Aftercare - The Nail in the Coffin of Funeral Brand Experience

BY GEORGE PAUL, III

Now that we’ve gotten my corniness in the title aside let’s get serious for a second. There’s change in the air and the industry as a whole is very slow to change. It’s been my experience that with some firm owners something has to be on it’s last piece of duct tape before they go and improve on what’s needed. Yet, when it comes to brand experience that’s an expensive cost you don’t want to take on.

We know relationships are crucial in this business. Plus you firm owners are community based so you have to show your face and do things that support the community. However, when it comes to you doing your craft you need to pay close attention to where things are going. In the past when it came to getting service calls having a relationship was enough. Many of you simply got business via wordof-mouth. Now, though, we’re living in the information age. Our communities are larger because there’s a whole digital presence we have to be a part of. How does that play a role in your business?

Well, it’s changed buying behaviors. People don’t just buy out of function or necessity, but identity and status. What they buy says a lot of about them as a person and how they want to be perceived. It’s no different with death care, perhaps even more so.

Choice and Identity

When a family chooses a funeral home to care for their loved one, they’re saying to everyone who attends, “this funeral home is part of who we are and how we want our loved one to be remembered.” That’s why having an updated facility is important since it plays into the overall experience. That’s also why you’re seeing more personalization in memorial services. This is where the local community becomes larger since survivors can look online and search for potential firms well before you get a phone call. They’re researching which firm best identifies with their identity and this is an opportunity for you to shine. By positioning yourself as an expert in a particular kind of memorial service you can stand out and be the primary choice by families looking for that kind of service. You need to keep in mind though that because families are more savvy they’re also expecting more in terms of the experience they have doing business with your firm.

It is just that, an experience. The firm that understands and caters to that is the one that will get the most service calls. In that line, when it comes to the funeral brand experience you have three stages. Before a family comes to you, like when they’re researching firms. Then you have the during stage which is when they’ve agreed to have you handle their loved one’s final arrangements leading up to the service. Finally, you have the after stage which is after the service is done and people are beginning to pick up the pieces of their lives and move on. This aftercare stage is where you can really seal the deal for future business with that family and future referrals. Now I’ll be clear and say, families are both expecting something at this stage and not expecting something.

The Aftercare Advantage

When it comes to aftercare families aren’t expecting it in the sense that they understand that your expertise is in the final arrangements so they won’t hold it against you if they don’t see anything from you after the service is done and the bill is paid. However, they are expecting something in this aftercare stage because they still need help and they know you’re the expert when it comes to death and healing. That’s what they need, help with healing and dealing with grief afterward.

This is where you as firm owners can really put the nail in the coffin and virtually guarantee that should another death occur either in their family or with someone they www.onelifemorials.com. know, you will be the one they call. This is because you’ve shown that you’re here to support them every step of the way even after all the arrangements have concluded.

Moment of Reflection is a unique service that links a video to a QR code on the display that is easily visible and can be scanned at the grave. This service changes forever the way we remember and celebrate our loved ones.

Naturally, they are aftercare services in this industry where they will send a card on specific dates. That’s nice, but it’s a start. Go deeper.

The Aftercare Experience

What are the challenges families have after the service has passed? What feelings will they be dealing with that you can help them identify and address? What last steps do they need to take to wrap up their loved one’s affairs? Do they need to sell homes and belongings? Are there probate issues? Do they realize that they’re going to be feeling and acting a certain way when the anniversary of their loved one comes up? Do they have unresolved grief and not know it? Well, you know these are the issues that will come up and as the expert you can address them. The question is will you?

Of course, many of these things are not your area of expertise. You’re not a lawyer nor are you a grief counselor. Yet, you can be a hub of resources for families when these things come up. You can provide content and information to help families deal with the challenges that arise after the service has passed. You can keep your doors open for support and even if it’s just a listening ear when feelings of grief come back over the family. That’s real aftercare.

When a family sees that you’ve been there every step of the way in caring for their loved one you’ve delivered an entire funeral brand experience that will set you head and shoulders above the rest. That’s the type of experience people pay more for which leads to increased profit margins, service calls and business security. Discuss creating an aftercare program with your team and implement it so that you can be the leader in providing comfort and healing to families in your community. Until next time I wish you the best branding your legacy. FBS

George Paul III is a volatile visionary using branding and design to help grieving families honor the legacy of their loved one. It's his vision to help funeral homes reach 7-figures in revenue become profitable, sustainable & generational. He’s the founder of Cherished Keepsakes and Cherished Creative. For over 10 years Cherished Keepsakes has provided personalized funeral keepsakes to families and firms across the country. Cherished Creative delivers agency-level branding, marketing and design services to busy firm owners. He can be reached at gpaul@ cherishedkeepsakes.com. URLs: www.cherishedcreative. agency and www.cherishedkeepsakes.com

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