The Meaningful Funeral - Issue 6 | Summer 2018 by Frazer Consultants

THE MEANINGFUL

FUNER AL A N E X C L U S I V E P U B L I C A T I O N by F R A Z E R C O N S U L T A N T S

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ISSUE 6

Table of Contents

Must-Know Funeral Profession Statistics and Trends

When it comes to cremation, it’s not always about cost.

The Funeral Director’s Guide to Statistics 2017 is here, and we break down some of the biggest opportunities and threats your funeral home faces.

Is Your Funeral Home Making the Most of Facebook? Facebook offers a lot of potential when trying to reach out to client families.

How Modern Marketing Principles Apply to Funeral Homes We all know that marketing is important to funeral homes, but are you going about your marketing the right way?

Six Reasons Families Are Choosing Cremation

to Know 28 Getting Frazer Consultants F E AT U R E A R T I C L E

Cremation: The New Traditional Funeral For many funeral directors, cremation is no longer a speck on the horizon, an emerging trend, or a growing trend — it is the disposition of choice.

Meet two members of our Frazer family — Vance and Katie — and see what insight they have about technology and the funeral profession.

Cremation Rate 30 NFDA: at an All-Time High The NFDA 2017 Cremation and Burial Report shows a clear message. As more and more families opt for cremation, it’s looking like cremation will be the future of the funeral profession.

Funeral Profession Trends and Predictions The funeral profession has seen a lot of change recently. As today’s families seek a more personal experience, their choices will continue to impact all aspects of funeral service.

How Your Funeral Home Can Make the Most of Video Marketing Video marketing is a major trend that will only continue to grow. If your funeral home isn’t using video yet, now is the time to consider it. They don’t have to be professionally-shot videos; just using your smartphone can go a long way.

Six Reasons to Update Your Funeral Home’s Website It’s not enough to just have a website. A website needs to be modern, and stay modern. Technology is changing incredibly fast — and if you don’t keep up, you lose out.

F E AT U R E A R T I C L E

How to Prepare Your Funeral Home for the Future As you can see from the statistics we show throughout this issue of The Meaningful Funeral, things are changing in the funeral profession — in more ways than one. With the rise of alternative funerals, cremation, personalization, and newer technology, today’s funeral homes need a plan to adapt in order to survive these changes and thrive.

How Data Can Identify Family Needs For a funeral director, success comes from how well you know your families.

How Your Funeral Home Can Make the Most of Twitter About 93% of people who follow small and mid-size businesses on Twitter plan to purchase something from that business, per Twitter and Research Now.

Letter from the Editor Dear readers, Welcome to The Meaningful Funeral magazine. Our goal with this magazine and its articles is to help your funeral home learn new skills, keep up with funeral trends, and serve your current client families in meaningful ways. This issue features a number of trends that are having an impact on the funeral profession. Throughout each article, we take a look at some of the statistics and break down what they mean for funeral homes now and in the near future. You’ll find information about the growth of cremation, marketing trends that funeral homes can and should take advantage of, and other funeral and small business trends. Want to read this issue or others on the go? We’ve got you covered. We’ve made every issue of The Meaningful Funeral available for free on our website, all you have to do is visit frazerconsultants.com/meaningful and click “Resources” at the top of the page. I hope that you enjoy reading this issue of The Meaningful Funeral, and I look forward to hearing your feedback as we continue to improve our magazine. If you have any suggestions for future magazine content, we would love to hear them — just email us at marketing@frazerconsultants.com. And if you really love our content, visit frazerconsultants.com/meaningful and sign up for our newsletter to have fresh content and funeral news delivered to your inbox every week!

M AT T F R A Z E R P R E S I D E N T, F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S

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06 | The Meaningful Funeral

Must-Know Funeral Profession Statistics and Trends The Funeral Director’s Guide to Statistics 2017 is here. From the continuing rise of cremation to the importance of Facebook, this guide published by Kates-Boylston Publications covers the latest trends within the funeral profession. Take a look at some of the key statistics we’ve highlighted that all funeral professionals should know in order to run a successful funeral home and best serve their client families and community. R I S E O F C R E M AT I O N

Increasing cremation rates shouldn’t come as a surprise, and they’re only going to continue increasing. Cremation Association of North America (CANA) 2016 cremation statistics show just how much cremation is increasing in popularity. The national cremation rate is now 50.1%, officially more than half of all U.S. deaths. Canada’s cremation rate is even higher at 70.2%. This could be due to several reasons, such as people not being as religious, the cost, personal preference, environmental friendliness, or other reasons. Currently, the top cremation states are Washington with a 77.1% cremation rate, Nevada at 76%, Oregon at 74.3%, Maine at 72.4%, and Hawaii at 72.2%. Additionally, the following states also have a cremation rate of 71% or higher: Montana, Wyoming, and New Hampshire. Looking back to 2012, there were eight states with cremation rates of 30% or less: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Arkansas, and Utah. Today, only three of those states still have cremation rates of 30% or less: Louisiana, Alabama, and Kentucky. Utah jumped all the way to the 51-60% range while the other states jumped to the 31-50% range.

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So what should your funeral home do with this information? If you haven’t already, you may want to consider obtaining your cremation license, so your business stays relevant to today’s families. Or, if you already provide cremation services, you can find new ways to create meaningful funeral experiences. For example, you can encourage families to have a visitation before the cremation and suggest releasing ceremonies for those who want to scatter the ashes. DESIRE TO PREPLAN

As of 2015, 69% of consumers wanted to preplan, but only 17% had done so, per the Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC)’s 2015 Study of American Attitudes Toward Ritualization and Memorialization. So there is a desire to preplan, but many families struggle when it comes to acting on those thoughts. That’s where your funeral home’s staff can come in and help with preplanning. You can educate your community about the importance of preplanning and how they can get started. According to many consumers, the top three reasons they would preplan would be to prevent emotional burdens on their children, prevent financial burdens on their children, and fulfill their personal responsibility. The last reasoning is what surprised many funeral professionals. Because it shows that people do understand the importance of funerals — but they may not know how to start planning. So how can your funeral home jumpstart the preplanning conversation? You can start by developing a preplanning marketing strategy that both informs families of your services and helps them preplan. Ask them questions to get to know their personality, beliefs, likes and dislikes, family traditions, and other factors that play a role in preplanning. The goal is to make preplanning more like a conversation than a lecture.

