When I was young visiting my grandparents at the family funeral home, Egan Funeral Home in Bolton, Ontario, I spent a lot of time with him walking around town, going to the post office, and running other errands. I was always amazed at how many people knew him and that he knew them. His success, like other funeral directors of previous generations, could be attributed to being a useful member of the community, whether professionally or in other pursuits. They knew him, they liked him, and when they needed his services, they could trust him.
Given that life is different today and there are far fewer people in the “social centers” than 50 years ago, it does not mean that you have to go to the same places where your grandfather used to pass; he was where the people were. . You should apply the same philosophy: go where the people are in your community!
Now, I’m not saying to abandon all groups that you are currently involved with, but you should take a quick inventory of your time invested vs. the exposure and reach you get.
If you think I’m just pushing these Facebook stuff because I’m a bit technical, you’re wrong. I’m trying to tell you that it’s probably one of the biggest networks in your city and you should be there.
Do you know how many people in your market are on Facebook? Would it surprise you if it could tell you exactly how many per individual, gender, age? It’s easy to figure out, and it can also be advertised so directly that it will blow your mind!
But before you get into my Funeral – Facebook Formula, you need to make sure you have the basic foundation of Facebook profiles and pages. So let’s build on the 7 mistakes funeral directors make with the Facebook article, I want to describe what are the best practices for funeral directors to use Facebook.
The purpose of these “Best Practices” is to cut out all the noise and give you the direct goods and a short cut in the learning process while teaching you how to nurture your online relationships to build your community, increase your credibility and visibility. Because people want to do business with people they know, like, and trust, Facebook can help you get there!
I don’t want Facebook to be a new waste of time, although I must warn you: if you’re new to Facebook, it’s easy to get sucked in, connect with old friends, review photos, play games, answer quizzes, etc. Anyway, after the initial rush wears off, you will be back in business – that is, relationship building business!
Before we get into nuts and bolts, we need to know the difference between profiles and pages.
Pros of the Facebook profile
* Can have one-to-one interaction
* You create a more personal sense of connection
* You get “perceived” credibility with more friends
* Your friends can send you messages (pro from their perspective)
* Can be tagged in photos and videos and appear automatically (sometimes good)
Cons of Facebook profile
* You need to have a mutual agreement to make friends.
* People must be Facebook members and logged in to view
* You cannot send messages to all your friends at once or you could get banned
* You have a limit of 5000 friends
* Could be flooded with messages in your inbox
* Can be tagged in photos and videos and appear automatically (sometimes wrong)
Advantages of the Facebook fan page
* You can have an unlimited number of fans
* You have the ability to send messages to an entire group
* Your page can be accessed by the public (no Facebook login required + Google can index it (see names below)
* Your page appears in the homepage flow, which is a great way to remind your friends about updates and new content * People have chosen to hear updates about your business, as opposed to your profile
Cons of Facebook fan page
* Sometimes it is difficult to get people to become fans.
* The term “Fan” is a bit strange, especially when applied to a funeral home.
* It doesn’t feel like a personal connection
* You do not have the same personal relationship since you only post as “Business”, not as yourself.
Okay, now that we know some of the differences, let’s create both a profile and a page, using the pros to our advantage.
Profile setup – Phase 1 (1 hour):
1. Select a suitable photo: the one that best connects you with your audience.
2. Upload contacts from email / Outlook accounts: (I omit “Invite others to Facebook”)
3. Fill in the profile information – please make it as complete as possible, but stay within your comfort level.
4. Complete education and work profile information – this makes it easy for your old contacts to find you
5. List all your websites in the contact information.
6. Create a memorable web address
7. Upload contacts from email / Outlook accounts
Profile setup – Phase 2 (1 to 2 hours + in progress):
1. Search in the friends list of friends
2. Search groups and fan pages for potential contacts – you don’t even have to join the group, just see who the members are. But join if you think it would be valuable
3. Find your competitor’s friends – Click the See Friends link and add any friends that you think would be appropriate for a friend.
Notes: When entering a website address (URL), be sure to use “http: //” before [http://www..]. as it will make the link clickable.
Fan Page Setup – Phase 1
1. Choose Category> Venue> Event Planning Service OR Professional Service
2. Choose the right name: put important keywords along with your business name, such as “Your Town” funeral homes (unless it is the name of a competitor) | His funeral chapel (see McCall’s example)
3. Upload your logo or a suitable photo: make sure it is recognizable and, if possible, has some personality.
4. Fill in the edit information
5. Upload photos and tag yourself or staff members if applicable
6. Upload videos: how-to videos and FAQ over commercials would be preferred; again you’re trying to build a relationship, not sell anything (don’t exclude commercials, just limit them)
7. Add links to useful information on your website.
8. Suggest to Friends: Be selective about who you invite in the beginning until you actually have your page “supercharged”.
Remember, Facebook Pages and How Funeral Homes Can Use Facebook are a work in progress, these are some general best practices (for now).
If you are interested in learning how to USE Facebook for your funeral business, I know you will get a lot out of my Funeral Home – Facebook Formula seminar. This seminar is the first of my monthly training courses called: Funeral Futurist U – Internet Marketing for Funeral Professionals. For more information and registration details, visit: http://www.FuneralFuturistU.com.