Across the care sector, there’s a growing understanding that strong, steady sales and marketing leadership isn’t a “nice to have” anymore – it’s the backbone of a reassuring family journey. From the first phone call to the moment a family walks through your door, they’re looking for warmth, clarity and confidence. Someone needs to hold that whole journey with care.
Finding the right permanent Head of Sales & Marketing always takes time. Good recruitment does – weeks turn into months, and meanwhile enquiries keep coming, tours still need structure, and teams still look for someone who can guide them with confidence.
When homes are in that in-between stage – “we know we need someone” but “we’ve not appointed them yet” – interim sales and marketing leadership brings the steady hand families and teams rely on. That calm presence keeps the day-to-day journey moving instead of stalling.
Alongside this, many homes are choosing a different path altogether: fractional leadership. This isn’t gap-filling – it’s a deliberate decision to bring in senior expertise on a part-time basis, offering strategic oversight without the cost of a full-time post. For many organisations, it’s the right long-term fit.
A calm, experienced presence when homes need it most
When a home is recruiting, it can feel as though everything has to slow down until the new person arrives. But families don’t slow down their search when leadership is missing – they simply move on to a home that feels more responsive.
Interim support steps in fully, holding the entire sales and marketing function with confidence and clarity from day one. No lengthy onboarding. No disruption. Just a steady hand when it matters most.
Fractional support offers something different but equally valuable – senior leadership for a set number of days each week or month, offering the strategic direction a home needs without the cost of a full-time role. It’s ideal for providers who don’t need (or aren’t ready for) a five-day-a-week senior hire but do need someone experienced guiding the ship.
Both approaches ensure the home doesn’t lose momentum – and that families continue to feel reassured.
Fresh perspective that helps homes move forward
One of the biggest advantages of bringing in external senior support is perspective. Teams naturally stop noticing what’s slipping or where opportunities are being missed. It’s simply the reality of busy environments.
Interim and fractional specialists bring a clear, honest view of what’s working well and what needs attention – without judgement, internal politics or defensiveness.
Small refinements often make the biggest difference:
• tightening the follow-up process
• sharpening tour structure
• strengthening messaging so it truly matches the in-person experience
• supporting teams to feel more confident
• noticing gaps where families may be left waiting or unsure
It’s the kind of clarity that helps homes move forward with confidence.
What this support looks like day to day
Whether interim or fractional, the work is steady, practical, and rooted in giving teams the clarity they need to thrive. It usually includes:
- Putting a clear marketing and sales strategy in place
- Shaping a consistent enquiry and tour process that feels reassuring for families
- Coaching Home Managers so they feel confident leading the customer journey
- Implementing sales training that gives teams the tools to do the job well
- Setting up the marketing plan – from messaging to digital presence
- Keeping visibility strong while permanent recruitment continues
- Building community and referral relationships that keep enquiries flowing
- Giving leaders the insight and direction they need without adding pressure
It’s the steady support that keeps everything moving – freeing the Home Manager to focus fully on care, culture, and the day-to-day experience.
A cost-effective and flexible option
Fractional leadership gives organisations access to senior expertise without the financial commitment of a full-time hire. It’s perfect for homes that want strategic direction but don’t need someone five days a week.
Interim support, on the other hand, provides full coverage for a defined period, ideal when a senior leader is leaving, when recruitment is underway, or when a group simply needs immediate leadership.
Both models offer stability, clarity and reassurance – without compromising budgets.
Commercial Acceleration doesn’t work on a success-fee model.
Homes aren’t asked to gamble occupancy results. Instead, they invest in experience, steadiness and structure – the real foundations of sustainable growth.
Setting your permanent hire up for success
When a new Head of Sales & Marketing arrives, their success depends heavily on the environment they walk into.
Interim and fractional support ensures they step into a role with:
• a warm, active enquiry pipeline
• a supported, confident team
• clear processes
• no backlog
• no firefighting
It’s a far healthier start – and it often means your new hire can thrive much more quickly.
A realistic, grounded view of results
No responsible leader will guarantee occupancy numbers. Too much sits outside one person’s control.
What interim and fractional specialists can guarantee is:
• better structure
• clearer communication
• a smoother enquiry journey
• greater team confidence
• improved family experience
These are the conditions that naturally support occupancy – the conditions that last.
A supportive, stabilising solution in a pressured sector
Care homes are busy, emotional environments. Expectations are rising. Teams are stretched. Families need reassurance quickly.
Interim and fractional leadership gives organisations breathing space – not as a stopgap, but as a practical way to stay responsive, visible and confident.
It helps homes recruit well, not rush. It helps families feel supported, not left waiting. And it keeps enquiry journeys steady during times of change.
If you’d like support while you recruit, Commercial Acceleration can help
Whether you’re searching for a permanent Head of Sales & Marketing or simply need senior leadership in place now, Commercial Acceleration offers both interim and fractional support tailored to your home.
You can speak to Ali for an informal, pressure-free conversation about what your organisation needs and what level of support would genuinely help.
