How to Use Data to Spot the 20% of Referral Sources Driving 80% of Your Census
If you’ve ever felt like your sales team is running hard but not gaining ground, you’re not alone.
In home care, home health, and hospice, it’s easy to spread your energy across dozens of referral sources — yet only a few truly drive your growth.
The good news? You already have the information you need to fix that.
By using data to identify your most valuable referral sources, you can focus your time, resources, and relationships where they matter most.
At Home Care Sales, we teach agencies how to use performance data to turn sales from guesswork into a predictable growth system.
Here’s how to start.
Understand the 80/20 Rule in Home Care Referrals
The 80/20 rule, or Pareto Principle, says that roughly 80% of results come from 20% of efforts.
In home care, that means a small group of referral sources — maybe five to ten accounts — likely drive the majority of your census.
Yet many sales reps spend equal time on all sources, chasing quantity instead of quality.
When you identify and prioritize the right partners, you can grow faster with less effort.
Gather and Organize Your Referral Data
Start with what you already track: referrals, admissions, and conversion rates.
Export data from your CRM, EMR, or intake system and organize it by referral source.
You want to see, for each source:
How many referrals they’ve sent over the past six to twelve months
How many of those converted to admissions
The average time from referral to start of care
Payer type or service mix (Medicare, Medicaid, private pay, etc.)
This view reveals your most valuable referral partners — not just by volume, but by quality.
If your CRM doesn’t yet capture this data consistently, make it a team goal. The agencies that win long-term are the ones that track and act on the right metrics.
Identify Your Top-Performing Referral Sources
Once you have the data, sort your referral sources by total admissions or revenue generated.
Your top 20% — the ones producing most of your census — deserve the majority of your attention.
Then, dig deeper:
What do these sources have in common?
Which reps manage them?
What messaging or follow-up style works best?
Patterns reveal strategy.
If certain hospitals or discharge planners consistently refer, study what makes those relationships strong and replicate that approach elsewhere.
Re-Engage Underperforming Sources Strategically
Not every referral source is equal — and not every one is lost.
For lower-performing partners who have potential, use your data to start a conversation.
For example:
“I was reviewing our data and noticed we were not able to care for as many clients/ patients as last year. Can we talk about that? Is there something we can do to make the process easier for you?”
Sometimes, it’s a paperwork issue. Sometimes, it’s a new contact or a change in workflow. Data gives you a reason to re-engage without guesswork — and shows your partners that you’re proactive and professional.
Focus Your Sales Energy Where It Counts
Every minute a sales rep spends with a low-yield account is a minute not spent strengthening a high-value one.
Use your 80/20 data to redesign your weekly call routes and visit schedules.
For top accounts:
Increase in-person touchpoints
Provide advanced updates, success stories, and gratitude
Keep their experience seamless
For lower-value accounts:
Maintain presence through quick emails or educational messages
Reassess quarterly to see if results change and opportunity presents
This focused approach drives more growth without adding more work.
Turn Insights Into Action
Data is only powerful when it changes behavior.
Review referral reports monthly with your team. Celebrate wins, discuss trends, and identify where support is needed.
Encourage reps to bring their numbers to one-on-one coaching sessions. Use them to set realistic goals and track progress toward referral growth.
When your team sees how their daily actions move the numbers, they become more motivated, strategic, and accountable.
Build a Smarter Growth System
The agencies growing fastest today aren’t just working harder — they’re working smarter.
They understand which referral relationships create the most impact and they focus relentlessly on nurturing those.
At Home Care Sales, we help agencies transform raw data into a roadmap for consistent, predictable growth — combining proven sales frameworks with neuroscience-backed communication strategies.
Ready to identify your top referral partners and grow your census with confidence?
Schedule a Strategy Call with Home Care Sales.
Melanie
