@need Marketing Service and Such 2023

FAITH

CAITLIN

JENNY

HELLO

A warm welcome from our very own Michael Anderson.

WHAT WE DO

@need Marketing is a full-service marketing agency. From SEO to elaborate creative campaigns, we’ve got the tools to help you grow.

CHECK THIS OUT

An example of our full-service capabilities at work: a fun and creative community project that our team helped develop from the concepting stage to bringing the story to local and national outlets.

CASE STUDIES

A walk-through of a few of our past projects from beginning to end, detailing how our team worked through challenges and provided creative and effective solutions.

OUR WORK

An inspiring preview of some of the custom creative materials we have produced for our partners.

CORRINNE

OUR PROCESS

A helpful visualization of the process we go through with partners to help step up their marketing game to the next level.

SERVICES

A convenient breakdown of our quality services.

WE LOVE WHAT WE DO

Our history within the profession and experience outside the profession in marketing, media, and creative strategy poises us to out-think + outcreate other agencies in this space.

WORKING WITH US

We’re big enough to provide the services and support you need, but small enough to give you the personal attention you deserve. At the end of the day, we don’t just want you to love our work, but to love working with us, too.

A (VERY BRIEF) HISTORY

We began working on the at-need side of the business in 2012, developing creative campaigns and strategies for funeral homes while creating harmony between pre-need and at-need initiatives for our partners.

CHARLES F. SNYDER FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATORY // PA

BALLARD DURAND FUNERAL GROUP // NY

WEST COBB FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY // GA

CONCEPT TEAM PRESS RELEASE

RESULTS.

Case Study

We believe exemplary service, sincere guidance, and meticulous attention to detail are deserving of every family who experiences the loss of a loved one.

Wholeheartedly caring for the deceased and their loved ones creates an environment where healing can begin.

In recent years Hart’s had expanded its offerings in the form of two new brands: SardisHeard Funerals and Simply Cremation of Middle Georgia. Respectively, the brands are able to speak directly to three unique audiences: premium, value, and direct disposition. This expansion was key to better serving families, but clear boundaries needed to exist between the brands or Hart’s hard-earned spot as a market leader could be jeopardized.

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to exceed the expectations of the families we serve. To thoughtfully and thoroughly manage the process and details of arranging and planning so that loved ones and friends of the deceased can focus on gathering, sharing and healing.

Through strategic public relations and digital marketing efforts spearheaded by @need, the Sardis-Heard brand has connected with families who value gathering and service at a lower price point. By leveraging the Sardis-Heard and Simply Cremation brands, Hart’s has begun to chip away at their low-priced competitor’s call volume while maintaining the integrity of their historic premium brand.

BRANDING ASSETS

AVATAR/SEAL/MARK

We believe that every person experiencing a loss should be genuinely taken care of and walked through the process

A trusted funeral home with compassionate guidance in funeral and or memorial planning is essential for the healing process to begin. We provide practical options for honoring and celebrating every unique life.

We believe our community source of authority in funeral option of a basic alternative A simple, cost-effective, direct crematory with a guarantee will never leave our care.

Our mission is that each and every person that comes through the doors of our funeral home feels that they are genuinely taken care of. That they can gather, mourn, share and celebrate a life lived, knowing that we are handling every detail to help make an extremely difficult time a little less stressful and a starting point for healing.

Our mission is to provide cremation option to the families

We take very seriously the loved ones lost and no matter is chosen, there will always deceased will never leave Leaf Patterns

We believe that every person experiencing a loss should be genuinely taken care of and walked through the process thoroughly and thoughtfully.

A trusted funeral home with compassionate guidance in funeral and or memorial planning is essential for the healing process to begin. We provide practical options for honoring and celebrating every unique life.

Our mission is that each and every person that comes through the doors of our funeral home feels that they are genuinely taken care of. That they can gather, mourn, share and celebrate a life lived, knowing that we are handling every detail to help make an extremely difficult time a little less stressful and a starting point for healing.

We believe our source of authority option of a basic A simple, cost-effective, crematory with will never leave Our mission is cremation option

We take very loved ones lost is chosen, there deceased will

RESULTS.

Case Study

THE CHALLENGE.

