Memorialization Memorialization 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. A look at the inside of a real planning guide Skyways Media created for OGR member firm Martin’s Funeral Homes in Michigan. (photo provided) • 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 I’d urge any funeral home to utilize this great product as it will indeed set your funeral home apart from the competition. ~Adam M. Martin, Martin’s Funeral Homes OGR past president 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. www.ogr.org | The Independent® 25
26 Publizr Home