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Why should I have a website?
Use of the internet continues to grow at a pace and as the world has changed it will not be going back to how it was so, as business owners, it is important to react to how customers behave.
Recent figures from The Office for National Statistics answer the question of ‘Why should a funeral director have a website?’ We can see that internet use in the 65 to 74 age group has increased from 52% in 2011 to 78% in 2017, closing the gap on younger age groups.
In Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2017, 89% of adults in the UK had recently used the internet.
How does a website help?
A website is not only an overview of your company but it should also be an informative platform to market and brand your company while engaging the public and their buying power. An informative website could attract approximately 100 visitors per month, relating that to 25 visitors per week then a funeral director in an area with five competing companies might hope to achieve five funerals.
Without a website potential customers could go to a competitor. This provides the professional image. Therefore your business will be available 24/7 365 days per year, even when the office is closed.
The quality of the website appearance and content reflects on the company and will be a deciding factor as to whether or not the phone call or visit to the funeral director is made. Trust is a significant factor. Think of the website as a live and interactive brochure – a website can ensure that existing and potential customers are kept up-to-date with new products, services, news and costs. Also to offer a transparent and personalised service including virtual tours.
If the funeral director has no or a poor website, or one that does not appear in search results, where does that leave him? In this digital age, having a website is key to moving forward.
Robert Burgess, from R J Burgess Funeral Director, said: “When I first had my website designed some years ago the use of smart phones and iPads were not a common factor. As time moved on I was made aware that increasingly members of the public were using smartphones to find information about funeral directors and the services we offer.
“I receive an email each month that details the amount of traffic that has used my website. The July 2017 report advised me that 34 people had directly visited the site and families have told me that they have used me after visiting the website.”
Martin, from Walker and Morrell Ltd, said: “Having a website has helped in getting our company high on Google searches, which helps us get new customers. However, most of our new customers are referrals through recommendations. Once upon a time the Yellow Pages was used to find our contact details, nowadays the public use the web to find what they are looking for.
“We have also found that a good and informative website reflects on ‘who we are and how we come across’.”
For more information on how to create a website to suit your needs, please contact either Mr Richards at Oak Technology Ltd on 0844 414 2199, email enquiry@funeralsoftware.co.uk, or Mr King at I-Netco Ltd on 0845 431 0463, email gerry@i-netco.co.uk.
Tags: demographics, digital, funeral director, internet, marketing, online, ONS, SAIF, statistics, website