Welcome

...to Stephen Tweed's Leading Home Care Report. This special report is for CEOs and senior executives of America's leading home care companies. This report is published every other Wednesday by Leading Home Care ... a Tweed Jeffries company for our clients, friends, and advocates who want to grow their home care businesses.

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I'm sorry. I can't remember who said it. It was some really well known, smart, marketing or public relations person... maybe Yogi Berra. But I think it's true. The only thing worse for growing your business than bad publicity is no publicity at all.

Our Home Care Marketing Study showed that the number three most effective tool for marketing your home care business is public relations; getting your name and the name of your company in the news media (the first two are "Networking" and "Direct Sales").

If you've heard me speak on home care marketing, you probably already know that in getting publicity in the print media there are three types of stories you can use.

1. A story or article written by you.
2. A story or article written about you.
3. A story or article written about another topic and quoting you as an expert.

Several weeks ago I received a very nice e-mail from Andrea Cohen, CEO of House Works in Newton, Mass. Andrea was a participant in a training program I had conducted on starting a Private Duty Home Care company. She took to heart my discussion about public relations, and when she got her company started she took action.

In her note to me, Andrea described the success she's been having in getting articles that she has written published. She sent a copy of one that appeared in the Boston Business Journal.

You can download a PDF of the article to see more clearly how she made this work for her. As I read through the article, I noted several learning points that can help you use Public Relations more effectively to grow your business.

Andrea Cohen's article from Boston Business Journal

1. Capture Attention with the Headline.

In her article, Andrea started with this headline:

How Can Entrepreneurs Find Time to Care for Parents?

There are two things about this headline that can capture attention. First, writing about entrepreneurs in a business journal will catch attention. Second, using a question captures attention.

2. Grab 'em with The First Sentence.

Next, she grabbed 'em again with the opening sentence. "What happens when an entrepreneur - the consummate strategist and problem solver - must care for a parent?"

Again, using a question and complementing entrepreneurs.

3. Write to Someone Specific.

In Andrea's case, she's writing to a very specific reader; the entrepreneur. As I read the article, it seems to me that she has a specific person in mind to whom she is writing.

You can do that too. Get a clear picture of the person to whom you are writing. That's what I do with every issue of Leading Home Care Report. I think of one or two specific home care CEOs who might be interested in this article. Then I write specifically for that person.

4. Tell a Story.

Your readers may not remember the specific points in your article, but they'll remember the stories you tell. In Andrea's article, she starts the second paragraph with a story:

"And then one day, the phone rings. It is the moment that most adults fear - hearing that your aging parents need help."

We can all identify with that story, can't we? My mom is 81 years old and still lives alone. She's active and healthy, but one day that call will come.

5. Describe what to do.

In your article, give your readers specific instructions on what to do to follow your advice.

"The first step is to put together a care team. Finding a Geriatric Care Manager is critical, especially if you live at a distance from your parent."

Not only is this good advice, but it leads right into the services provided by Andrea's business. This is how you advertise your business without making it sound like an advertisement.

6. Include Your By-Line.

Since this article is by you, you want to make sure you get a "by-line" at the top of the article, and a short one sentence bio at the bottom. Make sure your bio includes how to get in touch with you... your phone number or e-mail AND your website address.

7. Send a Picture.

Your article will look better and get better response if it is accompanied by a picture. Go get a very nice head and shoulders shot of yourself taken. Spend a few bucks and hire a professional photographer.

Not only will your photo draw readers to the article, but it will help them remember you.

To see these points in action, download a copy of Andrea's Article. See how these seven points helped make her article a valuable PR tool to grow her business.

Another article by Andrea Cohen featured in Caring Magazine

I was privileged to speak for the first conference, called Private Duty Boot Camp back in 1997. This program has come a long way since then, as it has grown in size and content.

This year's conference runs from Monday, November 13th through Wednesday, November 15th. I'll kick off the last morning of the conference with a program called, "Building Your Private Duty Referrals Dashboard: An Electronic Tool to Gauge Your Success."

In this program, I'll be describing in detail our Private Duty Scorecard and the success we have had with our Private Duty Planning and Coaching clients in measuring the success of their businesses. I'll show you step by step how to set up your Private Duty Scorecard, and how to measure the Critical Measures of Success in Private Duty Home Care. We'll also be sharing some new benchmarking data that we're collecting through our collaboration with Outcome Concept Systems.

There are some other wonderful presentations on the schedule that you'll want to be there for:

• "Build Your PD Business the Right Way" - with Lucy Andrews
• "HR Pitfalls" - with John Gilliland
• "State Law Roundup" - with Tim Purcey
• "Non-solicitation and Non-compete Clauses" - with Liz Zink-Pearson
• "Magical Customer Care" - with Al Jensen
• "The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Home Care Managers" - with Dexter Braff

Don't delay! Make your hotel and plane reservations today for a terrific time in Las Vegas, and come back with some valuable tools and techniques to grow your Private Duty Home Care Business.

Register NOW for the 9th Annual Private Duty National Conference

These are the questions we hear all the time from new AND experienced sales people in home care. Now, we have the answers for you.

I've teamed up with Michael Giudicissi, former Vice President of Business Development for a major home care company, to bring you the latest ideas and information on how to make more effective sales calls in home care. Based on a new book by the same title, Making the Approach: Advanced Sales Training for Home Care Professionals is a three-part audio learning program for your entire sales team.

Session #1 – The First Call – Thursday, October 12, 2006

The first program in the series will focus on what you need to do before you make the first sales call, and how you can turn that first call into more business and more follow up calls. Michael and I will dissect the first 15 seconds of a sales call and give you all you need to know about pre-call planning. Then we will help you design and plan that first call on a new “A” prospect.

You’ll learn about pre-call planning, what to bring – and what not to bring – on your initial sales call, and how to craft your “30 Second Elevator Speech.” Then you’ll get the scoop on how to “set up for the follow up,” and how to close the first call and leave them wanting more.

Session #2 – The Second Call – Thursday, November 9, 2006

Now that you’ve made that first call, what are you going to say or do to get back in the door? In this session, Michael and I will guide you through planning and making the next call. You’ll get great ideas to answer the question, “Why are you calling again?”

You’ll get powerful information on how to build trust, position your company, and handle issues or objections. Then, you’ll hear powerful tips on asking for the sale.

For many new sales reps, making that follow up call is the biggest challenge in home care sales. This teleseminar will give you what you need to know to overcome that hurdle and make the approach you need to get the business.

Session #3 – The Third Call and Beyond – December 14, 2006

In this session, you’ll get ideas and insights on how to feed your referral sources and prospect information . . . NOT with donuts! Too many sales reps in home care fall into the pharmaceutical trap of only being able to get in the door by bringing lunch. Krispy Kremes^® are not the key to a doctor’s heart. There are better ways to get your message across and build customer loyalty.

In this session, Michael and Stephen will give you the tools to build “The Respect Factor – the unbreakable relationship,” and describe how to aim for customer delight. You’ll find out how to make your customers your sales force, and how to “Lock Up Your Territory.”

To participate in this advanced sales training teleseminar series, contact your state home care association, or register directly online at www.leadinghomecare.com.

Register today ... through your state association ... or online at Leading Home Care!

Stephen is a past-President of the National Speakers Association, a 3500 member international society of experts who speak professionally. He is also the father of a 37 year-old son who is physically disabled and uses the services of home care on a daily basis.

Meet the entire Leading Home Care Team