The Changing Roles of Funeral Home Marketing

Technology is changing the way funeral homes market their services. To succeed, funeral homes must complement their traditional marketing tactics with more modern efforts such as mobile and social media marketing.

Here’s a look at how marketing is changing in this industry:

1. Clients aren’t just from the neighborhood

Funeral homes become part of a community and typically draw their clients from the surrounding area. However, that trend is changing.

A growing number of clients conduct research online, compare services, and check pricing to select a funeral home that makes the most sense for their needs regardless of their hometown.

Keep clients informed by updating your website with services, prices, and resources. Consider search engine marketing as well to increase the likelihood of showing up in search results.

2. Population shifts

Millennials now outnumber baby boomers. As of 2016, there are 75.4 million millennials and 74.9 million baby boomers, representing a shift in the potential clients that funeral homes must target.

Millennials, who are between the age of 18 and 34, are tech-savvy. They’ll search for services they want, prices they expect, and trust the reviews of their peers online. Understanding how this generation finds information will be imperative to funeral homes looking to reach this niche.

Funeral homes should consider mobile advertising and content that’s geared toward a younger crowd.

3. New opportunities for apps

Apps aren’t just for retailers. Funeral homes are using apps, too, such as The Funeral Home App that sends users alerts when an obituary is published in their hometown.

How can your clients benefit from an app? Consider what your clients need to plan a funeral and create an app that helps them through this difficult time. The app could include grief-counseling columns, a checklist of things to plan, a notepad for jotting down reminders, and a way to pay for services electronically.

By creating a well-rounded marketing plan, funeral homes can attract more clients, provide customized services, and retain customers by building meaningful relationships through digital interactions.