For 150 years, Sharp Funeral Homes has served the Genesee County community in Michigan. Despite their prominence, the Sharps’ reputation and excellent service standards were not matched by their brand, which includes four funeral homes in the unique markets of Grand Blanc, Swartz Creek, Fenton, and Linden. Though they enjoyed steadfast brand loyalty from their direct community, they struggled to expand their reach and serve new families.

THE SOLUTION.

To create a cohesive and appealing brand identity that effectively communicated Sharp’s purpose, the @need team began at the core. An expanded color palette and softer embellishments helped make the Sharp brand feel more approachable, while an enhanced inbound marketing strategy allowed them to connect with families in diverse communities that were not historically served by the Sharp family. By helping manage the entire Sharp brand from creative development through to execution, including media planning and placement, @need was able to effectively target geographies outside the normal service area using creative approaches.

BRANDED ITEMS

Case Study

THE CHALLENGE.

The first to establish a funeral home in Akron, Ohio, Billow’s Celebrations, Cremations & Funerals is no stranger to their community. Keen to maintain their strong connection to families, however, Billow’s needed an avenue to communicate about their world-class service and opted to distribute that message with several billboards in their area.

THE SOLUTION.

@need’s concept team worked with Billow’s to develop consistent, effective messaging for billboards, which incorporated real reviews from their Google Business Profile and highlighted the award they won for Best Funeral Home. We then pulled that messaging through with an on-site video shoot that produced quality content for use on their website, YouTube, Hulu, and Facebook! Billow’s

funeral homes

embalming

caskets

funeral arrangements

funeral home

hearse

coffins

funeral flower arrangements

funeral costs

memorial cremation urns

urns for ashes

urns

funeral director

cost of cremation

cremation services

price funeral home

green burial

caskets for sale

casket prices

funeral planning

how much does cremation cost

memorial service ideas

funeral expenses

average cost of a funeral

natural burial

In an at-need situation, where do people go to find a funeral home?

GOOGLE STATISTICS 2020

Mobile Search Market 93.5% Desktop Search Market 89%

90% of people do not scroll beyond the first page

RESULTS.

Site Traffic 2.4k ▶14.3k

+596%

The number of users expected to visit the website in the following month on condition that average monthly organic traffic stays relatively the same.

Site Value 1.1k ▶5.7k

Estimated cost of organic keywords in Google Ads™.

Case Study

+518%

THE CHALLENGE.

Lord & Stephens has top facilities and has been the #1 funeral home in their market for quite some time - but they lacked a strong online presence to match their high call volume and brand prestige.

THE SOLUTION.

The @need team put together a few solutions to grow the online presence of Lord & Stephens. When we used paid search, we found that it was cannibalizing the organic search traffic rather than bringing in new business due to the strength of the brand, so we took another direction. The right balance for Lord & Stephens was a content strategy and SEO approach which resulted in continued, steady traffic growth.

Case Study

THE CHALLENGE.

Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services is a historic brand in western Michigan with years of experience in the profession. Despite being a well-established funeral brand in the community, Sytsema’s website traffic was flat and not receiving the volume it had the potential to achieve before partnering with @need.

THE SOLUTION.

@need’s specialists worked their magic on Sytsema’s website, strategically placing relevant keywords and auditing content to boost their ranking. By the end of the first year, Sytsema’s site traffic had jumped 125% and to date, their numbers have increased 2X and traffic cost has increased well over 4X.

Site Traffic 3.2k ▶12.3k

+384%

The number of users expected to visit the website in the following month on condition that average monthly organic traffic stays relatively the same.

Site Value 3.2k ▶15.2k

Estimated cost of organic keywords in Google Ads™.

+475%

RESULTS.

Site Traffic 1.8k ▶ 4k

+222%

The number of users expected to visit the website in the following month on condition that average monthly organic traffic stays relatively the same.

Site Value .671k ▶ 5.2k

Estimated cost of organic keywords in Google Ads™.

Case Study

+775%

THE CHALLENGE.

O’Donnell Cremations Funerals Celebrations is a premium brand with a rich history in the Boston area. O’Donnell had just renovated their Salem location and wanted to stay ahead of the competition by revamping their online presence through digital marketing and SEO efforts.

THE SOLUTION.

