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Advertising
Suggestions for Funeral
Service
What is advertising?
The
ART of MAKING the PUBLIC
AWARE of the SERVICES or
COMMODITY that the BUSINESS
has for SALE
What is advertising?
 CALLING
SOMETHING TO THE
ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC BY USE OF
PAID ANNOUNCEMENTS

OFTEN EMPHASIZING DESIRABLE QUALITIES SO AS TO
AROUSE A DESIRE TO BUY OR PATRONIZE
(Webster)
Advertising v. Marketing
 Marketing
strategy will include
advertising
 Advertising will be a part of
marketing
but
they are NOT synonymous
Marketing Mix
 PRODUCT
 PRICE
 PLACE
(distribution)
 PROMOTION
includes advertising
Known as the 4 P’s of marketing
Purpose of FS ads
(why do FH’s advertise?)
 keep
name before the public
 attract people to the firm
 increase unit volume
 help build a good reputation
 help build a preference before need
Why does your firm advertise?



put reasons in writing
be specific
establish quantifiable goals
FS ADVERTISING
should reflect your marketing strategy
 Informational
 Educational
 Price
 must
be factual
 requires high degree of ethics
INFORMATIONAL ADVERTISING
 open
new establishment
 introduce new employees & / or
service
 type of facilities
EDUCATIONAL ADVERTISING
 explain
values of funeral

“
prices of funerals

“
VA, Soc. Sec., Welfare,
SSI/Medicaid Benefits

“
value of pre-arranged / pre-paid
funerals
Price advertising
 ‘Bait
& switch’ is not ethical
Must be factual
(this was one reason why NFDA prohibited price
advertising by members into early 1970’s)
 NJ
has stipulations
Consultants suggest
Advertising
is
expenditures to increase
communication efforts
which increase awareness and
gives consumers reason to prefer your
firm over another
any other expenses:
 year book ads, combs, calendars,
church bulletins, etc. (may be
justified)
but are
not advertising
simply contributions
Why was a particular FH chosen?
 Location
 Reputation
 Previously
served
 Pre-arranged Funeral
 Price
 Recommendation of friend
 ADVERTISING
 Recommendation of clergy
Advertising v. ???
 PUBLIC
RELATIONS
 SALES PROMOTIONS
 What
is a website?
Ad? PR? Promotion?
Advertising
Controllable
v.
Non-controllable elements
Advertising STRATEGY
 Need
an appeal / approach which
touches consumer interest / desire
 Must be able to support advertising
claims
 Cost effectiveness
 Create an image
 Needs consistency
4 Considerations
 Budget
 determine
the Medium
 define your Audience
 Design
How much to SPEND??
 1%
of sales
minimum to keep name before public
 4%
to maintain full, informative advertising
program
 10 - 15%
for continuous / consistent volume
building
Advertising MEDIA
 newspaper
 magazines
 telephone
 billboards
book
 calendars
 business
 radio
 TV
cards
 public
transportation
 direct mail
 specialty items
Ads need ARM



A
- attention
R - retention
M - motivation
How to accomplish?
Grab reader attention with
interesting photo
Examples:
 small children / attractive woman /
puppies
or
 staff member playing with children,
walking dog,
spending time with family
Identify staff member
 Use headline above picture

IMAGES are powerful.
What is yours?
ANTIQUATED
OVERUSED
CONTEMPORARY
 INVISIBLE
 NON-EXISTENT
More considerations
 Your
 What
look is your personality
are the major motivators?
 Use of color
 Different audiences
 Logo
as your advertising signature
 Image
be sure your message is
understandable
 Direct
mailings
self mailers for better reply
Message
 make
it simple
 make it easy
 make
it a benefit for the buyer
Use message that distinguishes
your firm
examples:
 Local
ownership
 Large facility
 Unique services
 ‘We serve burial & cremation families
@ a variety of price levels’
Features instruct.
Benefits sell!!!
No one buys solely for features - it’s
the benefits they want!!
Ex: world’s best grass seed v.
world’s best lawn!!
XXX horsepower engine v.
0 - 100 mph in 6.5 sec.
Suggestions
 Be
sure you can deliver on the claims
 Load up with benefits to hit your
target
 Plan to offer your customers’ wants,
not yours.
Ex: Pre-Need benefits
 Peace
of mind
 Pay for funeral at today’s prices
 Make decisions without the emotion
 Don’t leave the burden on your
children
 Arrange the type of funeral YOU
want
More suggestions:
do’s & don’ts
Suggestions
Use ads in spurts
 Too
often with same ad
loses effectiveness
 Try 2X / wk for 3 wks
 Rest 3 – 4 weeks, then repeat
Suggestions
Keeps ad fresh
When use same ad  takes 5x for
readers to notice message
More suggestions
 Don’t
always use same page
 Run
coupons
ex: for brochures
 On
a budget?
choose smaller ads
v. running less often
 People
won’t read dense copy
Use short column or
many paragraphs
 Font
at least 10 point
Use your photo?
 Is
it current ?
 How often do you update?
 Are you marketing YOU or the FIRM?
 Individual
to sell v.
– could be a detriment when try
corporate identity
A picture of your building?
 Use
only if significantly different
Doesn’t generally attract people
Some will perceive the grand facility
with high prices
Yellow pages
 How
important?
v. Internet
 Note:
fewer people seek clergy
recommendation for FD
Newspaper ads
TIMING
before Thanksgiving / after Easter
reason: older families go South
often lower rates available Jan -- Mar
Newspaper
 get
ad on edge - NOT at the
crease
easier to see whole ad
Directories
 AVOID
community or specialized
directories
UNLESS appealing to large ethnic
population or foreign language
directory
 Justify the expense
(Do people really use them? Do you?)
Personal
notes on business cards
Encourages people to keep them
to better target your market
consider local newspapers v. metro
“
direct mail
“
cable TV
Acknowledgments
 MKJ
 Foresight
Analysts
 Funeral Service Insider