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I M P O R TA N C E O F FA C E B O O K

84% of funeral professionals surveyed said their firm has a Facebook business page, according to a survey of 171 funeral professionals. That means if you don’t have a Facebook page, then your competitors likely have one. But it takes more than just having a Facebook page and sporadically posting or posting nothing but obituaries. Facebook is a critical part of your funeral home’s online presence. A social media automation platform such as Hootsuite or Buffer can help create a consistent post schedule. You can schedule posts ahead of time, so you don’t have to log into Facebook every day to make a post. Whenever you have free time, you can schedule your posts and not have to worry about it later. Surprisingly, less than 5% of those surveyed said they’re using a social media automation platform. It’s a major timesaver that can make using social media so much easier. You also should boost your posts to reach more people and gain new client families for your funeral home. 45.5% of those surveyed boosted their firm’s posts, while 43.6% didn’t. (The other 10.9% of respondents don’t have Facebook.) Many funeral homes don’t make Facebook a priority in their marketing budget. 85.7% of those surveyed said less than 10% of their marketing budget goes to Facebook. This means they are missing out on potential client families on Facebook. So how can your funeral home efficiently use Facebook? Create a schedule for posts and decide which ones are the most important to boost. You can use a social media automation platform to make scheduling and organizing your posts much easier. Also, make sure you’re posting more than just your obituaries. You can share articles, blog posts, events, and other things related to funerals and grief.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

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10 | The Meaningful Funeral

Is Your Funeral Home Making the Most of Facebook? Facebook offers a lot of potential when trying to reach out to client families. To make sure you’re using Facebook to its fullest, we’ve compiled a list of marketing techniques that can help your funeral home grow. WAT C H Y O U R C O M P E T I T I O N

Steve Jobs once said, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” It’s always good to see what your competitors are up to. You can learn what they’re doing, what works for them, and how you can adapt and improve on their ideas for your funeral home. Facebook makes that easy for you to do. There’s a little-known feature called Pages to Watch that you can find on your Facebook page’s Insights tab. Pages to Watch lets you keep track of similar pages in the funeral profession and provides you with some analytics. You can see which of your competitors have a strong Facebook presence, and which posts are the most (and least) engaging. Use that data to help map out your own Facebook strategy. D R O P T H E H A S H TA G S

Recent studies show that using hashtags doesn’t work as well on Facebook as it does on other social networks like Twitter and Instagram. A 2016 report from the analytics company BuzzSumo studied more than one billion posts from 30 million different brand pages. Their results? Posts with hashtags received less engagement than posts without them. POST DURING PEAK ENGAGEMENT HOURS

If you post when your families are most likely using Facebook, they’ll be more likely to see it, meaning more engagement. And if you’re boosting your post, your advertising dollars go a little further. But when exactly is the best time to post? CoSchedule analyzed 16 different studies and found that the best time to post on Facebook is between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. It’s also better to post later in the week than

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it is on days like Monday or Tuesday. Posting around 3 p.m. can get you the most clicks, but posting around 1 p.m. can get you more shares. It’s also better to share inspirational and upbeat content on Fridays when people are happiest and save the more technical stuff for earlier in the week. Of course, these are general guidelines. For the best result, use your page’s Insights tab to get data on what times work best, and don’t be afraid to experiment with it. R E S P O N D TO F O L LO W E R S

Responding to comments and messages shows that your funeral home cares about families’ concerns and maintains an active presence online. As a result, it encourages more families to engage with your Facebook page. Remember that timing counts, and slow response times can discourage people from engaging with you in the future. Try to respond within at least 24 hours. Facebook will even reward your funeral home with a Very Responsive badge on your page, which will encourage more people to engage with you in the future. U T I L I Z E YO U R AU D I E N C E I N S I G H T S

The Audience Insights feature lets you collect information about your audience to help tailor your marketing. It even lets you use that data to help you build an even bigger audience. By using the feature, you can learn things like your audience’s age, gender, education, job, and their general lifestyle. U S E FA C E B O O K F O R V I D E O

Facebook is continuing to compete with other video sites like YouTube. They now allow you to directly load videos to Facebook as opposed to linking to them on YouTube. It might seem like a small feature, but a BuzzSumo study showed that videos directly embedded in Facebook get more engagement (about 10 times more) than those linked to YouTube.

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C RO W D S O U RC E I D E A S F RO M YO U R AU D I E N C E

Not sure what to write your next blog article about? Or when to host a community potluck? Or even what new services families would like to see adopted at your funeral home? Turn to your audience. Asking your followers is one of the easiest ways to grow engagement with your business page. It also shows you care about their opinions. The easiest way to go about this is to use Facebook’s Poll feature. U S E FA C E B O O K G R O U P S T O Y O U R A D VA N TA G E

The Facebook Groups feature works to bring people together around a common theme or idea. Your funeral home can create new groups to help to foster a greater sense of community. Some ideas for your Facebook Groups include connecting families with grief resources, or organizing reoccurring events, like perhaps a monthly community volunteer group. P I N YO U R P O S T S

Facebook also gives you the option to pin posts. Any post that you pin will always appear at the top of your Facebook page. It’s a great tool to announce a new feature or service or to make sure families see a great article you’ve recently written on your blog. SHARE USEFUL CONTENT

It’s one of the main reasons we have and use social media. We like to connect, converse, and share stories and ideas with each other. And that’s why many families follow a funeral home in the first place. They want to know more about you. You can share helpful howtos from your own blog, relevant stories about the community, or news about funeral service in general. The more compelling the content, the more you’ll grow your audience.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

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How Modern Marketing Principles Apply to Funeral Homes We all know that marketing is important to funeral homes, but are you going about your marketing the right way? HubSpot, a marketing technology company, and Olive & Co., a marketing design agency, released an infographic highlighting some important stats about reaching customers. Though this infographic is mainly targeted at marketers, the information is useful to many industries, including the funeral profession. Maximizing customer journey satisfaction increases revenue by 15%. The whole customer experience matters, and this really puts things into perspective. Who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t love to make 15% more in revenue? To maximize customer journey satisfaction, you can provide excellent service, build a strong presence across social media, reach

out to your community and make connections, follow up with client families, and improve your website with modern features. The average number of touchpoints required to convert a quality lead is six to eight. This statistic has a lot of marketing jargon, but simply put it means that a customer (quality lead) needs to encounter your brand (touchpoints) at least six to eight times before theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll use your services (convert). When it comes to marketing, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no longer sufficient to just put an ad in the paper or create a TV commercial. You should be using as many different media as makes sense for

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your audience in order to reach them the six to eight times necessary to convert them. These are some options: Facebook ads; Google My Business; TV ads; newspaper ads; strong social media presence; brochures in hospice centers, nursing homes, and hospitals; Google AdWords ads; and holiday remembrance programs. Brands that use personalization see sales increase by 19%. Personalization is not at all new to the funeral profession — it’s incredibly common now for families to want a unique way to celebrate their loved one. Instead of a basic service, families want to stay as true to their loved one as possible through personalization. This statistic definitely puts into perspective, though, how important personalization can be to the bottom line. If you’re finding services and products that match your client families’ wants and needs with a more personal touch, you could be making 19% more in sales.

