How to Approach a Client About Preneed Funeral Plans

July 29, 2021 | Agents, Funeral Home and Preneed Leads, Insurance, Lead Generation

Funerals are important to most families across the world, as they symbolize a final remembrance and farewell to a loved one who has just passed away. Their importance makes performing a respectable service all the more necessary. And it’s also why funerals go past the actual service itself. It all starts with the planning process, whether a client is in need or is in.

Ideally, catching a family in preneed rather than at-need is best. This is not always possible, as a sudden passing tends to happen more than we think. But, if possible, offering preneed funeral plans is the best thing to do. This is for multiple reasons, but it mainly falls under the fact that most funeral homes have this option. It is helpful to families who will need the assistance, reserving them time to grieve when a loved one passes away correctly.

This article will uncover how you can approach a potential client about preneed funeral arrangements. These include finding out how much people know about preneed funeral plans in your area, understanding the client’s situation, and knowing how to speak with them.

Let’s get started.

Find Out How Much Your Area is Aware of Preneed Funeral Plans

Many people are unaware that preneed funeral arrangements are offered, so they never seem to inquire about them. If this is the case, all it takes is reaching out to potential clients about this option.  You can scratch the surface of teaching someone about preneed plans by sending them emails or direct mail about what your funeral home has to offer, depending on the location of your funeral home. Truthfully, any bit of advertising will go a long way. Remember: it’s less about the best funeral home is; it’s about more about what funeral home reaches out first.

If you live in a smaller community, utilizing direct mail for your target audience may be more effective. This is because smaller communities tend to be more traditional. However, this doesn’t mean you should not use direct mail marketing if you are not in a larger city. Direct mail is a widely effective marketing strategy that is used by many, so it is worth using no matter where you are located. However, you may not want to rely simply on direct mail in a larger city. You will want to utilize emails, too, because they can quickly reach many potential clients.

Larger Funeral Homes

For funeral homes in a larger city, you will also want to consider creating a social media page. It may not seem like the most pressing medium for getting your message across, but it helps when reaching members of your secondary audience. Your secondary audience will consist of family members in your community, like children or siblings, who live in different areas of the United States. Simply put, your secondary audience is people who are not in your funeral home’s area, but their loved ones are. Remember that no one is more persuasive than a family member, so you must reach out to family members with your awareness message about preneed burial plans.

When sending out your messages, make it clear to the recipients what preneed funeral arrangements are and how they could benefit through them. This goes without much saying, but if people are unaware of what the service entails, they will most likely not take the time to find out what it is. This is especially true with preneed burial planning because people don’t want to think about having to preplan for a funeral service, as it tends to be a heavy subject. Most people tend to plan for funeral services at need, so you must be upfront with what you offer so that people do not get confused or disinterested. So, don’t leave anyone more confused about your services after reading your advertisement. That hurts what you are going for.

Understand The Client’s Situation

Each person you work with will be in a different position in life. These circumstances depend on his or her age, the family’s history, financial status, and health. Understanding the place that your client is at will help you understand a little bit better how to approach him or her.

Take a moment to think about the demographics that your ideal target audience may fit in. Do you want to approach those older and sicker, or do you want to approach those in a more dangerous line of work, like working in warehouses or construction? Maybe you want to approach everyone within your community, and that’s okay because, at some point, everyone will need a funeral. However, understanding the characteristics of your target audience will help you know the best ways to approach who is in it.

Take time to research the people who are in your area. You can learn more about your community’s demographics by visiting the U.S. Census Bureau. You can understand the specifics of your area’s average income level, age, and other social attributes that could help you know who you are working for.

However, it is essential to note that regardless of your target audience, the grieving process is similar for many. Families will grieve the loss of an ill grandfather as much as they will grieve a firefighter who has developed cancer. That’s why you must maintain the same core message throughout your approach: that you are there to help ease some of the burden associated with funeral planning.

Figure Out What You Want to Say

Now that you have an idea of who your target and secondary audiences are and how you want to send your message, you are still facing the problem of what to say. Each family is different, but they will always have something in common: they are mourning the loss of their loved one.

You will want to ensure that when you approach the subject of a preneed funeral arrangement, you are delicate in handling it. Those you are discussing preneed plans with are likely leads who want to learn more information about how they can preplan a service.

The first thing you can do is spend as much time getting to know the family as you are selling it on a plan so that the family feels confident in planning with your funeral home. Understand what the clients are looking for in their funeral, which would make them feel like they are leaving the family in good hands. While speaking with the family, make sure that you are perceptive to their needs so that you can address them as soon as possible.

Be Courteous

You will also want to open the floor to questions from your potential clients and families. Make it clear that your function is to answer as many questions as they have to gain their trust and comfort. You also want to make sure that they ask every question they have now so that nothing blindsides them when it comes time for the funeral service itself, seeing as they will already have a lot on their plate then.

Finally, you will want to discuss how their wishes can be met by working with you. This is where being perceptive will be handy because now you can address the needs and wishes the family has told you about. While explaining how your business is the best route for them, include examples of how you have helped families in the past who have had similar wishes to those you are speaking with now.

Summary

It is never easy to talk about the loss of someone you love. Approaching potential clients about preneed funeral plans must be done carefully so that you can build a trusting relationship with them. And, of course, as long as you are genuine in your attempts, you will be making the proper first steps. The great thing about this is that you can approach someone who may need your help in multiple ways.

You can approach potential clients by:

• Finding out how much of your area is aware of your preneed planning services
• Understanding your client’s needs
• Figuring out just what to say to them

If you still need help generating preneed funeral planning leads, don’t worry. Lead Concepts has you covered. We specialize in expanding your funeral home’s reach so that you can focus on helping the clients we provide. We will also ensure that the message you want to send is tailored to whatever audience you need, which will help improve the response in leads you receive.

If you have any questions, please visit our website or call us at 214-247-1831 today.