Marketing in the death care industry is the same as marketing any high ticket item. I work with many Funeral Homes & Cemeteries who buy lead generation lists from us to help them sell pre-need plans.
A pre-need plan is a prearrangement program that covers Cemetery & funeral expenses. These expenses range from cemetery plots or mausoleums spots to caskets, funeral services and even police escorts. A Plan can cost upwards of $25,000 per person. This may sound like a lot. But, in the long run it actually ends up being a savings from both a cost and peace of mind perspective.
The real point here is that this is a large dollar sale. And a large dollar sale requires a great deal of preparation and expertise. That’s why marketing in the death care industry needs to be spot on.
I counsel my Death Care Industry clients to be prepared. It’s the same way they tell consumers to be prepared. Do you remember the old adage – there are only 2 things we can count on: death & taxes? Well, death will happen. It’s just a question of when. And a question of being ready for it.
Similarly, businesses need to be prepared as well. In this case, we are talking about being prepared with a well-thought out, all-the-bases-touched marketing campaign. This campaign has one main purpose – to generate leads. After all, how many people actually raise their hands and voluntarily say “I want to spend $70,000 to get a nice plot for myself & my spouse”.
You have to plant that seed.
It’s About Lead Generation
Every company in the death care industry needs to have a real lead generation program in place. It’s the same thing that every business needs. And, that is a consistent flow of quality leads coming into their company. New customers is what keeps a funeral home or cemetery afloat. Without new prospects, they might as well just close up shop.
This past week, my article “Marketing to Death” was printed in the ICCFA Magazine. I strongly recommend that owners and marketing managers of funeral homes & cemeteries read this article. While the article focuses on lead generation and marketing in the Death Care Industry, the same strategies and tactics certainly apply to lead generation programs in all industries.
*Let me know if these tips apply in your industry!
