7 Ways to Update Your Funeral Home’s Website
A digital presence is both vital and priceless in today’s economic landscape, and while deathcare is in some ways a bit recession-proof because demand will always be there, it’s also savvy to stand apart from the competition for the quality of your services.
As the center of a complete business marketing profile, your website is critical. It establishes legitimacy and demonstrates your business as one which is current and competitive.
A poorly maintained website is the easiest way to shoot yourself in the foot. At worst, you could deter potential clients with an outdated digital presence that makes your business appear negligent, behind the times, and out of touch.
But if your business doesn’t change from year to year, how much updating can you really do?
1. Do you have a way for clients to pay for your services online? If not, add one.
If your website can make the process of using your funeral home simpler for your clients, this is a win; having the option (whether they use it or not) to pay for everything from a distance, on the clients’ terms, is a tremendous convenience.
It’s said that people might not always remember exactly what you say to them, but they will remember how you made them feel, so if your client families come away from the experience of working with your funeral home feeling as though their needs were thoughtfully anticipated and fully met with care and compassion, even from your website, that’s going to make an impression, and word-of-mouth recommendations in the community are still the best (and cheapest!) marketing available.
2. Short-form video is the newest thing.
No doubt about it, people love micro-videos; such clips don’t need to be especially involved, but a quick introduction of you in your natural habitat puts a human touch on your electronic presence. And with widgets and today’s tools, it’s easier than ever to plug a bit of video in.
3. Change up photos
Considering that a website is essentially the new business card, it should be as well-maintained and polished as the front of your brick-and-mortar building. In many cases it’s going to be the first glimpse of your business that some of your clients will get.
Images are one of the quickest, easiest updates available, and one of the fastest ways to add color and character to your site.
4. Keep General Price List current
This is a big one, especially if you add or discontinue a service. Consider creating or displaying the file as a PDF image on its own page which includes your logo and perhaps a photo of your establishment.
5. Consider adding a blog
A blog is an easy way to create truly simple-to-update content. With brief weekly educational posts on disposition methods, the options your own business offers, or resources on grieving and memorials (including family and community support), a blog is a great way to draw attention to your site.
6. Update biographical information of your staff
Keep your staff information up-to-date, including contact info and promotions. Is it time for new photos? Remove former employees who have moved on. This is also a good time to review the rest of the content of your site for anything that isn’t as current as it could be, and tweak or remove it.
7. Do you have new brochures? New checklists, new marketing materials?
Did you add a new logo this year? Update your mission statement? Create a social media account? All of these are things you could link and feature.
A user-friendly, comprehensive website can make the process of purchasing services from any business easy on clients, and that in itself is a statement of customer service standards. When your site goes the extra mile, it conveys the impression that your business will do the same.
