Funeral Marketing with YouTube

What is better than being “number one” in Google?  By being number one through ten of course.  To accomplish this Google domination you have to look beyond your website and harass the power of other websites - like the number one content site, YouTube.  Of all websites, YouTube ranks fourth, but only behind the three main search engines: Google, Yahoo, and MSN’s Live Search. No matter how great your website is it is a speck of dust compared to YouTube and the other online video sharing websites like Google Video, Revver, and AOL Video.

If you would like to see real life examples for the funeral industry, you have to check out the case study that I conducted where McCall Bros. Funeral Home now occupies seven out of ten results for ‘Funeral planning in Victoria BC’ - including spots one through four.  The study shows how the videos impacted the search results in Google, Yahoo, and Live Search, within one day and also over a six week period.  To see all of the results along with my commentary, visit:

http://www.funeralfuturist.com/case-study-online-video-for-funeral-cemetery-promotion/

So if you are still with me here, you may be wondering what video content you would use on YouTube.  I always look for the easiest solution first, so I would suggest using those TV commercials that you had to pay thousands of dollars for and upload them to YouTube.  If you do not have a commercial ready to go, you could use the same software that you use to create your DVD memorial videos and create a three minute infomercial demonstrating how you are different than your competition.

Also you might be thinking that it sounds like a lot of work to upload these videos to all of these different video sharing site.  I use a tool called Traffic Geyser that allows you to upload one video to over 30 different sites.  It saves me a ton of time, and they have a lot of tips and training as well.  The guys at Traffic Geyser have also made this guide available for you to download free! Click this link or click on the image to download.

Before you fire that video up on YouTube be sure to read my article titled, “Upload your Funeral Home’s Welcome Message on YouTube.” This will explain how to title your video properly and what to include in the description and your tags to make sure that your video ranks well in Google.  You can read the article hear at:

http://fromthehep.com/2007/08/upload-your-funeral-homes-welcome.html

Please let me know of your successes after you upload your first video.  Also, if you have any other questions or suggestions, please let me know.

Funeral Discussion Forum now open

Would you like a place to discuss issues that you are dealing with at your funeral home or cemetery?

Even though there are different places on the Internet where conversations are taking place, I wanted to create a place where members of the funeral industry and the public could come to learn about and share different issues that we face.

This discussion board will be free from ads and spammy posts - I want this to be as pure of a discussion as possible. Please note that blatant sales pitches and linking campaigns will not be tolerated. Posts will be removed that are deem to cross the line. Let’s make this a place for great discussion and even debate so that we can all benefit from each other’s knowledge and ultimately better serve our client families.

www.FuneralFuturist.com/forum

Watch the introductory video so that you can see how to sign up to the forum and start using the discussion board.
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Johnson Consulting Group launches new virtual marketing platform

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.

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.

“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

Things are Heating Up & I’m not talking Cremation!

I just wanted to let you know a couple of things happening in the next couple of weeks.

First off this that the ICCFA Pre-Convention Interviews have commenced and can be found at the Funeral Gurus website: http://www.funeralgurus.com/2008/iccfa-2008. ICCFA is in a couple of weeks and they have a great lineup of speakers and panel discussions. I will be conducting some Funeral Gurus video interviews, so if you are going to be there, track me down and get some free publicity for your funeral home or cemetery. Also, during my presentation I will be demonstrating step by step how to use online video to promote your firm - plus I will be sharing some very recent case studies on the results of marketing with online video.

Also, I am going to be on the hot seat next Wednesday - the National Public Radio (NPR) station out of Seattle is having and hour long discussion about funeral trends and the future of funeral service - right up my alley, right? Well sure, but it is not just one on one, it is going to be a panel and on the panel is someone from the Peoples Memorial Society, someone who arranges home funerals, and they are still trying to get a representative from one of the normal -I mean traditional - funeral homes (I will be lonely if they can’t)! So it should be interesting and if you are interested, you can listen live on their website. If you are listening and you want me to make a point, you can Instant Message through Google Talk ( funeralfuturist [at] gmail [dot] com) - sorry that’s so the spammers and robots leave me alone OR through SKYPE at ( funeral.futurist)

Here are the show details:

• KUOW http://www.kuow.org Pudget Sound Public Radio 94.9 FM
• Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 9:00 AM Pacific time
• To listen, look in the left column under Listen Live for listening options

Wish me luck - I will report back later next week!

…Hep

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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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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