Yes, Make Your Prices Available Online

Well I’m not sure what the final results are yet - the answer is YES! Yes for everyone. The Internet is becoming the main source for people to gather information and for those who are looking for funeral information will undoubtedly want pricing information. If you don’t have your prices online, visitors will think that you have something to hide - do you?

Many full service funeral homes say that they will lose all of the price shoppers to the lower-cost alternative providers - not true. Have you ever looked for a hotel online? If so, do you always choose the Motel 6 - probably not. You look for value. So will the visitors to your website. Some funeral directors say that they want to be able to talk to people so that they explain their prices over the phone or in person - like it or not, a lot of Internet visitors don’t want to talk to you, so give them what they are looking for - your prices. I am not saying just throw up your General Price List (GPL); what I am suggesting is to use the Internet as an opportunity to explain your services and the value that you provide over your competition. By differentiating yourself from your competition you can demonstrate your value and aid your visitors in the decision making / shopping process.

Here are three examples of funeral homes that do a great job of explaining their prices and differentiating themselves from their competition.

• How to Compare Prices (www.forestlawn.com)
• 10 Reasons to Call (www.klecatskys.com)
• Pricing Strategy (www.baygardens.ca)

If you would like assistance in creating “differentiation” between you and your competitors so that you can win the online shoppers, call me at 1-(800) 810-3595 or at (250) 744-3595.

I will be creating a tutorial next month to show how you can offer your price list for via email and how you can teach your visitors through a series of email - stay tuned!

If you have any experience with having your price list online, I would appreciate your comments - please fill out the form below.

Using Excel: Track Funeral Totals and Averages

This tutorial will demonstrate how to use Microsoft’s Excel spreadsheets to track your calls by service type and have a running total and up to date averages in your various service offerings. Read more

Marketing Guru offers Free Networking Seminar

Michael Port, the author of “Book Yourself Solid” is offering a FREE Networking Seminar!

Called a “marketing guru” by the Wall Street Journal, Michael Port has lectured, trained, inspired, and provided coaching and consulting services to over 20,000 business owners in the last two years alone. As a speaker, he has headlined events with leaders like Tim Sanders, Carly Fiorina, and Tony Robbins.

eSeminar: Want to connect with top authors and with the most successful leaders in your community?

Join Michael Port and Elizabeth Marshall for a webinar in which you will learn:

• The best way to build relationships with business leaders, authors and top experts
• How to spread your message and attract more clients

Michael’s 2nd daily networking strategy is one that you can do in less than 10 minutes a day. Come learn exactly what you need to do in that 10 minutes to transform your network and your business.

Even though this is not a funeral-specific seminar, I am positive that you will gain some great pointers for networking seminar - I will be attending the seminar for sure!

This is what Funeral Marketing Expert, Kim Stacey has to say about Michael Port:
“Michael Port has the expertise every entrepreneur and business owner can use, and powerful communication skills. You’ll enjoy every minute you spend in a teleseminar with him - and I guarantee you’ll come away knowing more than you did before you came on the line.

“There’s more than that, however; you’ll have a greater belief in yourself, and the potential you hold within to grow your business. Apply just one or two of Michael’s suggestions, and watch the good things start to happen!”

Sign Up for the Reply! >>

…Hep

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Newsletter - February 2008

Welcome to the Future of Funeral Service Newsletter!

Welcome to the inaugural Newsletter from Heppell Funeral Solutions. You will find some of my thoughts on current topics as well as inform you on some of the newest developments in the funeral industry and technologies that are applicable to funeral service. I would ask you to please provide me with some feedback and suggestions for future issues. If you have received this email directly, thank you for subscribing to the newsletter! If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, please register here so that you don’t miss another issue. Thank you for your time and your service to the funeral profession!

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Featured Article: Buying Limos and Hearses on eBay
Is it time to replace that 80’s Funeral Coach that would give a Hummer a run for its money in a game of chicken? I have been asked by a lot of funeral directors how does eBay work and can you really buy vehicles online? …
Read more >>

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Ask the Futurist: What does Hep do?
This is a question that is posed to me often - and not only by funeral directors and cemeterians, but even by friends and family. My poor parents - they get the same question but they can’t really give a definitive answer.
Read more >>

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Hep’s ‘Net Picks: Compete Internally & Never Worry about your Competition
Selling Power Daily Report: I watch most of these video interviews and I find that about half of them could be applied to aspects of funeral service - particularly online promotion, human resources, and preneed sales.
Read more >>

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Do You Agree with Hep? Online Price Lists: Yes or No
Do you have your funeral home’s or cemetery’s complete price list online?
Take the survey and then find out my thoughts are about online price lists as well as some suggestions.
Read more >>

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Future Sneak Peak: Are Your Computers More Grief than Help?
At least twice a month I get approached by suppliers or outsiders who are thinking of bringing a new product to market. This section will be used to vet some of these new offerings. Your input is valuable and will be rewarded for participating.
Read more >>

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Funeral Futurist Radio: The Boomer Death Boom with BT Hathaway
On this show, Funeral Director BT Hathaway of Hathaway Funeral Homes of New England discusses his recent article in the American Funeral Director magazine. Hathaway takes a fresh look at the impending “Death Boom” and you may be surprised at his findings…
Read more >>

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Don’t Miss Another Month - Subscribe to the Newsletter!
It’s Free!!

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Google and the Funeral Industry

In the February 2008 issue of Mortuary Management, Funeral Futurist Robin Heppell starts his multi-part series on how Search Engines like Google, Yahoo, and MSN Live will play a part in the marketing and promotions of funeral homes.

For an increasing number of users, search engines are the new Yellow Pages. No longer are search engines used only to find books, airline tickets, and CDs. They are being used to find local services.

The funeral industry is no exception. It is a local service. It has traditionally been a word of mouth business. Funeral homes can benefit from high Google rankings. You have used Google to find out information about other products or services - others will use Google to find out information about YOU!

Check out the latest article of Mortuary Management for the entire article or check back in March to read it on in Funeral Articles here at FuneralFuturist.com.

Rank High in Google - 1st Manual for Funeral Service

It is my hope that this manual provides you with a starting point to understand the importance of Internet Search Engines and your firm’s ranking within them. This is an introductory look at Search Engine Optimization and although there are other, more sophisticated strategies not covered in this manual, by taking these initial 10 Steps you will be further ahead than almost all of the other funeral homes in your area - if not all of them.

You have two ways to receive this great resource:

Pay $47 or Get it Free by sending this newsletter to just 5 other funeral professionals.

Improve Your Funeral Home’s Search Engine - Google - Rankings Now >>>

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