Sometimes it might feel like it’s impossible to stand out from the competition in the funeral profession.

Maybe you’ve come to the conclusion that your families are just price shoppers. Or maybe you just think families in your community are always going to chose the funeral home they’ve always gone to, which may or may not be yours.  Besides, you offer essentially the same products and services as the other guys in town – so how can you really stand out anyway?

We’re here to tell you that, not only is it possible to stand out from your competitors, but it’s essential for you to.

In the noisy world we live in these days, you don’t have a choice. The future of your funeral home depends on your ability to differentiate yourself from the funeral home down the street. So, how do you do it? There’s one powerful tool that will help you stand out. Truth is, you’ve probably used it before (we really hope so, at least). The tool is called online marketing.

I know what you’re thinking – there’s a myriad of excuses we get from clients everyday… “I have a website already… online marketing isn’t working for me”, or the classic “My families don’t use social media,” and then there’s the dangerous “I’m already posting obits daily online, isn’t that enough?” But there’s a lot more to online marketing than meets the eye, and today we’re letting you in on the secrets that will bring your funeral home success…

Tell a good story on Facebook

The impact of a good story can stay with someone for a lifetime. Take Subway and the inspiring story of Jared who lost tons of weight and advanced on his journey of health using Subway’s subs, for example. His story had an emotional impact on people and showed them how Subway could potentially change your life. Now, even over a decade later, it’s impossible to hear the words “Eat Fresh” and not think about Subway.

Use Facebook to tell stories that show your community the value of a funeral service. Tell the story of how your funeral home create a valuable, unique experience that helped someone create an everlasting legacy of their loved one. Use pictures, quotes and videos to make the story engaging and shareable. Make it a story they want to read, and share with their friends and family, which brings us to our next point…

Create content people actually want to read

Let’s face it: most funeral homes’ online marketing doesn’t go further than posting obits on every marketing channel possible. But the truth is, people aren’t going to follow your funeral home on social media or sign up for your email list if the only thing they are going to get flooded with is obits everyday. Think outside the box and create content that will actually interest and engage people. Sit down and brainstorm topics of interest for your families.

Try creating content about green funerals, personalization ideas, grief support, share-worthy trends in funeral service, tips for creating a meaningful service, or any other type of unique content that you think your families could benefit from. Get creative and get inside the heads of your families and community. Think about what type of content they would want to read, watch and listen to.

How exactly do you uncover the magic social content that will hit home with your audience? You need to truly understand your families and map out your funeral home’s personas  – learn what their concerns are, what motivates them, what their common behaviors are, and what they are looking for from their local funeral home. Then (and only then) will you be able to engage them and show them your value.

Want to learn more about how funeral personas can skyrocket your business to success? Click here to create your own personas in just three simple steps.

Make yourself known in the community

Everyone knows funeral homes are very community-oriented, or do they? Make your mark in your community by spotlighting events or activities happening in your town. Or, you can take this even further and host your own events, either solo or by partnering with other organizations in your community. Shine the spotlight on these events and organizations that support your community and notice what happens when you get that sense of union stirring.

You’ll not only position yourself as a leader in the community, but also a business your families can trust. There’s enough negative press in this world surrounding funeral homes, show your community that all funeral homes aren’t so-called “scam artists” and that you’re focused on community.

O’Connor Mortuary is the perfect example of a funeral business who is extremely community-oriented, and it shows on their social media channels. People trust them and aren’t afraid to engage with them online, and that’s what makes them stand out from their competition.

Use your website as a tool to make their lives easier

If there’s one way to stand out from your competitors beyond creating content, it’s actually doing the work to make your families’ lives easier. The best place to start? Your funeral home website. Your website should be so resourceful that it’s your community’s one-stop-shop for all of their funeral service needs.

If families are not sure what to do when a death occurs, or they need guidance when it comes to planning a valuable funeral service, be that resource. If they’re not sure what to send to someone to show their sympathy, offer them the tools they need. If the family wants to create a space online where people can capture and share meaningful memories and moments, create the space for that.

With the all-encompassing f1Connect website platform, you can offer them all of that and more. f1Connect gives your families and community an invaluable education portal that they can come to when they need support, a lifelong place to share memories and stories, and even a one-stop-shop for sharing sympathy gifts and messages. Talk about the total package.

How to start creating better marketing and stand out from your competitors today

The best part about our funeral home website solutions is that they have never been easier to set up, customize and start working for your families. There isn’t a better way to stand out from your competitors and create better online marketing than partnering with f1Connect for your funeral home website. Don’t believe us? Then ask our thousands of tried and true customers.

Want to see how much one simple tool can have such a huge impact on your online marketing? Then click here to try f1Connect today.

What other ways has your online marketing helped you set yourself apart from your competitors? Tell us in the comments below!

Rochelle Rietow

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