The @need team identified key search terms to elevate the ranking of O’Donnell in their market while keeping the site content fresh, streamlined, and informative. The diligent, research-based SEO strategy has paid off well, and the site experience has been designed to showcase their gorgeous facilities.

RESULTS.

Site Traffic 1.3k ▶ 2.5k

+192%

The number of users expected to visit the website in the following month on condition that average monthly organic traffic stays relatively the same.

Site Value 1.8k ▶ 4.4k

Estimated cost of organic keywords in Google Ads™.

Case Study

CLIENT NAME

Driscoll

THE CHALLENGE.

PROJECT NAME

+244%

THE SOLUTION.

Driscoll SEO PROJECT DATE

May 2020 - ongoing

Located in Haverhill, MA, Driscoll Funeral Home and Cremation Service has close-by competitors who have spent generations serving families in the area. Driscoll wanted to step up their online presence to showcase their compassionate, personalized service to families in order to remain competitive in the market.

The @need team helped Driscoll Funeral Home rise above the competition in rankings and search volume through strategic keyword-rich copy. Over the course of a year and a half, Driscoll has experienced a steady upward trend in traffic growth and site traffic value, and have taken over the number one spot in key location-based search terms within the market.

31.5% Total Quality Calls 181

The number of phone calls that led to new business opportunities for Gilbert Memorial Park.

Total Calls 575

This is the total number of phone calls generated by our paid search ads on Google™ and Bing.

This paid search campaign targeted 3 segments:

Case Study

THE CHALLENGE.

In 2019, Bunker Family Funeral Homes launched a brand-new, highly modern funeral home and cemetery in Gilbert, Arizona called Gilbert Memorial Park. As a new funeral brand who was doing things differently, it was imperative for Gilbert Memorial Park to make their introduction to the community as special as their facilities.

THE SOLUTION.

Create video(s) that capture the essence of this one-of-a-kind funeral home & cemetery. We spent two days shooting on-site and within the community. With these videos, we have reached many families through many mediums including Gilbert Memorial Park’s website, social profiles, Facebook advertisements, YouTube, Hulu advertisements, and more.

Our Work.

Comfort Campaign

+ what the campaign looks like

soft colorful hopeful + audience reaction

O’Connor takes care of everyone, not just the deceased

(entire family, community, expertise, comfort)

Client : O’Connor Mortuary

Date : 2019 - present

Our Work.

More and more women are becoming funeral directors, tearing down the stereotypes of a traditionally male-dominated profession.

WE ARE HONORED

to have such extraordinary, women funeral directors working with us

Women in Funeral Service

+ what the campaign looks like informative warm storytelling

+ audience reaction

I love that Snyder honored these women, I love their stories, I feel like I know them. (Maybe I would like to be a Funeral Director too.)

Client : Charles F. Snyder Funeral Homes & Crematory

Date : October 2020

JOIN US IN RECOGNIZING

Meet - Holly, Candice, Kelly, Tabitha, Summer, Samantha, Sharon, Jackie

We create beautiful collateral that no other funeral home will have, a final product that reflects the uniqueness of the funeral home.

We love promoting events, marking occasions, and spreading the news about our funeral homes. Nurturing the relationship with your community is vital whether you’re new to town or you’ve been there for decades, and we can help you keep the conversation going by supplying and distributing engaging press releases about your business.

Our campaigns are designed around the brand identity, direction, and goals of the funeral home. We can assist with placing ads that are created as part of the campaign.

Our incredible video crew captures the interior, exterior, and local highlights of a funeral home, obtaining plenty of footage to create evergreen clips and commercials. Our team compiles a variety of videos for use across TV, website, and online mediums.

Search Engine Optimization Paid Search Advertising Brand Work Turnkey Creative Blogs & Social Media

Through a variety of tested SEO strategies, we help our digital partners grow their site traffic over time. Marketing efforts for our partners revolve around making sure families can find the funeral home when they have an at-need situation, and to achieve this we help partners rank higher in search engines.

In addition to SEO efforts, many of our partners choose to utilize paid search advertising if they are in an especially competitive market or if they are expanding into new geographic markets. Our goal is to drive inquiries that your funeral home would not have received from organic SEO efforts alone.

With relevant, compassionate, funeral-industry focused content, we seek to both educate and also provide a connection point.

