We’ve gotten requests ever since our “Become a Part of the Community” post from October of 2016 (you can read that here) for more ideas on how to reach out to the community as a means of advertising as well as a gesture of camaraderie. Community outreach can be a very lucrative sales tactic, but it does take creative thinking and some up-front work. However, there’s no better way to inspire word-of-mouth referrals than by getting your name out there by being involved in the community.
Idea #1: Talk to your school
No matter elementary, middle, high school or community college—every community is influenced by its school(s). Most schools won’t think to reach out to you, you may need to approach them with ideas for collabo.
“I reached out to my local elementary school through a friend of mine, and we put together a spook alley for Halloween using a real hearse and an actual coffin. The kids loved it, and we got some excellent feedback from the community and made some great connections.”
Open a conversation with your local parent-teacher association about sponsoring a sports game, donating to teacher appreciation week, participating in career day, or even hosting a small field trip.
Idea #2: Find some Fundraisers
If you look long enough, you’ll find a fundraiser that you can be a part of. There are so many options with this particular idea: besides allowing fundraisers to use your property for their bake sales or car washes or what not, even just making a donation will put you in the good graces of the community—and you better believe that people will talk about it.
“We chose to sponsor a 5K that raised money for breast cancer research, so we donated a certain amount to the cause and they put our logo on the T-shirts that all participants and volunteers were given. It drummed up so much business for us, we doubled our donation the next year and hosted a booth!”
Idea #3: Offer Education
Funeral professionals have a wealth of knowledge that many people could really benefit from. Host some free classes at your location about funeral planning, cremation, even choosing funerals as a career. If you advertise adequately and offer valuable information, people will show up and remember your name.
“Last year we offered 4 once-a-week classes on overcoming grief, which I felt capable of teaching because my degree is in social work. I was astonished at the turn out: we had to move locations from the receiving room to the viewing room!”
Idea #4: Parade of Funeral Homes
Have you attended your local parade of homes? Consider opening your doors for a similar tour! A factor in the decision-making process people go through when choosing a funeral home is based on the aesthetics of the space. Show off your beautiful building to a large group of community members in an unorthodox way!
