Johnson Consulting Group launches new virtual marketing platform
April 7, 2008
The Johnson Consulting Group - leaders in Funeral and Cemetery Consulting and Management Services - have just launched their new website - www.JohnsonConsulting.com.
Tom and Jake Johnson, together with their associates, have formed an all-star lineup of senior executives from the funeral profession. Most recently they acquired Legacy Management Services from Keystone. To showcase their depth in their team and of their services offerings, Johnson retained the services of Robin Heppell to guide them through the development of their new online presence. With the goal of creating a platform to provide the most relevant and current information to funeral and cemetery professionals, Heppell harnessed the power of the WordPress weblog functionality and applied the best practices of online marketing and public relations.
Bill Bischoff, Communications and Marketing Strategist for Johnson Consulting, stated:
“What set Heppell apart from standard web development companies was the fact that he took the time to thoroughly understand our business and what our vision was for our Company. Heppell then built us more than a common website, he constructed us a virtual marketing platform that will greatly assistance us in achieving our Corporate Vision “To be the best…” Thanks, Rob we could not be more pleased.”
Key features of this site above the usual website components:
- Audio clips welcoming visitors to specific sections of the site - the goal is to make visitors comfortable with members of the team, hence building relationships
- Testimonials are displayed throughout the site, some randomly in the right sidebar and others relating to specific service offerings
- Media Room lists all press releases with the most recent ones first - this page is dynamically created and new releases are uploaded with the same ease as sending an email with an attachment - no more web developer fees to add new information
Johnson Consulting has also developed a complimentary newsletter that will go out to members of the death care community. It will consist some of the latest developments within the industry, best practices for the management of cemeteries and funeral homes, and highlighting JCG team members and how can assist clients achieve their goals. To sign up for their newsletter, go to the Johnson Consulting Group Newsletter.
If you would like more information on taking your online presence from just a website to a virtual marketing platform to reach out to your community, contact Robin Heppell at 800-810-3595 or 250-744-3595 or email at robin@funeralfuturist.com.
Newsletter - April 2008
April 7, 2008
Welcome to the Future of Funeral Service Newsletter!
The April newsletter is here. It has been an interesting couple of months and I have a lot to share with you. If you feel that someone else could benefit for this information, please feel free to forward it to them.
If you are not a subscriber, click here for your own copy: Sign Up Today!
Please see below as I am hosting a free demonstration for PreneedReferrals.com on Weds., April 9 and see how you can start to get preneed leads from referrals and also from after care families - again, it’s time sensitive so register today!
Also, I would love to get your feedback - leave a comment on the website or just reply to the email. Thanks again, Robin Heppell.
Featured Article: Case Study - Online Video for Funeral & Cemetery Promotion
In preparation for my presentation at the ICCFA Annual Convention in San Diego, I am conducting a live Case Study on how to use online videos to promote your services and your website. I have selected three terms to rank for - two are geo-targeted, one for a funeral home and one for a cemetery - both in my home town.Read more >>
Ask the Futurist: Green Funerals and Green Burials - Are you Ready?
I have been studying the topic of GREENING FUNERAL SERVICE closely and to start I want to point out that there are varying shades of green. It is not “All Green” or “No Green” - funeral homes and cemeteries can slowly incorporate GREEN into their operations. From the outset, there seems to be three areas of focus.Read more >>
Hep’s ‘Net Picks: Marketing Experts see the need for Funeral Homes to use New Media
Marketing Over Coffee: I listen to this podcast religiously. Christopher Penn and John Wall will keep you up to date in marketing with “New Media” and the featured post is where they talk briefly about New Media and funeral service. You will also get tips on Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing, Blogging, and Podcasting - I mean “Online Radio” Read more >>
Do You Agree with Hep? Are Memorial Societies Obsolete?
With a more educated consumer and with a wide variety of funeral service providers, the business model of a Memorial Society is obsolete!
Read more >>
Future Sneak Peak: Free Demo of PreneedReferrals.com: Weds., April 9
Preneed Referrals is a funeral-specific website that I have created as a resource for funeral directors and cemeterians to put the power of “Send Out Cards” into your preneed marketing and family follow-up - after care - programs.Read more >>
Funeral Futurist Radio: Blogging for Funeral Homes with Tim Totten
On this show, Cot Covers creator, Tim Totten of Final Embrace shares his experiences with creating and maintaining his blog and discusses how funeral directors could benefit from creating their own blog.Read more >>
Funeral Futurist Tutorial: 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 >>
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Marketing Experts see the need for Funeral Homes to use New Media
April 6, 2008
Marketing Over Coffee: I listen to this podcast religiously. Christopher Penn and John Wall will keep you up to date in marketing with “New Media” and the featured post is where they talk briefly about New Media and funeral service. You will also get tips on Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing, Blogging, and Podcasting - I mean “Online Radio” Click Here
Free Demo of PreneedReferrals.com: Weds., April 9
April 4, 2008
Preneed Referrals is a funeral-specific website that I have created as a resource for funeral directors and cemeterians to put the power of “Send Out Cards” into your preneed marketing and family follow-up - after care - programs.
