local press love stories where care homes engage with their community, "like a care home donating food from its allotment to a local food bank".

•             The importance of media training and why it's important to "ensure that the spokesperson feels comfortable and confident."

•             The pitching process, "making sure to send a clear, concise email with a full package for the journalist: the story, interview opportunities, and what they can film."

•             Why you shouldn't pitch stories when there's a regional crisis happening, "wait until journalists are less busy with breaking news," for the best chance of success.

•             The importance of building relationships with journalists by picking up the phone and speaking directly to the news desk to ensure your pitch is received well.

•             How care homes can shine in the media though "a bit of preparation and the right story," to present themselves positively in the media, benefiting both their reputation and their community.

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Mark Topps, regional business manager for reablement service Essex Cares.

Mark has a long history of working in social care, starting as a support worker, then registered manager and regional manager. He's worked for multiple private and charity organisations.

In this episode, we discuss how to cultivate productive relationships with local authorities.

As care providers, positive relationships with local authority personnel are key – they're vital for placing funded clients and sometimes about future decisions about your service.

This episode reveals some of the most effective ways to get yourselves in front of key decision-makers and commissioners, and what you should say when you're there.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to find out who your key local authority decision-makers are, both in your area and surrounding regions
• The most effective strategies to contact decision-makers – and how the Covid pandemic changed this. And with so many care providers trying to contact them, how can you stand out?
• How to make sure you stay at the forefront of decision-makers' minds, including with regular emails, and some of the best-received content to include. We discuss weekly emails and some best-performing examples.
• How to best use time with commissioners and other key decision-makers
• The importance of being transparent about what your care service can deliver for clients – and the value of being honest, including discussing any negative aspects.
• How to talk to commissioners and key decision-makers about what's included in your fees - and why it's important to talk about some of the challenges in social care, such as recruitment, budget and salaries.
• The value of the personal touch – it makes you memorable, and it will be appreciated! Keep up small talk, and follow and engage with your commissioners and key decision-makers on LinkedIn or Twitter

Get Our Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Alfie Jones of Cahoot Marketing when we discuss everything you need to know about SEO for care operators and how you can improve your Google rankings.

We discuss:

• What SEO is, and the basics of technical, on-site and off-site SEO for care operators.
• What the difference is between organic results and paid Google Ads (and why Google Ads can be a quick win)
• How to choose the best keywords for your care operator – how specific should you get?
• Why you should spend time researching keywords and what tools you can use
• How to talk to your web developers about the importance of SEO
• Tips to produce an ideal website page with the right word count and keyword usage
• How to improve your website's authority, including listing your care provider on directories and securing editorial coverage
• The amount of time you should expect to secure results

Get Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Marcus Wrinch of C4B Chat, a website live-chat service specialising in the care sector.

He reveals how live chat enables prospective families looking for care to get answers to their questions quickly, easily and discreetly – and from real people!

Live real-person chat functions also maximise your chances of securing an enquiry in the first place before that family member goes browsing other care providers' sites.

In this episode, we also discuss:

• The pros and cons of different types of chat services – including why AI or bot chat services with pre-programmed responses aren't always the right choice for care providers
• Why getting people onto your care operator website via SEO, PPC and digital and traditional marketing and PR is only half the job – you still need to get visitors to engage with you
• How a real-time chat service can be branded and made to function seamlessly with your existing website
• How a "managed" (i.e. real-person) sales chat service works, and how it can maximise sales enquiries while putting minimal pressure on busy colleagues; an external person will text and email team members to ensure someone can jump on to the chat quickly and answer specific questions
• How a chat service operates when none of your team is available, and how a prospective enquirer's details can still be captured
• How a prospective client or family member can use your website to talk directly to one of your sales, care or management team and so build that all-important rapport - and the process they'll go through
• Why it is important to book a prospective client or family in for a visit early in the enquiry process
• Why a live-chat system can be easier for a prospective client or family member than a phone call or email – it's quicker, more discreet. Plus for your as a care operator you have a written record of the live-chat enquiry.
• How to set up a managed chat service on your website

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Neil Russell, chairman of specialist neurological care provider PJ Care which employs more than 600 staff.

Neil reveals how they use innovative PR and marketing campaigns to help become "inundated" with new care and nurse staff applicants.

