Social media offers funeral businesses a way to connect with their community in a way that has never been possible before. It allows two way conversations to build reputation and trust with your whole community, rather than having to rely on referrals from past clients to generate new business.
But the big question is “what should a funeral director post on social media?”
I get asked this question a lot. Thinking of different ideas for posts all the time can be tricky. And funeral directors also worry about not wanting to offend or put off people.
The truth is that people are generally interested in funerals. They may not like talking about them so much, but there is so much that is unknown about the industry, that most people have a genuine curiosity in the industry and the people that work in it. And we can use this curiosity to create lots of ideas for social media posts that engage your audience and connect with local people.
Here are my 5 favourite ideas for funeral directors to post on social media.
Ask questions One of the best things about social media is that it allows you to have two-way communications with your audience. By asking questions you can prompt people to think about different options and choices regarding funerals. Some questions can be light-hearted - such as what music would you like played at your funeral, or what would you like people to wear. And some questions can be a bit more serious like would you prefer a cremation or burial. You could even create a survey which contains a number of questions you ask every year and see if opinions and tastes change over time - which in itself also makes interesting social media posts.
About you and your team The funeral industry is such a people business, with all the amazing work you and your teams do making such a huge difference to families. So I strongly believe that your people (not you cars) should be the focus of most of your social media posts. Create posts about each of your team members. Interview your team and ask them questions about why they wanted to work in the funeral industry, or what they find most enjoyable about their work. Also tell stories about what your team do outside or work to make them more relatable - do they support a local sports team, or do they like going for walks in the local countryside. The more relatable and approachable your team are the more your target audience will connect with them.
Behind the scenes Most people don’t know very much about funerals. Most people have never set foot inside a funeral home and are afraid to ask questions. Why not create posts that show what it’s like. Create posts that cover frequently asked questions, create “how to” explainers and show virtual funeral home tours.
Testimonials and case studies Just like any business sharing positive reviews can help to improve your business reputation. But why not go one step further than simply taking a photo of a Thank You card or copy and pasting the words from a google review. Why not turn the review into a mini video, or ask the client if they would be willing to create a review video of them talking to the camera.
Educate, educate, educate Educating your target audience not only about the funeral industry, but also your business is one of the best ways to use social media. Create posts about “a day in the life” or the educate why planning your funeral ahead is such a good idea. Also think about how you could educate your wider community - how to write a condolence card or what to say to a friend who has lost a loved one.
If you approach your social media marketing in a strategic way, rather than posting on the fly, you will never be short of ideas! Our NEW online training course, SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR FUNERAL DIRECTORS will help you learn how to be strategic with your social media marketing to attract new clients to your business. During the course, you will create your own social media strategy, learn how to use our unique POST IDEAS FRAMEWORK and get lots of tips and tools for how to make your social media work to achieve your business goals. Or why not join our monthly content planning workshops to help you create a social media marketing calendar each month full of engaging ideas.
Comments