16 | The Meaningful Funeral

A majority of transactions take place over at least two devices. This one may seem a bit far removed from the funeral profession, but it’s actually not. Though transactions are a bit different with funerals than with, say, buying a shirt; the idea that families are using multiple devices to make payments isn’t all that different. If your families are unable to make payments for your services on your website through desktop or mobile, you’re a bit behind. Of course, not every statistic mentioned in the infographic is useful to funeral homes. But these four highlight some of the most important modern marketing concepts that funeral directors should keep in mind while they try to reach more client families.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

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Cremation: The New Traditional Funeral For many funeral directors, cremation is no longer a speck on the horizon, an emerging trend, or a growing trend â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it is the disposition of choice.

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In the National Funeral Directors Association’s 2017 Cremation and Burial Report, the U.S.’s cremation rate reached an all-time high, surpassing the burial rate for the second year in a row. The report found that 50.2% of Americans chose cremation in 2016, which is up from 48.5% in 2015. Only 43.5% of Americans opted for burial in 2016. And the burial rate is expected to fall to just about 30% in the next eight years, as cremation rates continue to rise. By 2035, NFDA predicts cremation rates will hit 78.8%. In addition to this report done by the NFDA, the Cremation Association of North America published similar findings in the 2017 Funeral Director’s Guide to Statistics, in which they declared that cremation is the new American and Canadian funeral tradition. “It’s not a fad, it’s not going to reverse, and it’s not going to go away,” said Barbara Kemmis, executive director of CANA, in the article CANA Statistics Show Cremation Is the New Tradition that appeared in the 2017 Funeral Director’s Guide to Statistics. “Despite various efforts across the country, cremation rates have continued to rise steadily — not suddenly.” From 2011 to 2016, cremation rates grew by 7.8% in the U.S. and 7.5% in Canada. By 2020,

they predict the rate in the U.S. will reach more than 56% and almost 80% in Canada. What these numbers tell us is that we are finally at a time where cremation isn’t just an option, it is the new traditional funeral for many families in the U.S. and Canada. It is more important than ever for funeral homes to understand the implications this has on their business. C R E M AT I O N : T H E N A N D N O W

Most people understand what cremation is — it is the combustion, vaporization, and oxidation of human or animal remains. Cremation has been used for around 20,000 years, though it was only introduced in the U.S. in 1876, and it took years before it was viewed as acceptable. Fast forward about 140 years, and 50.2% of people are choosing cremations in the U.S. and 70.2% are doing so in Canada. But there are a lot of other numbers we can look at to get a better picture of just how big the cremation trend has become. For example, even though the 2015 national cremation rate was 48.6% in the U.S. and 68.8% in Canada, there were provinces and states with much higher cremation rates, as seen in the chart below.

Cremation Rates in 2015 U N I T E D S TAT E S

CANADA

Washington ..................................................... 77.1%

British Columbia ........................................... 84.1%

Nevada ............................................................ 76.0%

Yukon Territory ............................................ 73.1%

Oregon ............................................................ 74.3%

Nova Scotia .................................................... 73.9%

Maine ............................................................... 72.4%

Quebec ............................................................ 71.9%

Hawaii .............................................................. 72.2%

Alberta ............................................................ 70.8% Source: CANA 2017 Annual Statistics Report

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In addition to these states and provinces with high cremation rates, there also are several U.S. states with high volumes of cremations — California and Florida top the list with 161,226 and 123,649 cremations in 2015, respectively. After that, the numbers drop off significantly — Texas is next in line with 76,735 cremations in 2015.

To the consumer, these numbers are fantastic — who doesn’t want to save 50% on funeral expenses, especially when 50% means you save thousands? A phone shopper survey in the 2015 Edition of The Funeral Director’s Guide to Statistics by Johnson Consulting Group reveals that this might be a big part of why families choose cremation.

According to CANA statisticians, the rate of cremation grows very slowly from 0-40%, which is why up until now we haven’t seen this kind of growth.

One of the questions this survey posed to funeral directors was “Of the people shopping by phone, what are they typically asking for?” Respondents were given a list of choices, and they could indicate whether they were “most asked,” “sometimes asked,” or “least asked:”

These same statisticians indicate that from 4060%, the cremation rate grows very rapidly, which is why right now we are seeing so much seemingly rapid growth across the country. So, if there were ever a time to understand cremation’s effect on the funeral profession, it’s now — once the cremation rate hits 60%, its growth will slow and eventually taper off to around 80%. There has never been a better time for your funeral home to make a decision about whether or not to embrace cremation than now. W H Y A R E P E O P L E C H O O S I N G C R E M AT I O N ?

Though many people are opting for cremation, they are choosing to do so for a variety of different reasons. These reasons include the cost of cremation, the family’s desire to be more environmentallyfriendly, a decrease in the number of people who practice religion, and more. COST

In the 2014 Listening to Cremation Study created by David Nixon of Nixon Consulting, Inc., featured in the 2015 issue of The Funeral Director’s Guide to Statistics, found for the first time in 21 years the Cremation Recovery Percentage topped 50% at 50.1%. This means that for 21 years, the average cost of cremation was less than half that of a traditional burial.

Direct cremation pricing? Traditional burial services pricing? Price for least expensive funeral? Price for caskets? What does a funeral cost? Do you have packages? According to the results, when it came to direct cremation pricing, funeral directors answered with 91% most asked, 9% sometimes asked, and 0% least asked. By comparison, traditional burial services pricing was 13% most asked, 35% sometimes asked, and 52% least asked. At first glance, these statistics indicate that most people are only interested in direct cremation so that they can keep their funeral costs down. But according to Greg Hilgendorf, licensed funeral director and consultant with Johnson Consulting Group, these numbers can be very misleading. “Certainly we see phone shopping much more frequently in the high cremation markets — Florida, California, Arizona, Nevada, etc.,” he said to explain. “The frequency of phone shopping seems to have a direct correlation with the cremation rate.”

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So while these results indicate that most people seem to call a funeral home to ask about direct cremation, these findings have a lot to do with the fact that most people who call to ask about funeral services also happen to live in areas with higher-than-average cremation rates.

change the form of the body that God has given through such violent means as cremation.