“Get Preneed Leads”
Send Out Cards is a service that allows you to send greeting cards via the mail - these are physical greeting cards that are placed in a bright, white envelope, and a postage stamp. Even though you do not touch these cards, they are written in your own hand writing and with your own signature. Sound too good to be true?
See The Replay:
Preneed Leads with Preneed Referrals
What will be covered in the demo:
For Funeral Homes:
- Create multi card campaigns to get referrals from preneed clients
- Create multi card campaigns to follow up with at-need families “Greeting Card After Care”
- Send bulk (but personalized) invitations for preneed seminars or holiday memorial services
For Cemeteries:
- Send follow up card with families after monument has been installed
- Send seasonal and holiday reminders to subtly promote floral sales
- Create multi card campaigns to get referrals from preneed clients
- Send anniversary card
For Vendors and Associations:
- Promote upcoming events or new products or services
- Send thank you cards to clients and support staff
- Send cards of congratulations for clients and members
Plus there are many other general uses for this system. I look forward to having you attend the online seminar. Leave a comment below or email me if you have any questions.
Proactive Funeral Director, Jan Nichols of Bay Gardens Funeral Homes in Burlington and Hamilton, Ontario says:
Using Send Out Cards for my Funeral Home is part of my Best Practices! I use it to follow up with families, to send thank you cards, and I send a card to every job applicant following the interview.
NOTE: This online seminar is a 2 step process:
- Log on via the Internet to watch the demonstration
- Call the phone number to listen
Preneed Leads with Preneed Referrals
Watch the Demo
Green Funerals and Green Burials - Are you Ready?
April 3, 2008
I had the opportunity to attend the “Going Green Symposium” at the ICCFA Annual Convention in San Diego. It featured Darren Crouch of Passages International Inc. and www.EarthUrn.com; Joe Sehee of the Green Burial Council, Tim Rivera of Rivera-Hanlon Funeral Home, and Michael Kelley of KZF Design.
This 2.5 hour session was very enlightening about Green Issues and Funeral Service. What I hope is that funeral directors and cemeterians look at the “Green Movement” as an opportunity to further serve their client families and not as a threat - we didn’t embrace cremation in the beginning, let’s not make the same mistake again.
I have been studying the topic of GREENING FUNERAL SERVICE closely and to start I want to point out that there are varying shades of green. It is not “All Green” or “No Green” - funeral homes and cemeteries can slowly incorporate GREEN into their operations. From the outset, there seems to be three areas of focus.
- Green Operations: from an operational and building standpoint, how well are you doing your part for the environment - terms that you will be exposed to “Carbon Footprint” and “LEED” - this is what Michael Kelley spoke on
- Green Service Options and Green Products: from using non-formaldehyde embalming solutions to using refrigeration or dry ice; allowing families more participation with the body and with the service - some of which you already offer - can be seen as green options; environmentally friendly products that are made from renewable resources and are biodegradable - this is what Darren Crouch talked about
- Green Burial: this is not an exclusive option and it should be considered an acceptable choice meaning that types of disposition available are cremation, entombment, green burial, and interment - this is what Tim Rivera and Joe Sehee shared
One thing that was evident was that Joe Sehee and the Green Burial Council are not evil - they are reaching out to the funeral industry and want to educate and partner with willing firms that want to embrace green burial as an alternative - not necessarily a replacement to traditional disposition. Sehee and Rivera have worked closely together in New Mexico and serves as an example of proactive funeral director / cemeterian exploring new options for his client families.
I had the chance to interview Joe Sehee for Funeral Gurus:
NOTE: Another thing that was chiming from the Rivera - Sehee joint presentation was that GREEN DOES NOT NECESSARILY EQUAL CHEAP!
This session - The Going Green Symposium - created by the ICCFA was very educational and enlightening (don’t worry, as my personal choice, I still want traditional burial at Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria). Linda from ICCFA mentioned that they recorded the session and will make it available for purchase - I feel that it will serve as a great introductory course - Going Green 101.
This list is nowhere complete and nor am I an expert in Going Green. I will though continue to disseminate information to the funeral profession so that you can be more informed and be proactive in being able to serve your families who want these options - because if you don’t, your current (or new) competitor will!
