It is no secret that the funeral home industry is highly competitive. To stay ahead of the curve, business owners need to be aware of the latest marketing trends and strategies.
As the owner of a funeral home, you know that having a good marketing plan is essential to your success. After all, without customers, your business will not survive.
But what goes into a good marketing plan? Below, we will go over some of the key components of a successful marketing plan for a funeral home.
Key Components of a Funeral Home Marketing Plan
A great marketing plan has eleven sections as follows:
- Executive Summary
- Target Market Segments
- Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
- Pricing and Positioning Strategy
- Distribution Strategy
- Offers
- Marketing Materials
- Promotions Strategy
- Digital Marketing Plan
- Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy
- Financial Projections
We provide more detail for each of these key components below.
Executive Summary
The executive summary is a brief overview of your entire marketing plan. It should include your overview information from each of the other sections, such as your target market, unique selling proposition, key promotions strategies, and financial projections.
Target Market Segments
When marketing a funeral home, it is crucial to identify your target market segments. Who are your most likely customers? Consider factors such as age, gender, income, location, and lifestyle when determining your target market segments.
For example, a funeral home business’ customers may include:
- Families who have recently lost a loved one
- People who are pre-planning their funeral
- People who are researching funeral options for a loved one
Once you have identified your target market segments, you can begin to tailor your marketing efforts to appeal to them.
Break down each of these segments by considering their needs, wants, and pain points. For example, the needs of a funeral home business’ customers may include:
- Compassionate and professional service
- A wide range of funeral options
- Affordable prices
- Convenient location
By understanding your target market segments, you will be better equipped to create marketing messages that resonate with them.
Unique Selling Proposition
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets your funeral home apart from other funeral home businesses. What do you offer that nobody else does?
For example, your USP may be that you offer the:
- Widest range of funeral options in town
- Most affordable prices
- Most convenient location
- Most compassionate and professional service
No matter your USP, make sure it is clear in your marketing materials. Your customers should be able to see immediately what makes you different from the other business in their area.
Pricing and Positioning Strategy
Your pricing and positioning strategy will be determined by your target market segments and your unique selling proposition.
For example, if you are targeting low-income families, your prices will be lower than average. If you are targeting high-end clients, your prices will be higher than average.
Your positioning strategy should be determined by your USP. For example, if you offer the most affordable funeral services in town, you will want to position yourself as the “budget-friendly” funeral home.
No matter what your positioning strategy is, make sure your pricing strategy is competitive. Consider conducting a market analysis to see what other funeral homes with which you compete are charging for similar offerings.
Distribution Strategy
Your distribution strategy will determine how you get your funeral services to your target market.
For example, you may distribute your services:
- To individuals through a direct sales force
- To funeral homes and other businesses through wholesalers
- To the general public through retail outlets
- To people who are pre-planning their own funerals through online marketing
- To people who have recently lost a loved one through direct mail
Your target market segments should determine your distribution strategy. For example, if you are targeting people who have recently lost a loved one, you will want to distribute your services through funeral homes and other businesses that cater to this market segment.
Your distribution strategy is how you will get your marketing materials into the hands of your target market segments. There are many channels you can use to distribute your materials, such as:
- Direct mail
- Email marketing
- Social media
- Print advertising
- Online advertising
- Word of mouth
Offers
Providing offers through your business is a great way to entice customers to make a purchase.
For example, you may offer a:
- Discount to customers who pre-plan their funeral
- Free consultation to customers who are considering your services
- Free funeral planning guide to customers who sign up for your newsletter
By providing offers, you are giving customers a reason to do business with you. Offers can be used in conjunction with any type of marketing strategy (e.g., direct mail, online marketing, etc.).
Remember, your offers should be targeted to your specific market segments. For example, if you are targeting people pre-planning their funeral, you will want to offer a discount on your services.
Marketing Materials
Your marketing materials should be based on your unique selling proposition and target market segments. They should be designed to grab attention and generate interest in your business.
Some of the marketing materials you might want to create include product brochures, flyers, and website banners. You will also want to ensure your branding is strong and consistent across all your marketing materials.
Promotions Strategy
Your promotions strategy includes the methods you will use to attract new customers. It should be designed to generate excitement and encourage customers to try your business.
Funeral homes should consider the following promotional strategies:
- Sponsoring community events
- Participating in trade shows and expos
- Advertising in local newspapers, magazines, and online
- Creating a social media presence
- Developing marketing partnerships with other businesses
Digital Marketing Plan
In today’s digital age, it’s important to have a solid digital marketing plan. This will help you reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your business.
Some of the digital marketing tactics you might want to use include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing. You will also want to ensure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
Another digital marketing strategy is to create a blog. This is a great way to share valuable information with your target market segments. You can also use your blog to drive traffic to your website and generate leads.
Conversion, Referral, and Retention Strategy
Your conversion, referral, and retention strategy should be designed to keep customers returning. Consider offering loyalty rewards, discounts for referrals, and other incentives to encourage customers to continue using your business.
You will also want to make sure your customer service is top-notch. Respond quickly to any complaints or concerns, and always go above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
Financial Projections
Last but not least, you will need to create financial projections for your business. This will help you track your progress and ensure you are on track to meet your goals.
The key information to include in these financial projections are your monthly marketing expenditures and expected sales. Be sure to update your projections on a regular basis to reflect any changes in your business.
Summary
To succeed as a funeral home, you need a well-thought-out marketing plan.
By following these steps, you can develop a quality marketing plan that will help you successfully launch and grow your funeral home. Just remember to be creative, think outside the box, and always put your customers first. With a little hard work and dedication, you will be well on your way to success!