E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY- F R I E N D LY

Between 2007 and 2014, there was a 6.7% increase in people who consider themselves unaffiliated with a Christian faith. There also was a 1.2% increase in people who consider themselves a part of a non-Christian faith. According to Pew, about one in five adults in the U.S. are unaffiliated with any major religion.

Many people these days are making more of an effort to be environmentally-friendly — driving electric vehicles, recycling more often, using more sustainable food sources, etc. This trend doesn’t stop at death. A lot of people are choosing to go with cremation because they see traditional burials as wasteful and harmful to the environment. They want to avoid using embalming fluid and casket materials like metal and wood, or save cemetery space for more practical uses like farming. It’s estimated that each year we bury enough metal to build the Golden Gate Bridge, enough wood to build 1,800 single-family homes, and enough embalming fluid to fill eight Olympicsized swimming pools. This is something that doesn’t sit well with many Americans, so they turn to cremation as an alternative. PEOPLE ARE LESS RELIGIOUS

Historically, religious views have been one of the biggest reasons why people have chosen against cremation. And Catholicism has been especially fervent against the practice — it wasn’t until 1963 that Pope Paul VI lifted the ban on cremation for Catholics, though cremation had already been in practice in the U.S. since 1876. Even now, when Catholics do choose cremation, their ashes cannot be scattered. The ashes must be interred or entombed just like any other traditional burial. But Catholics aren’t the only religion with negative views of cremation — members of both the Jewish and the Muslim faith do not cremate either — or embalm, for that matter. For many religions, it is seen as disrespectful to

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But according to the Pew Research Center, the religious landscape in the U.S. is changing. And for many, the change in landscape involves a shift away from the Christian faith.

And, as expected, with this shift away from religion also comes a shift away from some of the beliefs that might prevent someone from choosing cremation. According to the CANA webinar “How to Talk with Cremation Families” hosted by Barbara Kemmis, executive director of CANA, 91% of people without religious affiliation will choose cremation. This means that the ever-growing number of people without religious affiliation will have a real impact on the number of people choosing cremation. H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N A N D M O B I L I T Y

Kemmis also stated in her webinar that a growing number of people who receive higher education also are turning to cremation. She relates this to the fact that many people seek higher education outside of their hometowns, and thus lose their desire to stay connected to that place upon their death. This loss of relationship with a hometown also is a big factor in why many choose cremation, because they don’t feel the need to return to a certain location to be buried. Cremation allows them to stay with family or be scattered in many different places that had meaning to them in their life.

With a shift away from religion comes a shift away from some of the beliefs that might prevent someone from choosing cremation.

WA N T T O R E A D M O R E ?

Download the rest of our free guide on important cremation statistics and how your funeral home can adapt.

frazerconsultants.com/ tmf-cremation I M M I G R AT I O N

Another CANA finding that Kemmis brought up was the fact that, despite popular belief to the contrary, many immigrants choose cremation. This is for a number of reasons, but she believes it has a lot to do with the fact that immigrants are open to accepting the culture of their new country, including funeral practices. Kemmis also believes that many immigrants choose cremation so that their remains can be more easily returned to their home country if those are their final wishes.

CONVENIENCE

Many people think that a cremation is more convenient for their families, because they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to plan a funeral. Though they want to lessen the burden on their loved ones after their death, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize that they also might be taking away an opportunity for them to celebrate their life and grieve for them. ď&#x20AC;ź

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Six Reasons Families Are Choosing Cremation When it comes to cremation, it’s not always about cost. For some families, there are a lot of reasons for choosing cremation over traditional burials. And as the cremation rate keeps climbing, it’s important for funeral professionals to understand all the reasons people are choosing cremation. C R E M AT I O N : I T ’ S N O T A T R E N D , IT’S THE FUTURE

In the 1950s, only around 4% of Americans were cremated. Burial was the predominant means of disposition. Fast forward to today, and more Americans are getting cremated as opposed to being buried, according to the NFDA. And cremation is still growing. In 2017, the cremation rate was projected to hit more than 50%. And by 2030, it’s expected to be more than 70%. For some states like Washington, Oregon, New Hampshire and Nevada, the cremation rate is already well over 70%. In a press release on the 2016 NFDA Cremation and Burial Report, NFDA President Bob Arrington said that “To us and the families we serve, cremation isn’t just a ‘trend.’” W H Y T H E R I S E I N C R E M AT I O N ?

It’s more than just money. While cremation costs only a portion of what traditional burials cost, families also are choosing cremation for other reasons. THE RISE OF THE NONES

A lot of our funeral traditions stem from our religion — especially when it comes to burial. But America is shifting toward secularism as more Americans are claiming they have

no affiliation with any particular faith, belief system, or religious group. Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study found that these unaffiliated, or “nones,” now make up around 23% of American adults. In fact, “nones” make up the second-largest group in North America, overtaking Catholics, mainline protestants, and others. As this group of unaffiliated grows, they are choosing new traditions when it comes to dying. And for many, that means cremation over traditional burial. RELIGIOUS RULE CHANGES

Another reason for choosing cremation is that many religions have gotten more relaxed about the rules. While historically religions such as Catholicism or Judaism have opposed cremation, they have changed their stance in recent years. Some church-owned cemeteries have even started offering new columbariums to store the ashes of the deceased. E N V I R O N M E N TA L C O N C E R N S

Concerns regarding the environment and land availability also have driven people to cremation. The Funeral Consumers Alliance found that the second most popular reason that people in America choose cremation is it preserves land. Others want to limit their

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carbon footprint after death, and they see cremation as a greener or more eco-friendly option than burial. There are even movements to push for a greener cremation, as seen in the rise of alkaline hydrolysis, which involves the process of dissolving the body in a machine with a saltwater solution.

they used to and more families are spread out across the country. With cremation, families aren’t tied down to a specific cemetery or location. They can scatter the ashes, or bring the urn containing their loved one with them when they move. C U S T O M I Z AT I O N

FLEXIBILITY

Another reason cremation is so popular is that it allows families more time to plan a memorial service. Cremation takes away any time constraints that a burial might have. That extra time allows for a no-rush approach to planning a service. FA M I L I E S A R E A L L O V E R

In the past, burials were simple because a family could easily gather at their local community church. And after the burial, they could still visit their loved one in the cemetery. But today, families aren’t living as close together as

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One of the biggest reasons a family chooses cremation is because of the near-endless customization it brings. Families can choose to remember their loved one in a way that’s fitting to them. It goes hand in hand with the rise of personalization — another top trend, according to the NFDA. Families can have custom-made urns, incorporate their loved one into an ocean reef, use a loved one’s cremated remains to make their favorite vinyl record, or even send their ashes into space.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

frazerconsultants.com/meaningful

FRAZER WEBSITES

Websites that are beautiful on every screen. Frazer offers responsive website design, which means your funeral home’s website responds to every screen it’s viewed on. Whether it’s a mobile phone, tablet, or desktop, you can be sure your site will be both functional and beautiful. C A L L T O R E Q U E S T A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N T O D AY !