Your marketing is only as strong as your brand. From visual elements like colors and logos to the driving forces behind your business such as your mission and values, we love working with partners to identify what makes them different. Once we’ve identified the essence of your brand, our team will compile it all into a thorough brand book and/or style guide.

In addition to the market-specific, custom creative our team will create for you, we have broader turnkey creative that is ready for use in your funeral home. This includes brochures, display ads, signage, and more that provide information on cremation, pre-planning, hospice, and other common topics. Our off-the-shelf catalogue also includes holiday kits and veterans packages.

COPYWRITING

GREAT COPYWRITING IS ESSENTIAL

Great copy builds your funeral home’s image and recognizability.

Great copy sets you apart from competitors.

Great copy is SEO-friendly and helps families find you.

Great copy saves you from the negative consequences of poor copy.

Let us write some great copy for you.

ONBOARDING DISCOVERY

A quick phase in the overall story of our partnership, onboarding consists of all the necessary steps to build a solid foundation for the amazing things we’ll do together.

We’ll get to know your brand inside and out, from your preferred fonts to your 5-10 year business goals.

MARKETING STRATEGY MEDIA PLAN

Taking your market, competitors, and goals into account, we’ll create an iterative marketing strategy with optimized SEO, content, and paid search tactics.

A thorough media plan will be developed that identifies the best platforms for your objectives, as well as when and how much to focus on them.

BRAND AUDIT

Using what we learned in the discovery phase, we’ll go over your brand identity with a fine-toothed comb to ensure consistency and effectiveness anywhere it appears, making adjustments where needed.

CREATIVE

Ads, flyers, direct mail, billboards, business cards, social media posts, press releases, brochures, commercials—any creative material your funeral home needs, our copy and design teams can supply.

RESULTS // REVIEW // REPORTING // RETHINK

We’ll keep you in the loop on everything we do and the results with our constant, in-depth reporting and reviewing process, allowing everything we find to inform our next move.

EXECUTION

We pull every project through to completion, never stopping until your content is live, your advertisements are successfully placed, your mailers are sent, and so on. Just leave it to us.

“Ever since we signed up with @need, our organic search results improved dramatically, driving new business. We have also been thrilled with the print strategy and campaign the @need team designed for us.”

“When @need presented the O’Connor campaign to us, we fell off our chairs. We’ve been pitched many campaigns but never before had we been blown away by how beautiful and custom it was, and by how much they understood our brand.”

“They share an energy and passion for funeral service. We are doing something different at Gilbert Memorial Park and @ need has captured the essence of what we’re doing, particularly with their videography. They’ve generated new calls with their paid search strategy which has gotten us off to a good start.”

“Jenny McClanahan’s design talent is top-level, and her experience with funeral service allows her to look at creative problems through the eyes of the funeral director and consumer.”

BECKY LOMAKA O’CONNOR MORTUARY CA

BRYCE BUNKER GILBERT MEMORIAL PARK AZ

CHAD SNYDER CHARLES F. SNYDER FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATORY

SCOTT SYTSEMA SYTSEMA FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES MI

“There’s something special about what @ need Marketing is doing. Their paid search and SEO strategies have been integral in producing leads for us that result in real relationships with families we wouldn’t have reached otherwise.”

“We have divided our services into several different brands to meet the ever-evolving needs of families. @need Marketing has been integral in helping us manage the marketing of those unique brands, giving each a life of its own and helping us reach the families they were designed to serve.”

“The videos @need Marketing did for us are exquisite. They even made a few of my own staff tear up, and we’ve received a ton of great feedback from the community.”

“Our newest location’s open house was a success thanks to @need Marketing’s efforts, and we’re seeing increased leads from their SEO and paid search strategies. There’s no one else we would have coordinating our funeral homes’ marketing.”

O’DONNELL O’DONNELL CREMATIONS, FU -

CELEBRATIONS

MILTON HEARD HART’S MORTUARY AND CREMATION CENTER

NATHANAEL BILLOW BILLOW’S & BISSLER CELEBRATIONS, CREMATIONS, & FUNERALS

BILLOW

ROGER L. SHARP SHARP FUNERAL HOMES MI

ANTHONY

NERALS,

CREATIVE GROWTH MARKETING

Scan this code to grab a time on our calendar for a full @need overview!