Really? I’m not to sure who gets really excited about direct mail but one new start-up is targeting a new direct mail product to funeral homes as a way to save lives and increase pre-need sales.
Fro the DigitalJournal.com
Funeral Home owners/directors have always been faced with the sometimes-awkward task of marketing within their trade areas. It seems as though despite the approach, they have always been looked upon as being in the ‘Death Care’ industry, sitting on their roosts like vultures, waiting for those among us to perish. That is all about to change.
A startup company in the heartland of the US is providing Funeral Homes with the opportunity for a much-needed image makeover, to help combat the industry’s dingy marketing reputation. Vitalboards, based in O’Fallon Missouri, has recently released its Vitalboards Promotional Mailing Program to the Funeral Home Industry. The program features a beautifully designed, full color, write-on/wipe-off memo board with pen/clip, along with a Pre-Need Insert with bounce-back card, all placed inside a 9” x 12” printed envelope and mailed out to the 50-55+ demographic in zip codes that are important to those particular Funeral Homes. Only one Funeral Home per trade area is allowed to participate in this exclusive program per two-year timeframe, which has created a sense of urgency in competitive markets. The memo boards can also be purchased in bulk and used as giveaways, if the Funeral Home chooses to personally distribute them.
The Vitalboard itself offers everyday utility to the homeowners it reaches, and is also part of an unexpected, life-saving initiative. On the back of each board there are spaces for each homeowner to list their vital health information; information that could prove critical in the event Fire/Police/EMS arrive at the house for an emergency call and the homeowner(s) are unable to speak, or are otherwise incapacitated. “This potentially life-saving feature makes the mailing unique within the Funeral Home Industry, and helps them send a message that ‘We Care.’” said Jeff Sullivan, partner, Vitalboards. “The Funeral Home’s involvement in this nationwide life-saving initiative is both refreshing and unexpected to the homeowners, and helps to change the way Funeral Homes are viewed from within the communities in which they market,” adds Sullivan.
Also included in the mailing is the Pre-Need Insert, which features a beautiful, double-sided, full color ad with removable bounce-back card. The Insert explains the Funeral Home’s involvement in the community, and how through their generous sponsorship of the boards, a donation of 5% of the proceeds is made to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), helping to give back to those left behind by Firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The reverse side of the Insert features a custom ad about the Funeral Home and its products and services, and the detachable bounce-back card provides an excellent way to mine leads from the mailings, which boast above-average response rates in comparison to other direct mailings. A wallet sized card for recording critical health information is also included for the convenience of the homeowner.
Prior to each mailing, a press release document is provided to the Funeral Home by Vitalboards that can be submitted to their local paper(s), which can provide positive PR exposure at a local level. The press release will detail the Funeral Home’s gracious gift to homeowners, and that through their involvement in our nationwide initiative, a generous donation has be made to the NFFF.
Vitalboards memo boards provide a memorable marketing piece that is on constant display on the refrigerator doors of the homeowners who receive it. The program is completely flexible and fully customizable for other industries that seek a promotional piece with meaning behind it. Healthcare, Financial, Insurance, Real Estate, and Education sectors can all benefit from this unique opportunity to connect at a local level with their target audience.
Learn more by visiting the website at http://www.vitalboards.com or call 800-577-1703 xt.1
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1475468#ixzz2fNLJjk5Y