W W W. F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S . C O M

866-372-9372

I N F O @ F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N TMeaningful S.COM The Funeral

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Getting to Know Frazer Consultants Meet two members of our Frazer family — Vance and Katie — and see what insight they have about technology and the funeral profession.

BEST PRACTICES

One of the most common questions I get is, “Why do all websites look the same these days?” And it’s a legitimate question, because many do. But there is good reason for it. More and more sites are switching to a responsive design, which is a design that responds to whatever screen it’s viewed on — whether that’s desktop or mobile.

NAME ROLE

Vance

Sales Rep

YEARS

Five

W H AT I D O AT F R A Z E R

I’m one of the sales representatives at Frazer, so I spend most of my time talking to funeral homes about their business and trying to show them ways that Frazer can help them save money, save time, and serve their families in meaningful ways. S H I F T S I N T E C H N O LO G Y

One topic that I spend a lot of time talking to funeral directors and funeral home owners about is how technology is constantly evolving. In particular, websites are seeing a big change toward more simplistic, more mobile-friendly designs. More people are using their phones to look up information online, especially local information like what funeral homes are in their area. So it’s more important than ever that funeral homes understand that need and address it.

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Responsive designs all follow the same basic rules, because they have to be coded a certain way in order to shrink down or expand the way they’re supposed to. Most responsive designs also cut down on the amount of content and the size of the content, and opt for a more simplistic look, because it makes the mobile experience better for the users. It’s easier to navigate and easier to read. Because most companies follow the same best practices when it comes to responsive design, it can sometimes lead to websites looking similar. Especially since all major companies and businesses are switching to responsive to stay relevant. But that doesn’t mean these websites can’t be customized and unique to each company. RESPONSIVE SITES FOR FUNERAL HOMES

Our designers have done a great job developing responsive websites for our clients at Frazer. But beyond making sure they function well on mobile, they’ve also made sure to keep the ability our clients have always had to completely customize their sites. We know how important it is to have a site that really showcases your funeral home’s brand and gives your families a positive experience with your firm. 

THE DESIGN PROCESS

When redesigning the obituaries, we focused on more than simply making them beautiful and functional on all mobile devices. It was essential to improve the overall experience created when families visit the obituary of a loved one.

NAME ROLE

Katie

UI Designer

YEARS

Five

W H AT I D O AT F R A Z E R

I lead a team of designers that are responsible for creating our digital products — websites, online obituaries, funeral payment tools, etc. Everything we design is made with the user’s experience in mind, whether that user is a client or one of the families they serve. We put a lot of thought, research, and testing into all of our creative work to guarantee those experiences are positive ones. REDESIGNING OBITUARIES

Redesigning the obituaries on our website platform to be responsive — meaning welladapted for desktops, tablets, and other mobile devices — has been a major task for my team this past year. But why is this so important? It’s important because having a responsive website design allows the families you work with to have a better online experience and benefits search engine optimization as well.

First, we wanted to honor tradition. It was important that the experience not be wildly different from what families expected of an online obituary. Knowing many of our users would be facing difficult circumstances, it was key that our design be familiar, comforting, and simple. All the information a family could need, like ceremony and obituary details, had to be clear and easily accessible. Secondly, the heart of our design had to revolve around allowing families to tell their story about their loved ones. The easy-touse personalization options invite visitors to contribute condolences, memories, pictures, and more. It’s our way of giving families the means to capture their loved one’s unique story online. MAKING IT JUST RIGHT

Once my team assembled a prototype, we did a lot of user testing. We tested the obituary internally, with friends and family, and we even enlisted the help of anonymous testing groups with no bias or prior knowledge of the Frazer website platform. We recently started introducing the new design to our clients’ websites and have gathered a lot of great feedback. Knowing we’ve created something that will positively impact a family’s online obituary experience is something we’re really proud of. 

We know how important it is to have a site that really showcases your funeral home’s brand.

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NFDA: Cremation Rate at an All-Time High The NFDA 2017 Cremation and Burial Report shows a clear message. As more and more families opt for cremation, it’s looking like cremation will be the future of the funeral profession. C R E M AT I O N R AT E S R I S E

These numbers shouldn’t come as a surprise. In fact, they reflect what the NFDA has been talking about for the past few years — cremation is overtaking traditional burials in the U.S. and Canada. Cremation rates are at an all-time high. In 2015, the cremation rate sat at 48.5% and burial at 45.4%. In 2016 — for the second year in a row — cremation overtook burials, with the cremation rate at 50.2% while the burial rate dropped down to 43.5%. NFDA expects that this is only the beginning. In just 20 years, they project cremation rates to sit at 78.8%. They also predict that in the next eight years the cremation rate will exceed 50% in 44 states. In those same eight years, burials will drop to just 30.3%. T R E N D S I M PA C T I N G C R E M AT I O N R AT E S

So why do more families choose cremation? There is no single answer. Several factors are behind this surge in the cremation rates. In their report, the NFDA lists two main factors — religion and age. As the number of nonreligious people grows, they are more likely to choose a nontraditional funeral service such as cremation. And those 80 and older are more likely to opt for burial. But Baby Boomers

30 | The Meaningful Funeral

(which will soon make up a growing number of the funeral service marketplace) are opting for cremation at a higher rate than burial. Age and religion are just two factors. There are, in fact, a lot of different reasons that people are choosing cremation, such as time. Cremation offers more time for families to gather, especially if they live in different states, and plan a memorial service. Cremation also typically costs less than a traditional burial. And some people choose cremation to lessen the impact they’ll on the environment. There’s also the flexibility aspect that draws people to cremation. It allows for flexibility and customization of services. From unique scattering/releasing ceremonies to unique memorial keepsakes, there are more people choosing cremation because of the different personalization options available. M A N Y FA M I L I E S U N AWA R E O F O P T I O N S AVA I L A B L E

As the cremation rate grows, it’s important for your families to understand the options available to them. But the opposite remains true. The NFDA found that most families are unaware of their options when it comes to cremation. The report found that less than half of Americans associate cremation with a memorial service. And only 11.8% associated

cremation with a viewing of the body. In 2015, the NFDA found that only 37% of cremations had a memorial service. Within a statement released by the NFDA, President Ashley Cozine said “This shift has prompted many funeral homes to expand their service offerings to meet the emerging needs of consumers who prefer cremation… Our role as a funeral director is to help make sure families understand all of the options available to them and commemorate the life of their loved one in a meaningful way regardless of whether they choose burial or cremation.” The biggest takeaway is that funeral homes need to help their families create new rituals when it comes to cremation. We all know the important role a funeral has in the healing process. With direct cremation, families lose that important healing ritual. Funeral directors need to spread awareness and show families they have memorial service options available when it comes to cremation.

