Whether your funeral home is a family operation passed down through the generations, or you are a new owner writing the first chapter of your own funeral home’s story, or something in between, there is a story behind every independent funeral home.

Families who came through your doors aren’t just shopping for a product or service, they’re looking for someone who will understand and honor their loved one’s story. Incorporating a piece of your own story alongside the nitty gritty of estate settlement tips and floral arrangements is another way of demonstrating that you take their loved one’s final wishes as seriously as they do.

All-in-One Resource

Planning guides personalized to your funeral home are a great way to pull these pieces together all in one easy takeaway resource, whether you’re working with a pre-planning senior, at-need family or attendees at a public event, such as a senior fair or community lunch and learn. Just hand it to them as you wrap up your conversation and let them walk away with all the points you want them to remember as they make their decisions.

You can even give copies to area businesses you have relationships with, for them to hand out to the customers they serve. If they’re in it, they are going to want to share it, and your message gets out to a wider audience than you could ever reach alone.

Many OGR members have already taken advantage of this powerful marketing tool by having a planning guide created for their funeral home. Walk in their door and you will likely see a stack sitting on a table by the entrance or in the arrangement room.

Too Important to Say ‘No’

If you don’t have a planning guide yet, what is your reason?

• I don’t have the time to put one together. By working with a company that offers planning guides, such as OGR Endorsed Supplier Skyways Media, you have access to a templated guide that already contains all the essential articles. All you have to do is add in your funeral home’s personal details and they do the rest.
• I don’t want some generic looking piece. A planning guide can be as customized as you want. Have  a special program that your funeral home runs or a unique feature in your building? Add it to your guide. Want photos of your actual funeral home and staff? Put them in. Want to share what you do for the veterans you serve? Just submit it with your order. Have a comfort dog on staff? Feature your furry four-legged “therapist.”
• I don’t have time to sell ads to offset the cost of the guide. You don’t have to! As a benefit of membership, Skyways offers all OGR members a completely personalized planning guide – completely free of charge. They do this by selling the ads for you. They can even set up sales appointments at your funeral home so an area business you want to improve your relationship with won’t just agree to buy an ad, but will actually come to your location, tour the facility, meet your staff and leave with an understanding of how you operate your funeral home and what you offer to those you serve.
  Of course, if you already have relationships with business owners in your area, make a list of them from florists and caterers to attorneys, CPAs, wealth managers and realtors. Think of companies or professionals that work with the seniors in your area. Skyways will then create the vendors’ ads, if needed, and add them to your planning guide without you ever needing to lift a finger.
• I don’t know what to do with it once I have it. Every family your staff meets with should leave their appointment with a planning guide in hand. At least one page should be marked for them to reference so that it becomes a welcome resource whether for pre-need planning or at-need arrangements. Place them around your funeral home, have some in your car to hand out, think of these planning guides as a “giant business card.” Wherever you would have your card, have these available as well.
• I have enough paper in my office already. I don’t need more. Then go electronic and create your guide in a mobile friendly app that can be accessed virtually. Bookmark it on your laptops, tablets and phones so that you can show off your funeral home no matter where you are or who you are meeting with. Your families can also share the link with other family members who live out of the area.

Marketing that Evolves with You

A planning guide can become one of your most used resources. One of the best advantages is that it’s not just a “once and done” static piece. Each year, your funeral home can get a new batch of guides to pass out in whatever way works best for you. Before you get your new printing run, take a moment to review its content and determine if it is still timely and telling the story you want to share.

By working with a well-established company that focuses on the funeral profession, you are guaranteed to be guided through each step of your new planning guide’s creation. Your time commitment does not need to be burdensome, in fact by turning over the project to a specialist you can provide the details they need and let them do the rest.

Skyways Media is an OGR Endorsed Supplier. They offer planning guides individualized for your funeral home operation - for free - to all OGR members. Learn more at OGR.org/Skyways-Media.

Skyways Media is a family-owned business with offices in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and United States. Skyways is an OGR Endorsed Supplier for advertising and marketing, supplying printed guides, apps, e-books and websites within the funeral, assisted living and hospice sectors. Contact Harry Hobson at harry@skyways-media.com or (646) 810-5748 with any questions.