Common Funeral Home Marketing Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Marketing is a constantly moving target. There are a thousand ways to do it and no clear-cut path to success. It’s often a game of trial and error, which can be frustrating for businesses that are trying to reach more customers. Even though there’s no fool proof map to marketing success, there are several ways to hurt your marketing efforts before they even begin. Here are several marketing mistakes to avoid when promoting a funeral home’s services.

1. Your branding isn’t consistent

From your logo and brochures to your website and Facebook page, your brand’s look and voice should be consistent. Consumers respond to things that are familiar, and keeping a consistent appearance will help them more quickly associate your brand with your preneed services.

Simple Fix

Review all of your marketing materials (both print and digital) to make sure you are communicating with your audience the same way everywhere, no matter the service type. If you don’t currently have a brand voice, identify your most successful marketing material and work to mimic the tone in that piece throughout your marketing library. Another easy way to keep your branding consistent is to use the same logo and color scheme across every marketing piece.

2. You’re advertising to the wrong audience

It’s easy for business owners to assume they’re attracting a certain type of audience, but without reliable data, you can’t be certain. Not only is it possible you are marketing to the wrong audience, but you may also be putting too much effort into marketing channels that aren’t providing any return on investment.

Simple Fix

Take a deep dive into your data and find out which leads are turning into customers. Once you understand the demographics of your audience, divide it by the marketing channels that brought them to you. Did they attend a community presentation and fill out a survey? Did you connect with them on Facebook? Understanding who your customers are and where they are coming from will help you better align your marketing tactics.

3. You’re selling the service, not the benefits

Many funeral homes actively promote their preneed services, but they don’t promote why preneed is beneficial. Funeral professionals understand that preneed often reduces the financial and emotional strain on families during the worst moments of their lives, but many consumers don’t understand the tremendous gift advance planning can be for their families.

Simple Fix

Use your position within the community to discuss how preneed can help consumers, and try to put it in terms that align with their prospective. Customers purchase products and services that provide them with a benefit. 

It can be difficult to determine what’s working and what’s not when it comes to marketing. By following the guidelines above and sticking to your data, you’ll have an excellent view into your marketing results. For a deeper dive into your marketing or business tactics, contact your Homesteaders account executive.

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