I got the chance to help a family pre-arrange their funeral last week. It was a new customer in a new town, in a new state and I was able to help them go through our paperwork and premiums. It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten to spend time actually writing a contract and get back into the process of helping families directly. It was nice and rewarding. I had to knock of some off some of the rust – but the whole process flowed along just as it should and everyone walked away feeling good about what took place. With that being said – I wanted to post an article we published in our Security National Life Newsletter sometime ago about helping families. I hope you like it.
“Helping you help your family.” Whether you are just starting to help families or you are a seasoned pre-need counselor, you know the value and comfort that you give to a family when you help them help their family.
Most customers react in different ways when they start talking about their own funeral arrangements. As you deal with your families, remember to take care while dealing with their feelings. Take care as they try to handle talking about their own arrange- ments or planning a sick spouse, parents or god-forbid a child. Sometimes when we try to show the many ways that we can help them by offering; 1) different insured plans to fit their needs and ability, 2) different pay plans to help them with affordability, 3) different benefits they might be entitled to, 4) different ways to protect their family and 5) and for their own peace of mind that not only will their family not have to make funeral arrangements on the worst day of their life, but they also won’t have to worry about how to pay for that funeral. As you already know – your families need to reassured during your presentations that you are there to help them help their family, not to pressure them. Again, most families don’t realize what programs are available to them or don’t understand how your help could help their family emotionally and financially.
If you’re not careful, people will feel that they are being pressured instead of being informed. They think that you are only trying to sell them something instead of trying to help. If they only new how much pre-arrangements have helped so many families – you have to show them how it will do the same for them. I have never had anyone tell me that they wished their loved ones had not pre-planned their funeral, but I have had many people tell me that they had waited too late and they wish that they had pre- planned together, they wish I had been more persistent with them.
Some of the time if you sense someone is feeling pressured, go over with the funeral director or funeral home owner about what you have shared with the family about preneed and what you think the objections are, financial, want to talk to their children, someone they know had a problem with their old pre-need program, etc. Sometimes a call of support for a pre-need plan and assurance that the pre-need representative is trying to help them and has ask the funeral director see if they have any questions he can help them with.
If we can help you or you want to help families help their family – please visit us at http://www.snlabetterway.com/careers. Fill out the form and one our capable field managers will be glad to help you with a new opportunity! Speaking of new opportunities, please check back later to meet our new Account Representatives at Security National Life’s Preneed Division.
