Pre-need COVID-19 also offers multiple insurance carriers to be able to offer up the best in commission dollars, growth rates and accommodate whatever goals are set for your company. Without having access to multiple insurance carriers, money is always left on the table. As with any vendor, you need a partner you can trust and feel comfortable with because they are going to know your business inside and out if they do a good job. After vetting and selecting your pre-need partner to pilot your program, it’s time to recruit, hire and train the pre-need employee(s) to run your pre-need sales. This can be a grueling, time-consuming process but, by using an outside pre-need company, they do all the work, leaving you to run your funeral home. Once fully trained and embedded within your funeral home, it is imperative that all of the staff, including funeral directors, are rowing in the same direction and working in unison to fill the same sales funnel, which requires some staff training as well. When working with a pre-need company, these agents are their employees. As such, they will oversee all agents, coordinate all marketing and lead sources, as well as continue to train and implement better techniques for them to master their craft. It may be tempting to try to step in and manage the pre-need sales area of your business, but this is when it is important to trust the process and the company you have brought on board. If you let your pre-need partner do their job and give them the support they request, you are on your way to having a solid pre-need program. Smaller firms: Getting outside your comfort zone For smaller firms, implementing a great pre-need plan takes a little different approach. An open mind is a must, along with a willingness to leave your comfort zone a little. Typically, there is not enough money to go around for a dedicated sales agent, so "pre-need sales agent" is another hat to be worn within your funeral home staff. Your vetting process should be like the bigger firms with an emphasis put on the resources and knowledge of the sales representative because they will most likely coordinate and take the place of the trainer in a smaller scale model. Budgets and goals will go hand-in-hand to get a program off the ground. It is imperative to be disciplined enough to allocate a certain 50 www.ogr.org | Summer 2021 amount or percentage toward a dedicated marketing budget. Direct mail, social media campaigns or lunchand-learns will all help increase pre-need volume and results may be noticeable immediately if you have not done anything consistently in the past. Your pre-need partner will be instrumental in developing the program and budget, but you have to believe in the process and execute the plan. Invest Today or Lose Tomorrow It is a simple fact that without a tried-and-true program in place you are leaving money and at-need growth on the table. Pre-need increases and drives at-need business. It is the absolute fastest and easiest way to increase market share as well as create top-of-mind awareness for current and future client families, which equates to brand recognition. Pre-need may also increase annual revenue and create new opportunities to connect with members of your community. The one thing that is difficult to gauge is what is in your competitors’ pre-need drawer. Either you take the steps necessary to fill your drawer now, or run the risk of being blindsided several years down the road. Once pre-need market share is lost, it is lost forever. By taking the steps now to build a solid pre-need program, your funeral home will realize the benefits for years to come and fully understand why pre-need truly is the lifeblood of all funeral homes. Jon Billetdeaux is an experienced sales director with a demonstrated history in the insurance industry, currently serving as president of sales for Vantage Point Preneed. He is skilled in negotiation, business planning and operations management. You can reach him at JBilletdeaux@ VantagePointPreneed.com OGR members get a 50% discount on any of Vantage Point's direct mailers when you use one of their insurance companies to fund your pre-needs. Learn more at VantagePointPreNeed.com
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