More and more people immediately turn to the Internet when they are suddenly faced with a problem. When a death occurs, family members used to flip through the phone book to find the closest funeral home, but that has drastically changed in the past decade. Today, people are more likely to do a search on their computers for area funeral homes and do comparison shopping. This is why your funeral home website needs to be a “One-Stop Shop.”
As you are well aware, most grieving families tend to gravitate in the direction of least resistance when they are hit with the reality of the death of their loved one. This means that if your website is too wordy or hard to navigate, or only has some of the information they need, they will find another funeral home site that is simpler and less frustrating to use. As a result, you will have lost a potential client.
Your website should introduce your funeral home and its services in a comforting and easy-to-absorb way. Keep paragraphs short and to the point. Have photos and colors that are pleasant and not distracting. Try to provide lists of what to do and lists of options rather than long explanations. Also, remember that your clients are not versed in the technical terminology used by coroners, medical examiners, technicians and funeral directors. When you must use technical terms on your website, provide a brief explanation so that your site visitors will become comfortable with the terms.
Every service you offer to your clients should be viewable by clicking a tab or menu option on each page of your website. This includes services that you, in a sense, are outsourcing. To be the one place where grieving families can find everything they need, your site should include:
- A detailed list of what needs to be done and whom to contact, including local newspapers
- Sample obituaries and printable templates, as well as notification cards
- Options and prices for funeral and memorial services
- Options and prices for burial plots and mausoleums
- Your funeral home’s casket selection
- A list of local cemeteries with addresses and phone numbers
- A list of local monument and headstone providers
- An explanation of cremation and its various options and prices
- Your selection of cremation and keepsake urns
- A list of local florists (unless you have an arrangement with a particular florist)
- Memorial gift suggestions, such as charities, hospitals, hospices and non-profit organizations
- Ideas for making the funeral service memorable
- Lists of local caterers, restaurants (for post-funeral receptions), musicians, and motel accommodations
- A list of local churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious organizations
- A list of grief counselors, community support groups, and online grief support resources
- FAQs and commonly asked questions
If your website contains clear, step by step actions for your grieving families to take, they will see that this unexpected and unwanted journey of laying their loved one to rest is not something they have to do alone. They will be reassured that you and your funeral home will be with them all the way. Once they see that everything they need is at their fingertips on your website, they will stay with your site, engage your services and allow you to guide them through their grieving.
