“We could have never seen this coming” said everyone in 2020.

“Disruption” is an understatement when it comes to describing 2020 so far.

Thankfully, the funeral profession is pretty used to rolling with the punches, but how does that translate into you showing up for your customers during these times when fear and anxiety are at all time highs? 

When the status quo is being rattled? When your business, and all businesses are facing huge amounts of pressure? 

Here’s a few creative ways to show up for your client families not only now during times of disruption, but always:

1. Take a close look at how your funeral business has behaved in the face of a crisis with your client families in the past 

In the early days of COVID-19, what really worked when you showed up for your families? What didn’t land so well? What was a complete disaster? What opportunities arose? It’s time to find the gems in this crisis so far, and move forward with what’s been working for your funeral home’s team, client families and community.

Read more: How to Lead During Times of Change and Crisis

2. Work to deeply understand your customer’s adapting needs

Isn’t it funny how crises tend to point to our weak spots and make them louder, and harder to ignore? Understanding that our client families’ needs are adapting is something we’ve been tackling and arguing over for years. 

Many funeral homes have been slow to acknowledge the evolution. Others have ran towards this evolution and been very successful by doing so. Wherever you lie in the spectrum, now is a time to understand what your customers truly need now. What are their challenges? Worries? Fears? What opportunities are there for them in this experience of uncertainty? 

Get to know your customers in this face of adversity, and watch how valued and respected they feel, and in return, happily recommend your funeral home to all of their family and friends.

Read more: A Quiz For Funeral Pros: How Well Do You Know Today’s Client Families?

3. Invest in social media

If you want a real-time, on-budget, thorough tool to listen to your customers needs, communicate with them, and understand them more, look no further than social media. Do you have someone in charge of managing your social media, even if for 1 hour a day? 

Now is the time to get someone in this role if you haven’t already! It doesn’t need to be a full time job, but without someone online engaging with and listening to your client families, you’re sitting on missed opportunities. Remember, social media isn’t a “one and done” kind of job. It’s an ever-evolving, fluid role that is the key to your success in these virtual times we live in.

Read more: 26 Research-Backed Reasons To Finally Get Your Funeral Home On Social Media

4. Embrace your vulnerability and speak from your heart

Now isn’t so much about “getting smart” than it is to sit down and have real, heartfelt conversations with your client families. Over the last few months, there are many walls coming down that kept us separate and quiet. The only way to tackle what we’re up against is through vulnerability and owning where we’re at. You aren’t expected to know exactly what to do all the time. And this is where you can lay down your armor and allow the magic of vulnerability to do its job. 

Read more: Want to Be More Successful? Embrace Your Vulnerability 

5. Focus (even more) on your value

Ah! The good ole’ value topic. When times become uncertain, your client families are going to re-evaluate whether or not they see your funeral home’s services as valuable for their family NOW. The likelihood of families choosing your funeral home just because mom and grandma did is quite low. Why? Because when budgets are stretched thin and the status quo is shaken (and it’s shaken now more than ever thanks to COVID restrictions), value becomes the key in purchase decisions.

Read more: Key Steps to Maximizing Your Firm’s Value — Now and In The Future

How are you working to support your client families during these difficult times? Tell us below!

Rochelle Rietow

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