E M B R A C I N G C R E M AT I O N

If you want your funeral home to remain competitive in the next 20 years, you will need to embrace cremation. Add more value to the cremation process by offering enhanced aftercare programs and grief support. Or consider offering some custom urns or other cremation memorials. You also can start creating new rituals with cremation, like a few types of personalized ash releasing ceremonies or adopting new eco-friendly urn options. Implement more personalization options as well. Whether it’s a traditional burial or cremation memorial service, your families want a ceremony that uniquely reflects their loved one. Also, make it easier for families to afford the memorial services they want. Financing programs such as Tribute Loans offer families affordable and flexible options.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

frazerconsultants.com/meaningful

The Meaningful Funeral | 31

Funeral Profession Trends and Predictions The funeral profession has seen a lot of change recently. As todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s families seek a more personal experience, their choices will continue to impact all aspects of funeral service.

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C R E M AT I O N C O N T I N U E S T O C L I M B

It’s not the boldest prediction, but might be the most accurate. Cremation rates will continue to grow, beating out burial as America and Canada’s preferred method of disposition. But as we have learned from NFDA, cremation isn’t necessarily the problem. The real issue is that a majority of Americans are unaware of the full spectrum of options available when choosing cremation. The 2017 NFDA Cremation and Burial Report found that “many consumers are not aware that cremation can be accompanied by a memorial service or viewing. Less than half of Americans associate cremation with a memorial service, and just 11.8 percent associate cremation with a funeral that includes a viewing. Over half of Americans (52.2 percent) are not aware that, as part of a funeral with cremation, they can view a body that has been prepared but is not embalmed.” Your funeral home shouldn’t focus on trying to combat cremation. Instead, your funeral home needs to focus on understanding why families choose cremation, as well as educating families about all the options available to them when choosing cremation. P E R S O N A L I Z AT I O N

Personalization is another trend that shouldn’t come as a surprise. 62% of families want a personalized funeral service. Baby Boomers are driving the trend. They feel that personalized services are a valuable and meaningful part of the grieving process. In 2018, the number of Boomers older than 65 is estimated to reach more than 52 million. As more Boomers age, the demand for a more personalized funeral experience will continue to grow. A D VA N C E D F U N E R A L P L A N N I N G

As people look to personalize their final chapter, they’ll also want more of a role in the planning process. You can expect more families to take an active role in funeral preplanning. But don’t expect families to just start showing up at your funeral home. You’ll need to take a proactive approach as well. Find new ways to educate the community and create campaigns about funeral preplanning. S P E C T R U M O F C A R E B E C O M E S M O R E I M P O R TA N T

Another trend that’s continuing to impact the funeral profession is that Americans are more open to discussing death and dying. In the past, it’s been a bit of a social taboo. But new movements, such as Death Over Dinner, Before I Die, and the Order of the Good Death, are helping us open up and talk about dying. One of the biggest questions these death-positive movements are

The Meaningful Funeral | 33

asking is, what makes a good death? And the answer revolves around the spectrum of care. We should expect to see more of an emphasis placed on the spectrum of care — meaning families will look for funeral professionals that are involved both before and long after the funeral service. To prepare for this trend, your funeral home should invest in building meaningful relationships with hospice professionals and their patients. This helps establish important connections with families before the funeral. These connections help a funeral director learn more about a person, their experiences, and how they want to be remembered. Your funeral home also should begin focusing on creating meaningful and comprehensive aftercare programs. Aftercare is the key to strengthening relationships with families. And it helps in establishing community trust. A LT E R N AT I V E S E R V I C E S

The NFDA’s 2017 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Study also revealed that alternative funeral services are gaining ground. Expect to see more green funerals, home funerals, and

34 | The Meaningful Funeral

other nontraditional services becoming even more popular. How can your funeral home prepare for these alternative services? Just as with cremation, the answer is in educating your families. Your funeral home should focus on educating families about the important role a funeral director has in guiding the bereaved and helping create unique rituals to honor their loved ones. H I G H -T E C H F U N E R A L H O M E S

Another trend that funeral homes simply can’t afford to ignore anymore is the digital face of the funeral profession. Technology impacts all aspects of funeral service. It impacts how families research their options and resources. It affects how families reach out and connect with funeral homes. It even impacts the way we memorialize our loved ones after they are gone. Your funeral home needs to adapt to digital trends, or it risks losing families to competitors that already have.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

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T R I B U T E LOA N S

Offer the flexibility your families need with Tribute Loans. With financing, families can afford to give their loved ones the send-off they deserve. Offering financing directly on your website means one more service you offer families, and it also means your funeral home gets paid up front. C A L L T O R E Q U E S T A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N O F T R I B U T E L O A N S T O D AY !

W W W. F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S . C O M

866-372-9372

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How Your Funeral Home Can Make the Most of Video Marketing Video marketing is a major trend that will only continue to grow. If your funeral home isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t using video yet, now is the time to consider it. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be professionally-shot videos; just using your smartphone can go a long way. V I D E O M A R K E T I N G S TAT I S T I C S

99% on YouTube as of June 2017. And 64% of

We did some research to show you just how important video marketing is for your funeral home. Per Wordstream, one-third of online activity is spent watching videos. And 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week. By 2019, video traffic is estimated to be 80% of all consumer internet traffic.

consumers make a purchase after watching

And per tubularinsights, branded video content views have increased 258% on Facebook and

You should choose the video type that best reflects your topic and the way you want to

36 | The Meaningful Funeral

branded social videos. Video marketing can help your funeral home gain more online engagement and, ultimately, potential client families. Plus, there are many video types you can choose from. VIDEO TYPES AND IDEAS

present your knowledge on the subject. For example, here are just a few of many types of videos: how-to tutorials — such as how to preplan your funeral; interview-based videos — such as an interview with a grief counselor; screen shares — such as showing products and services on your funeral home’s website; short videos of someone talking — such as a staff member’s story of how they were called to the funeral profession; and longer videos featuring a significant topic — such as your funeral home’s payment options like crowdfunding, loans, and life insurance assignments. VIDEO AND SOCIAL MEDIA

