5 Sure-Fire Ways to Provide More Value to Your Families

September 13th, 2012

By Krystal Penrose

Are you looking for ways to provide more value to your families, but aren’t sure how?

If so, you’re not alone. In fact, almost 60% of funeral professionals see service value as a challenge for them.

So what is your plan of attack to provide more value?

You might think you need months of planning, lots of money, and a ton of resources.

But the truth is… you don’t.

There’s one word that’s been buzzing around the funeral professional for the past several years… it’s personalization.

Offering personalized services, especially to the non-traditional baby boomers, could be your ticket to service value.

Need some personalization inspiration? Here are 5 sure-fire ways to provide more value to families:

1. Make their wildest dreams come true

When Gonzo-journalist Hunter S. Thompson took his own life, his only wish was that his ashes be shot out of a cannon. Six months later, friends & family gathered at his home to watch the 150-foot tower topped with a red fist with two thumbs shoot his ashes high into the sky. http://blog.funeralone.com/funeralone-products/life-tributes/custom-funerals-provide-value-to-families/Thompson’s life was memorialized the way he wanted it to be, and according to his friends, it was “the grandest celebration on the planet.”

What can this teach us? That it’s no longer about expensive, fancy merchandise or burials, – it’s about the time and effort you put into making your families’ ceremony’s unique to their loved one. People will always remember Mr. Thompson’s funeral because it’s remarkable, not just an average service they’d expect to see. Don’t you want your funeral home to be responsible for a remarkable celebration of life?

2. Create an out-of-the-box memorial

Funeral Director Craig Hansen has helped his families celebrate their loved one’s lives in a way that no one ever has. In one scenario, he re-created a casino inside his funeral home to honor someone who loved gambling. He took it further by donating all of the money from the “casino” to a charity in honor of the deceased.

Mr. Hansen is well-known in his area for creating unique celebrations of life, and that’s why he attracts customers who see value in funeral service. On planning funerals, Hansen says “a funeral is no longer a day in the life. It’s a lifetime in a day.”

3. Embrace your culture

Traditionally, jazz funerals are uplifting celebrations that can last up to one week, and sometimes even include a parade.Perhaps the most memorable New Orleans jazz funeral could be the memorial remembering the 1,700 victims whose lives were lost in Hurricane Katrina. The service was a traditional jazz funeral – complete with a horse-drawn hearse, brass band and jazz music. Although thousands were left without food, water or a place to live, many people showed their support by attending the funeral.

Is your funeral home in a location known for its cultural specialties? If you are, embrace them. For example, I live in Michigan, and if I knew there was a funeral home who specialized in doing ceremony’s on one of our Great Lakes, I would already have my funeral planned. By embracing your culture and geographical location, you’ll attract families who do as well. It could be something as little as offering sweet tea at your funeral home. It’s little details like this that make you stand out, and therefore valuable.

4. Help families speak from the heart

Steve Irwin’s daughter wanted to pay tribute to her father with one final gift – a moving eulogy she wrote all by herself. Bindi Irwin excelled at writing her eulogy straight from the heart, and it’s obvious through her delivery.

A custom eulogy like this is the perfect way to personalize a ceremony without spending a dime. Bindi’s words will forever be remembered by the attendees of Steve’s memorial, as well as the 300 million viewers at home. Not only did she reflect on his life in a special way, but she encouraged others to remember him the way he would want to be – through the animals he loved so much.

5. Create a “Remembrance Package”

Bailey-Love Mortuary wanted to offer their families a new level of service without adding to their expenses. So, they created an all-in-one “Remembrance Package” that includes everything their families need to celebrate life in a unique way.

The Remembrance Package includes:

–        A tribute video
–        Floral arrangements
–        A webcasted DVD of the service
– Life Tribute candle
–        A memorial keepsake called a “love rock”
–        Discounted rate on remembrance cards, thank you cards and other printed materials.

As a result of their remembrance package, Bailey Love positioned themselves as the first funeral home in their county to offer tribute videos. And, they greatly increased their call volume due to the impact their package had on their families. In fact, new families come to their funeral home, photos in hand, asking about tribute videos.

How Can You Offer Personalized Services?

It’s easy with the all-in-one Life Tributes Personalization Software Suite. With Life Tributes, you can create tribute videos, tribute books, personalized printing keepsakes in house, in minutes! Click here to download your 30-Day Free Trial!

Does your funeral home embrace personalization? What kinds of personalized services do you offer? Share your thoughts below!