The Power of Free Services

Read Time - 4 Minutes

Getting Clients To Come For The Offer But Stay For The Service

I was going to write about a different topic this week, but I just had a conversation with an owner and I changed my whole plan.

The owner asked:

“Should we offer a discount to help people get started?”

It’s a well-intentioned idea. The logic goes: if someone is on the fence, maybe a 15% or 20% discount will nudge them over.

But more often than not, discounts don’t work the way we hope.

Why Discounts Can Backfire

When you discount your service, the message isn’t always "we want to help you save." Sometimes the message is:

• "Lower quality service"

• "Our full price isn’t really justified."

• "We need clients. Nobody is coming to us"

None of these perceptions build trust. And in a business like home care, trust is everything.

In fact, I’ve seen discounts attract the wrong type of client altogether—those who are price-driven rather than value-driven. They often churn quickly, ask for more concessions, and are the least likely to become long-term clients.

But there is a better way.

The Power of Free Trial Hours

Instead of discounting, consider offering 1 to 3 free hours of service.

It might sound similar, but it works on a completely different psychological level:

• It removes all the risk for the client.

• It creates a feeling of, "I have nothing to lose."

• It gives them a firsthand experience of your service—which is often the best marketing you can do.

When done well, free trial hours give people a reason to trust you. And more importantly, they let your care speak for itself.

It’s like getting a free trial for Netflix before you’ve experienced any streaming service. You opt in because it’s free and realize that the experience you get is well worth the money to spend after.

But What About The Costs?

This is the part where most agency owners get stuck.

"We can’t afford to give away free hours."

Let’s break that down:

1. If you’re the one providing the care during the trial, then the only thing you’re giving up is your time.

2. If you’re paying a caregiver, your actual cost isn’t the full price of the service—it’s just the labor.

   For example, if your rate is $30/hour and you pay your caregiver $20/hour, you’re not losing $30. You’re investing $20.

This is where understanding Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) vs. Lifetime Value (LTV) changes the game.

Let’s say the average client stays with you for a year and receives 9 hours of care a week. That’s 468 hours a year.

At $30/hour, that’s $14,040 in total revenue.

So ask yourself: would you spend $20–60 to make $14,000?

Because that’s exactly what a free trial hour is. It’s not lost money. It’s a tiny marketing investment with a potentially massive return.

You Need To Nail The Delivery

Here’s the catch:

If you offer free hours, they need to be 7-out-of-5-star service. This is your audition.

• Show up early.

• Send a caregiver who’s warm, attentive, and highly competent.

• Follow up afterward to ask how it went and if there’s anything you can do better.

Make them think, "This was worth paying for.”

Because if you can deliver that level of trust and care in just one visit, most people won’t want to go anywhere else.

Bottom Line

Discounts lower your perceived value. Free hours build trust.

And in home care, trust is what closes the deal.

So the next time you’re wondering how to get more private-pay clients to say yes, don’t cheapen your brand with a discount.

Invest in a moment of risk-free value instead.

Let them experience what makes your agency different—and give them a reason to stay.