SAIF Golden Charter

NextGen plots the route ahead

Ronald Reagan once said: “Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we’ve ever known.” Being looked upon as a fourth “NextGen” funeral director, I find this is very relevant to my family’s business and our future in the profession.

I attended the SAIF NextGen gathering in London in September to meet and greet my future peers. Throughout the night we concluded that the funeral profession has drastically changed from how it was in our parents’ time, in particular in the marketing of our businesses. Funerals are no longer a taboo subject, and with the release of the Scottish Government’s funeral planning advice leaflet, I believe it falls to us to educate and inform our clients and community on what is available to them.

The marketing of Brodies had always been the same as our competitors, a black-and-white advert in local newspapers and the Yellow Pages stating merely an address and phone number. As a small to medium-sized family business with no one employed solely for marketing, I have undertaken the challenge of tactfully promoting Brodies through a variety of methods, both old and new. It has been said that doing business without a marketing plan is like driving without a map, risking making wrong turns leading to time-consuming costly errors. Hopefully, with fresh input and a plan in place, we now have sat nav.

With the advice of our Golden Charter Regional Sales Manager, methods of promotion that Brodies has introduced over recent years include the leaflet drop organised through relevant postcodes and clear office signage showing plan pricing and increases. These have boosted plan sales, and in 2015, Brodies won the Golden Charter Funeral Planner of the Year Award for our area. Sales have steadily dropped since, so it was time to try something new.

With funeral directors being notoriously old-fashioned, I felt it necessary to bring Brodies into the 21st century with the launch of a social media presence. As Cameron Dallas recently said: “Social media… it’s the future for the new generation.” Having this online presence seemed the most obvious route. My parents and I debated this route for a long while due to their undeniable concern it may not be well received – a problem I expected to face. Eventually I got us online without their full support, as a trial. Primarily through Facebook, a new-look website, and a TV advertising campaign, I have begun the process of softly promoting Brodies in our locality with a focus on the funeral plans we offer.

Our website details the plans catered to us by Golden Charter and has a contact form allowing clients to request a brochure, without having to speak to anyone over the phone or in person. I find this works well as many people in our target market are already bombarded with sales calls, junk mail etc. This new feature allows the family to come to us and not feel pressured into a hard sale.

The use of Facebook is completely different from website information; the status posts must be concise, informative and eye-catching to a user. The obvious nature of the industry deems typical engaging images and phrases inappropriate. I did not instantly start using Facebook as a sales tool; my posts were used to connect with our “likers” using old photos of generations before me and of our small villages.

After some research, I concluded financial incentives work well with Facebook advertising. A simple “money off” post with a time frame for the offer and a link back to our website generated positive feedback with comments such as “good to know” and 27 responses from our first “sponsored ad”.

When promoting funeral plans in today’s market, it is vitally important to be honest and transparent. I find clients have a fear that funeral plan companies are dishonest and will exploit their naivety as they are selling a financial product, not a funeral for their loved one. As funeral directors, we should aim to narrow the gap between the funeral plan providers and the public by providing the information requested from reputable sources.

Modern methods of communication may help us promote our businesses but they do not help us know what to say. It will always be up to us to tactfully promote and educate the public on the best options for them as individuals.