Marketing is an essential element of establishing and growing any business. It’s challenging when You are the key product and therefore your marketing can feel like showing-off. Add to this, the fact you’re doing a job that involves talking about death, and many Funeral Celebrants decide that they’ll deal with their marketing another day!
We’re asked for help with marketing by around 95% of our Funeral Celebrant students. They’re seeking some tips on where to get started and who they should be speaking to. Many believe the myth that it’s all about their Social Media and are concerned that their lack of technical experience may hamper their progress. In truth, Marketing for Funeral Celebrants is about building relationships and educating people on their choices. Here are our top six marketing tips for funeral celebrants to help you get started:
- Marketing is forever
- Educate and inform, never sell
- Use real language not trade-speak
- Market to your niche
- Build your network
- Learn from the experts and write about them
Marketing is FOREVER
The biggest mistake I made in my first three years in business, was to drop my marketing activites when I got busy. Why invest time and money into getting new clients when I had more than I could handle already? Quite simply, because as soon as you finish working with these clients, you will need more. And that will always be true.
My TOP MARKETING TIP, armed with this knowledge, is that you make your marketing sustainable. Can you continue with this level of input when you are busy with clients? Far better to write one blog per month, every month, than to start with one a week and be down to ‘when I get time’ by the end of the year.
Educate and Inform – never Sell
Marketing is not selling and as a Funeral Celebrant we can maximise this opportunity to educate people on their choices. Many of us still hear ‘I have never seen a funeral like that before’ or ‘I’ve never enjoyed a service like that before’. There is still work to do, ensuring people are aware of what Independent Funeral Celebrants offer and what a Celebration of Life can bring to their loved ones.
My TOP MARKETING TIP, with this in mind, is to ask if you can give a talk to a local WI or Rotary group, to talk to them about their end-of-life wishes.
Use real language, not trade-speak
Deceased, mourners, catafalque – the list of words only used in the Funeral Profession is, thankfully, decreasing. We need to say ‘death’ and ‘died’ and ‘grieving’ and stop using words that add to the secrecy and sense of impending doom!
My TOP MARKETING TIP, is to keep all your messaging in simple language and to use the words that seem to be avoided too often. Help normalise talking about death and dying. And remind people that, as Funeral Celebrants we don’t talk about death; we share stories about life and living.
Market to your niche
Yes, you can have a niche as a Funeral Celebrant. Understanding that you are not right for everyone and that you will appeal to certain people more than others, makes marketing much easier. You need to know who you are talking to in order to connect with them. I know that my love of the outdoors, my connection with nature and the fact that I live in a woodland cottage will appeal to my niche.
My TOP MARKETING TIP, is to invest your time in local activities that are important to you, personally. This is where you find your niche. You make stronger connections when you have mutual interests and values. Invest an hour per week in something in your local community and you will have a far greater impact than an hour on social media will get you.
Build your network
You are going to need to be part of a network of professionals as a Funeral Celebrant. You may be a sole-trader, but no funeral or life celebration was ever created without others being involved. Working with families and loved ones who are highly vulnerable means you want to have a network you can trust and depend on.
My TOP MARKETING TIP on networking, is to start today. If you have a local business network, join it. And if you don’t, then consider starting your own! A monthly lunch-meeting with other people in the industry. Build strong relationships, recommend them and connect them with your clients.
Learn from experts – and write about them
I love blogging and I particularly love to blog about other people. It’s a chance to share them with potential clients and to strengthen our business relationship. Featuring other people from the profession, such as a Funeral Director, Florist, Limo company or Natural Burial Ground shows potential clients that you are well connected and likely to know people who can help them.
My TOP MARKETING TIP, learn from these incredible professionals. Ask if you can interview them for your Blog and explain that you’ll include a link to their website and any social media profiles. This is such a win-win.
If you’re looking to market your business as a Wedding and Vow Renewal Celebrant, take a look at our top tips here.
If you’re struggling to find ways to market yourself as a Funeral Celebrant, why not book a Coaching call with me and we’ll explore ideas. Based in Wales, and offering online and in-person training, I’d love to talk about raising your marketing confidence – and results!