If you’ve been in home care long enough, you’ve probably noticed something over the last 6 to 12 months: 

Things might feel… tighter.  Families are more cautious with money. 
Competition has increased. Referral sources have more options. 
Gas prices, wages, and operating costs have climbed. 
….And between inflation, economic uncertainty, and global instability, many families are making different decisions around care. 

Some are cutting hours.  Some are delaying services.  Others are trying to “piece together” care with family members longer than they used to. 

And while demand for aging services is still strong overall, the reality is this: 

The market has shifted. 

….Which means the old approach to growth is becoming less reliable. 

For years, many agencies could survive simply by: 

• Having a decent reputation 

• Building a few referral relationships 

• Letting organic and/or online leads help them slowly grow 

…But today?….That’s not enough. 

The agencies continuing to grow right now are becoming much more intentional about: 

• Revenue growth 

• Referral development 

• Sales systems 

• Their pitch 

• Strategic partnerships 

• Accountability 

….Because in this market, growth doesn’t happen by accident anymore. 

And perhaps nowhere is this more obvious than in the performance of home care sales teams. 

The “Sales Rep Problem” Most Owners Actually Have 

A lot of owners believe they have a sales rep problem. 

But many times?….They actually have: 

• a hiring problem 

• a systems problem 

• a management problem 

• or a strategy problem 

I’ve seen agencies go through multiple sales hires thinking: 
“We just haven’t found the right person yet.” 

….Meanwhile, the real issue was: 

• unclear expectations 

• weak onboarding 

• poor territory strategy 

• inconsistent messaging 

• no KPI’s 

• no accountability process 

….Even talented sales reps struggle in that environment. 

And unfortunately, underperformance gets expensive fast. 

A sales rep making $70k–$100k base+ fully loaded who underperforms by just a few clients per month can quietly cost an agency hundreds of thousands in missed revenue over time. 

That’s why getting sales hiring and management right matters now more than ever. 

So let’s talk about three of the biggest keys to hiring sales reps that actually produce. 

1. Hire for the Right Traits and personality profile. Not Just Industry Experience 

One of the biggest mistakes agencies make is overvaluing “home care experience” or so called “connections” 

Now don’t get me wrong. Industry knowledge helps.  

And…so do “connections” if they actually produce.   

But I’ve seen experienced reps fail…..And inexperienced reps absolutely crush it. 

Why? 

Because success in home care sales is usually less about experience…And more about traits and qualities. 

The best sales reps tend to have: 

• High follow-through 

• Emotional intelligence 

• Resilience 

• Strong communication skills 

• Coachability 

• Consistency and persistency 

• Resilience 

• Internal drive 

They know how to: 

• build trust 

• ask questions 

• uncover problems 

• follow up consistently 

• and stay emotionally steady when referrals fluctuate 

And perhaps most importantly… 

While every sales rep still needs oversight …they won’t need constant chasing from management. 

A mediocre rep with 10 years of experience is still a mediocre rep. 

Meanwhile, the right personality with the right system can often outperform a more experienced person quickly. 

That’s why hiring should never be based solely on: 
“Do they know home care? Or have connections” 

The better question is: 
“Do they have the traits needed to succeed in relationship-based sales and do they have a track record of success?” 

Someone who has been successful at their last four sales jobs…..you will likely be their 5^th! 

2. Build a Real Sales System . Not Just “Sales Activity” 

This is where most agencies struggle. 

They hire someone…Give them a territory… 
Maybe hand them brochures…Give them some basic guidelines…And then just hope they figure it out. 

That’s not a sales system….That’s expensive guessing. 

High-performing sales teams operate very differently. 

They have: 

• Clear expectations 

• Defined KPI’s 

• Structured follow-up 

• Territory strategy 

• Consistent messaging 

• Coaching 

• A real sales process 

The rep knows: 

• Which accounts matter most 

• What questions to ask in their prequalifying process to uncover needs 

• What conversations actually move relationships forward 

• How to position the agency differently 

• How often to follow up 

• How to deliver a compelling pitch 

• What success actually looks like 

…Without that structure?  Every rep starts doing things differently. 

Different messaging…..Different habits…..Different follow-up styles. 

And then owners wonder why results feel inconsistent. 

One of the biggest breakthroughs agencies have is realizing: 

“More activity” does not automatically equal more production. 

A rep can stay busy all week and still produce very little revenue if their activities are not strategic. 

That’s why strong agencies focus on: 

• Quality conversations 

• The right lead measures 

• Account penetration 

• Referral source psychology 

• Relationship development 

• And measurable activities that actually predict growth 

….Not just: “How many donuts did we drop off this week?” 

And perhaps most importantly…They understand that sales is not just about activity. 

It’s also about positioning….. 

Because if your reps sound exactly like every other agency…You disappear into the noise. 

Strong sales teams know how to: 

• uncover referral source pain points 

• communicate value clearly 

• overcome objections naturally 

• emotionally connect quickly 

• and position the agency as different 

Because sales is not just information transfer…..It’s emotional positioning. 

And in today’s market?…..That matters more than ever. 

3. Sales Management and Accountability Matter More Than Most Owners Realize 

This may be one of the biggest hidden gaps in home care. 

A lot of agencies have sales reps…But very few have real sales management. 

There’s a difference. 

Because once reps are out in the field… 

Most owners don’t actually know: 

• what conversations are happening 

• which accounts are progressing 

• where opportunities are getting stuck 

• which reps need coaching 

• If their reps are even following the sales process (if there even is one) 

• or what activities are truly driving referrals 

…So management becomes reactive instead of proactive. 

And over time?…Underperformance gets normalized. 

That’s dangerous…..Because small inefficiencies compound fast. 

The agencies getting the best results today usually have: 

• Weekly accountability systems 

• KPI tracking 

• Structured coaching 

• Pipeline visibility 

• Consistent “value add”  follow-up processes 

• And regular review of top accounts and opportunities 

Not to micromanage reps…But to create clarity, strategize, and optimize 

Because clarity creates: 

• Better coaching 

• Better execution 

• Better consistency 

• Better morale 

• Better production 

And perhaps most importantly…It allows owners to stop guessing. 

When accountability and management are done correctly… 

Sales becomes measurable…..Predictable….Scalable. 

And that’s when agencies start pulling ahead of the competition. 

If you are one of those agencies trying to finally get it right with getting production out of your sales people, then make sure you get these top 3 pieces in place.    If you are looking for hands on guidance and support with this, reach out to us at gregg@homecarebreakthrough.com 

Article by Gregg Mazza