We mentioned earlier how 45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook and YouTube videos a week. These two social media platforms are both good choices for sharing your funeral home’s videos. If you’re sharing them on YouTube, you want to include metadata like a video title, description, and tags. You should treat your tags like keywords. For example, if you make a preplanning video, here are a few of the tags you may want to include: (your funeral home

name), funeral, funeral home, preplanning, funeral planning. However, don’t include these tags in your description. That’s for briefly describing what your video is about. Keep in mind that only the first 180 characters will show before users have to click “show more” to see the rest. So if your call to action is to click the link in the description, make sure it shows before the “show more” button by including it in the first 180 characters. If you’re sharing them on Facebook, you can choose a call to action button you can include with your video. Facebook has prewritten text to choose from for your button. These are the ones your funeral home is most likely to use: contact us, download, learn more, request time, shop now, and watch more. For example, for a preplanning video, your call to action may be for them to click “contact us” and then schedule a preplanning appointment.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

frazerconsultants.com/meaningful

The Meaningful Funeral | 37

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How to Prepare Your Funeral Home for the Future In this edition of The Meaningful Funeral, it’s all about the numbers. As you see from the statistics we’ve shown in the articles throughout this issue, things are changing in the funeral profession — in more ways than one. With the rise of alternative funerals, cremation, personalization, and newer technology, today’s funeral homes need a plan to adapt and survive these changes.

The Meaningful Funeral | 39

So how exactly can your funeral home not only prepare for, but remain profitable in the constantly-evolving funeral profession? You can start by embracing these changes facing the profession and using them to build new revenue streams.

That’s a pretty intense term. But it does have some sense to it. What it means is that the revenue your funeral home generates is likely to grow very slowly, or even decline in some cases, while the costs to run and operate a funeral home will only increase.

Dave Balter, the CEO of the memorialization company Mylestoned, wrote an article for Medium in which he explored the numbers facing our profession. The outlook? Not good.

After adjusting for inflation, Balter’s numbers found that even as the death rate increases, families’ spending on funerals will decrease as they choose alternatives like green burials and cremation. An NFDA Cremation and Burial report found that growth and profit for funeral homes in the coming years is going to be extremely slow as cremation rises.

Balter suggests that the deathcare profession is entering what he coined as a “cash flow death spiral.”

People are willing to pay a premium if they leave feeling satisfied about their experience.

Balter suggests that while the total funeral profession brought in $21 billion in 2015, it could drop to just $16 billion in 20 years. That means funeral homes will see a steady decline in profits of up to 25% for the next two decades. And it’s the small, independent, and familyowned funeral homes that are likely to get hit the hardest. But only if they aren’t prepared. One of the best ways you can prepare for the shifting dynamics is to add alternative highvalue services to your funeral home’s list of offerings in order to create additional sources of revenue that will boost your bottom line. B U I L D I N G YO U R B OT TO M L I N E B Y O F F E R I N G NEW SERVICES

Additional high-value services will make up for lost profit in other areas, such as when a family opts for cremation over traditional burial. These additional services not only create more opportunities for new revenue streams, but they create opportunities to offer families more value. Offering more value leads to profit. And it’s important to understand that profit isn’t a dirty word — it’s necessary for any business to make a profit. It’s how you keep your doors open and continue to serve the community. Think about a restaurant. People don’t come to a restaurant to swap their money for food. They can do that at a grocery store for less money. People come to a restaurant because of the value it provides. This value is often unseen, but it’s there. That added value is in the care of the chef who perfectly crafts the menu and each dish. Or the wait staff that works tirelessly to provide you with a satisfying experience. Or think of it as a tax accountant. Let’s say a tax accountant charges a set price of around $500. But through the accountant’s expertise,

they can end up saving us $2,000 — and that’s not all. While $2,000 is a tangible amount, the accountant also saves us time and stress from doing our own returns, and peace of mind knowing it was done right. The value of the transaction is way more than the original $500 payment. And that’s why people are okay paying that $500 in the first place. People are willing to pay a premium if they leave feeling satisfied about their experience. That’s how value creates profit. So although cremation (or other alternative funeral trends) may cut into profit margins, introducing some premium services will foster a more financially secure future for your funeral home. What are some ways your funeral home can start adding on high-value services? As it turns out, there are a lot. For example, your funeral home can look at enhancing your aftercare program, offering pet memorial services, and expanding your event planning. Your funeral home also can utilize technology to grow. For example, using an e-commerce store on your website, where you sell memorial products and funeral flowers, or improving your payment platform to give families multiple ways to pay for services and keepsakes are both strategies that can help build and improve your funeral home’s bottom line. 

WA N T T O R E A D M O R E ?

Download the rest of our free guide with multiple strategies for preparing your funeral home for the future.

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The Meaningful Funeral | 41

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B U I L D C R E D I B I L I T Y W I T H FA M I L I E S

KEEP UP WITH COMPETITION

Remember, a website shouldn’t just work for you — it needs to work for families, too. That means giving them what they want. If your site doesn’t work on mobile, loads slowly, or isn’t easy to navigate, then you’re setting yourself up to miss out on that family’s business. Fox Business found that 91% of consumers said they would avoid a business if it appeared their technology was out-of-date.

At the rate that technology changes, a modern website is crucial to staying on top of the competition. If 2008 was the last time your website provider rolled out any new features, you should probably consider investing in a website that provides you the modern features families want.

INCREASES SEO

An updated site also is more visible in search engine rankings than an older site. As it turns out, slow loading times don’t just hurt trust with families, they hurt your rankings with Google and other search engines. The same is true for not being mobile-friendly. MORE EFFICIENT NETWORKING

One of the main reasons for a funeral home website is to network and communicate with families in the community 24/7. Less families are picking up the phone, as they prefer to get their answers online. 81% of potential customers will do research online about a business, and that ultimately influences their purchasing decisions. Modern websites also should be integrated with social media too. Forbes found that 78% of people are directly influenced by a business’ social media posts — meaning social media engagement is key to bringing in more client family business. Your blog posts, obituaries, and business information should be found easily on Facebook and other outlets.

