The weather is getting cooler and the busy season is approaching. And if you’re like most funeral homes, the last thing you want to think about right now is adding another item to your to-do list! But I hope you’ll take a second to think about putting a holiday remembrance program on your winter calendar. These events aren’t difficult to set up and run at all, and as you’ll see in this article, there are three great reasons to make them a priority.
Reason #1 – Help Struggling Families
The holidays can be a tremendously difficult time for those who have experienced losses, whether those losses are recent or occurred many years in the past. There’s something about seeing the faces of happy family members and friends gathered together that highlights the ones that are missing – and you can bet the bleakness of the winter days doesn’t help!
For these reasons, many suffering family members appreciate having an opportunity to come together with others who are grieving and mark the losses they’re feeling so acutely. Hosting a holiday remembrance program may seem like a hassle to you, but to these mourners, they’re a healing experience that lets them ensure their missing loved ones aren’t forgotten in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Reason #2 – Connect with Your Community
It’s no secret that many funeral homes are facing a difficult battle when it comes to maintaining (or even increasing) revenue in this low-savings, cremation-intensive world. Because every customer you have the chance to acquire matters in this environment, it’s more important than ever that members of your community are familiar with your firm so that they know to call on you in their time of need.
Hosting events that support your community is one of the easiest ways to create this brand awareness. When you put together your event, don’t just invite the families you’ve served in the past year. Invite anybody in the community at large that’s grieving the passing of a loved one to attend and be a part of your service. The gesture will be appreciated by the larger attendee base you’re able to reach, and your community-wide invitation will help you to secure important local media mentions that increase visibility and contribute to your acquisition of future new customers.
Reason #3 – Generate Extra Income
One of the things that our customers have seen success with when it comes to launching holiday remembrance programs is offering families that RSVP the gift of a personalized memento, like a holiday ornament customized with the name, birth date and death date of the deceased. Not only does this provide families with a gift they’ll treasure for years to come, it’s a helpful tool in encouraging as many people as possible to attend – nobody wants to put on an event that only draws a handful of visitors!
Since giving out complimentary ornaments can represent a sizable expense depending on the size of your program, we recommend making additional copies of the ornament available for purchase by extended family members and friends. Suppose a man dies, leaving behind four children. While his widow will receive the free ornament for attending, her children may elect to purchase their own copies as a way to remember and memorialize their father. On average, we find that families place at least one reorder – covering your costs and potentially generating extra revenue for your funeral home.
Now, remember earlier when I promised you that running a holiday remembrance program isn’t as difficult as it sounds? Our team has taken all the work out of the process for you! Make sure to download our free guide on how your funeral home can throw a successful holiday remembrance program. Click here to download.
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