Ch 18 klicker Flashcards
Marketing
Any activity a funeral home engages in to create public awareness, generate new business, or retain present business.
Funeral home marketing must get funeral consumer to take two important action steps:
- Purchase services other than direct disposition
2. Use your funeral home instead of competitors
Brand
A name, term, design or symbol that identifies ones seller goods or services as distinct from those of other sellers. Legal term is a trademark.
Brand image
A mirror reflection of the brand personality or product being. What people believe about a brand.
Nike swoosh.
In order to create a business that is labeled “remarkable” by those you serve, consider:
- Must cast your vision
- Formal marketing plan
- Goals and objectives in writing
- flexible and ready to adapt
- look for ways to capitalize
- raise bar on customer service
- know what consumers want
- plan advertising campaigns
- focus on new customers and old ones
Advertising
Making public aware of services or a commodity that a business has for sale
Papers, radio, tv, mail, billboards, internet, yellow pages, business cards, and word of mouth
Promote what makes you unique
- specifically tell people what you do that others don’t
- never use negative words “we, me, I, our”. Use “new, free, you, try, discover”
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
General marketing plan
Objective: what is the purpose of advertising? Raise awareness? Move products? Bring people to your door
Audience: who are they? What do they feel?
Promise: what will the preneed and Atneed do for your customers.
Repetition
foundation of advertising. Consumer must see advertisement from 9-15 times in a short period before learning the message.
Direct mail
Can send brochure or letter directly to individuals.
Radio
Active medium with great entertainment appeal
Television
Best option. Greater audience. Stronger impact. spend less money than expected.
Church bulletins
Keep up good relations with clergy and members
Business cards
More sophisticated. Inexpensive, multifunctional, personalized
Logos
Sublanguages. Simplest understanding of business
Jingle
Pleasant rhythmic tune. Risky for funeral homes
Internet
Can increase profitability.
Increase market reach and name recognition
Reach over 65 million people
Give information
Billboards
Quick and simple ideas. Repetition. Best in high traffic areas.
Newspaper
Smaller and more frequent ad is more effective than a one time big ad.
Advertising budget
FH should spend between 2-5% of its yearly gross income on advertising
How to measure success of each type of advertising
Return coupon to send in on a pre need ad
Evaluation of overall sales
Evaluation of increase in #of families served
Market
Group of potential customers with purchasing power
Demographics
Study of human populations with respect to size, density, distribution, composition. And income.
Economic base
Wealth produced in or near a community that provides employment to local population
Consumer buying motives usually fit into 6 categories
Comfort Convenience Security Prestige Health Economy
Sources of published market data
Census of business Census of housing Census of manufacture Census of population Funeral home surveys
Public relations
Inducing the public to have a positive feeling about a particular business. Well organized public relations program can reinforce a funeral homes advertising and increase the credibility of the firm.
Public relations activities
Public presentations Tours of funeral home Open houses Newsletters Company brochures Seminars grief literature
Public presentations
Value of the funeral Embalming how and why Grief and funerals Children- death and funerals History of funeral customs Funeral service as a career Senior citizens and funerals Death in today's society Preplanning
People you can speak to
Senior citizens groups Service clubs Employee assistance organizations Nursing associations Social workers Police and fire fighters Business associations Teachers Clergy Support groups
Open house
Recognizing the opening of a new building, renovations, change in ownership, celebration of an event
Holiday programs
Holiday support programs to include dynamics of grieving during the holidays. Seminars, literature, support groups,
Consumers top 10 requirements
- Treated with respect
- Follow through on commitments
- Communicate
- Talk without interruption
- Answer phone quickly
- Provide alternatives
- Get authority when there’s a problem
- Clearly state what to expect
- Know everything about products and services
- Be a customer advocate
Handling complaints
sit and speak with complainant Assess complaint Gather info Review documentation about event Prepare written explanation Meet again with complainant Rediscuss issue Ask what to do to resolve the issue If you can't fix it, get a third party mediator