The episode includes:

• Why Neil decided PJ Care's PR and marketing focus should be on  on recruitment and making PJ Care attractive to new care and nursing staff
• Why this "red hot" strategy was more successful than a "scattergun" PR approach
• Why having a defined #1 target for PR is vital - and all efforts should be made to achieve that #1 target.
• How PJ Care massively increased using Facebook as a tool for recruitment - helping it secure up to 6 new staff "hits" per day via the platform alone
• Details on how PJ Care promotes itself as as an attractive employer and place to work 
• What messages PJ Care communicates to help attract new staff, particularly nurses whose skills will be upgraded once working for PJ Care
• The approach that PJ Care employs to help retain staff, included during mandatory Covid vaccinations.
• How PJ Care ensures its accolades and awards are communicated to new target recruits - and the importance of conveying the message that care is a fulfilling and rewarding career and offers benefits over working in retail or hospitality
• Why Neil considers his care staff working "on the floor" to be his most valued staff.
• How to lead a successful care operator
• How Neil personally endeavours to meet much of his staff, who between them speak 44 languages and share a heritage with 50 nationalities
• Why PJ Care's slow and steady growth with a focus on quality above quantity has been deliberate.
• Neil's view on building a leadership team, including how it's important to learn from when you get it wrong, and the value of allowing people to make mistakes to foster learning and development.
• Why Neil's single most important piece of advice is to "Listen to everyone and then make your judgement. And encourage people to challenge you"

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Facebook Ads specialist Michael Rodger of Springup PR where we discuss the case study of how one care operator received the CVs of 21 care worker applicants over a 2-month period using Facebook Ads combined with a PR strategy.

It includes:

• The most effective ways to run Facebook ads for care operators including how to test various Facebook ads. 
• How to use the "human touch" and testimonials from present employees and care workers into the Facebook ads.
• The role of lead-gen Facebook lead forms in capturing the name, email address and mobile phone number of applicants. And whether to use a dedicated landing page or not.
• How to run additional qualification questions, including CV data, on Facebook ad lead forms
• How important it is to follow up via phone to care applicants received via Facebook ads.
• How following up via phone doubled the number of CVs received.
• How 1/3 of phone calls made to interested care applicants resulted in immediate contact.
• Details of the light-touch script Michael used when phoning care applicants.
• Why follow up via phone also enables care operators to understand how effective their Facebook ads are.
• The huge benefit of having the foundation that your care operator is well-known and recognized as a good employee.
• Why building in automated email sequences, via Zapier, to the applicant and the care operator is vital, particularly to keep applicants 'warm'
• How of 66 care applicant leads received only 5 were classified as "dead-ends", and two-thirds (21) gave their CV for the care operator recruitment team to follow up with.

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This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Nimesh and Pritesh Patel of 2-home operator Prime Residential Care.

They tell their story of how they purchased their first care home without previous experience in the sector, and ended up having the "toughest times" of their lives after a combination of bereavement and occupancy drop.

But through hard work and dedication to providing a first-class care home service to families they got back on track, and went on to use a PR and marketing strategy to get more enquiries and increase occupancy for their two homes.

It includes

• How Nimesh and Pritesh come from a retail background but had family familiar with the care sector.
• How they decided to purchase their first care home, Glebe House, in June 2017, but just ahead of the planned purchase date the home dropped to "requires improvement".
• Why the bank nevertheless decided to support Nimesh and Pritesh in the purchase of Glebe House.
• How it was a "rollercoaster ride" in running Glebe House at first, but how they secured a turnaround within 6 months to become a CQC "good" home.
• How occupancy at Glebe House dropped following the requires improvement status, but nevertheless they purchased their second home, Down Hall in March, 2019, and why this ended up being "the toughest time" of their lives.
• The "phenomenal" role of PR and marketing in helping increase enquiries and occupancy at both homes. Including massive media exposure.
• The importance of steady and ongoing promotion of care homes to "put your good news out there" and how Facebook generates enquiries
• The values, including respect for elders, that Nimesh and Pritesh bring to running a care operator, and the value of pure hard work!
• What it takes to run a successful care operator
• Why their background experience of providing good customer service was vital

Get Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster

This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Wendy Westbury, Director of Sales and Marketing at Dormy Care Communities, which operates 4 homes.

In this episode we reveal: 

• What exactly call tracking is - and how does it work?
  
  
• Why care operators should embed call tracking software into their enquiry management system - and Wendy explains specifically why she did.
  
  
• What's the difference about "dynamic" and "static" call tracking
  
  
• The benefits that call tracking can bring to care homes sales teams

This episode of the Care Home PR and Marketing podcast features Anthony Rae of Montane Care, who will be revealing the essentials of selling your care operator, whether you're a single home or a group of homes.

In this episode we discuss:

• How to value and appraise your care home operator – and assess its saleability. It's (roughly) 5x your adjusted net profit.  So if your care operator secures £800,000 adjusted net profit per year, your approximately valuation = £4m.  (Note: It's adjusted net profit)

• Current state of the market

• What to plan if you are thinking of selling your operator – and the pitfalls to avoid. e.g. The role when valuing an operator of your CQC ratings, possible improvements and demographics, supply and demand, financials, staffing, capital expenditure, assets and adjusted net profit.  Transition and hand over of your operator to the new owner.

• What to think about in terms of best offers, potential buyers, and confidentiality

• How to advertise the sale of a care operator

Get Free Video On 7 Vital – And Proven – PR And Marketing Things You Must Do To Get More Enquiries And Fill Your Care Or Nursing Home Beds Faster