INCREASES ROI

Integrating convenient payment options and e-commerce stores with your website can open up even more doors of revenue and also increase your opportunities to get paid. THE NUMBER ONE REASON

Ok, so those are some pretty big reasons to invest in a modern website. But what is the biggest and most important reason? A modern website is critical in maintaining your digital security for your funeral home and the families that use it. An outdated site is a security risk. An article in Forbes found that, on average, 30,000 websites are the target of hacks each day. The main reason a small business is targeted is because of an outdated website or security system. You can create stronger passwords or encrypt your WiFi, but if your funeral home website is getting up there in age, it may be time for an update — or a switch to a provider that offers regular updates for you.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

frazerconsultants.com/meaningful

The Meaningful Funeral | 43

How Data Can Identify Family Needs For a funeral director, success comes from how well you know your families. The more you know about your families and the community, the better level of service you can provide them. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just go with your gut. Take a look at the data â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it can help your funeral home prepare for future changes, stay competitive, and provide the services families want.

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P O P U L AT I O N

Population is an easy place to start. Why does the population matter? Well, if your town is shrinking, that’s going to mean your funeral home’s call volume will too. On the flip side, if the town’s growing, your funeral home will have to make sure it has the resources to meet the growing population. That could include expanding to more locations. There’s an article published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about this exact situation. The article shows how after an interstate displaced residents in one area of the city, 17 funeral homes either shut down or moved. The article found that population shifts are a huge cause for why funeral homes close. AGE

The age demographics of your community members are another important consideration. These generational differences — more often than not — mean a big difference in funeral desires and traditions. If you live in a rural community with a population of mainly older generations, then the services you provide will most likely be traditional. But if it’s a town filled with younger Baby Boomers and Gen Xers, you might need to start providing more outside-the-box services. The younger generations are changing the “traditional” funeral. New funeral trends are coming from all directions — green funerals, higher cremation rates, more personalized services. And Millennials are now the largest generational group in America, beating out even Baby Boomers. By keeping an eye on the age demographics in your town, your funeral home can not only provide services families want but adapt to the future changes as well.

religious makeup and to keep track of changes in that makeup. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to funerals. And ethnicity and religion both play a role in shaping funeral ceremonies. For example, some Catholics allow cremation, but the ashes have to be either buried or placed in a mausoleum. And for a Muslim funeral, neither embalming nor cremation is allowed. For Hmong funerals, the services can last as long as three or four days. While Korean-Americans prefer to hold a funeral three days after a death or longer, depending on the social status of a person. Look at the data nationally — according to the Pew Research Center, by 2055, there will be no single ethnic majority in the United States. Just the Hispanic population alone is expected to double by 2050, reaching 119 million. Even just from 2015 to 2025 the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that the Hispanic population will grow from 60 million to about 75 million. So what will your community look like in 2025? Ethnicity and religion are both key demographic factors to take into account when planning for the long-term. Shifts in your community’s makeup mean adapting to new customs. By performing an analysis of your community, you can better understand the wants and needs of your community’s families. And by better catering to families’ needs, your funeral home can reach more families. Keep in mind that demographic trends change — try to analyze your community’s growth every few years so you can adapt accordingly.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

frazerconsultants.com/meaningful

ETHNICITY & RELIGION

Just like with population and age, it’s important to understand your community’s ethnic and

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How Your Funeral Home Can Make the Most of Twitter About 93% of people who follow small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) like funeral homes on Twitter plan to purchase something from that business, per Twitter and Research Now. And 69% have already purchased something from the business because of something shared on Twitter. By making the most of your Twitter account, your funeral home can engage with your current client families and gain new ones. P E R S O N A L I Z E YO U R T W I T T E R AC C O U N T

The name of your Twitter account should be your funeral home’s name, such as “Example Funeral Home.” Your handle can be your funeral home’s name or a variation of it depending on the availability of that handle. Other Twitter users can mention you in tweets by including your handle in the tweet. Since tweets have limited characters, it’s best to choose a short handle if possible so that people are more likely to mention you. Some examples of good handles could be @examplefuneralhome, @examplefuneral, or @exampleFH. Your Twitter profile photo could be your funeral home’s logo and your header photo a picture of your funeral home, something funeral-related, or even a solid color or pattern that represents your funeral home’s brand. The recommended photo size for the profile photo is 400x400 pixels and the header photo recommendation is 1500x1500 pixels. You also should include your funeral home’s contact information, location, website link, and

46 | The Meaningful Funeral

a short biography. Your bio can be a maximum of 160 characters and should briefly describe your funeral home’s mission. TWEET ENGAGING CONTENT

Tweets can be a maximum of 280 characters and also can include photos or videos. Tweets with images get 18% more clicks than tweets without images, per WordStream. Your tweet topics could be links to your funeral home’s blog posts, your funeral home’s latest updates, retweets of other funeral professionals’ tweets, and other funeral-related content. You also should include one or two hashtags within or at the end of your tweet related to the topic of your tweet. Hashtags allow people to easily find tweets about topics they are interested in, so your tweet is more likely to be seen when you use a hashtag. For example, in a tweet about Memorial Day or Veterans Day, you can include hashtags #MemorialDay or #VeteransDay, or in a tweet sharing a blog post about personalized funerals, you can include #Personalization and #FuneralTrends.

One-third of users who follow a SMB on Twitter retweeted at least one of the business’ tweets, per Customer Insights. And 83% of those who tweeted at a SMB and received a response felt better about the business. You also can respond to other Twitter users’ tweets by clicking “reply” or you can “like” their tweet by clicking the heart icon. You can see all the tweets you’ve liked under the “Likes” section on your profile page. Through Twitter promotion and advertising, your funeral home can gain more followers and website traffic. To promote your tweets, click on “promote this tweet,” then pick your target location and budget, and then confirm your selections. You also can easily create a Twitter advertising campaign based on your funeral home’s goals and target audience.

F O L LO W I N F L U E N C E R S

Your funeral home can follow Twitter pages of some influential funeral professionals and organizations to stay up-to-date on funeral news and trends. A few other suggestions of pages you can follow are your community’s hospice care centers as well as a few other important community resources, your client families, and following back relevant people who have followed you. Don’t feel obligated to follow back every single person who follows your page. This would only clutter your home feed with unwanted content.  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:

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Our websites work hard so you don’t have to. Frazer-powered websites are more than just beautifully designed — we put thought into every aspect of your site so that your families get the features they need, and we’re constantly adding features at no additional cost to your funeral home. C A L L T O R E Q U E S T A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N T O D AY !

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Honoring lives on every device. Making our social Tribute Walls more mobilefocused allows families to honor their loved ones no matter where they are â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with photos, messages, virtual candles, flower orders, crowdfunding donations, and so much more.

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