HOW SUSAN’S JOURNEY STARTED

Susan Lenning* first became interested in learning more about Ferncliff Cemetery back in December of 2019 with an initial content download about grieving during the holidays.

Next, a regular drip of personalized content presented through our Growth Engine software nurtured Susan’s relationship with Ferncliff. Susan stayed connected with Ferncliff Cemetery for many months. In October of 2020, Susan called Ferncliff’s sales team. This is the story of how Funeral Innovations helped foster Susan’s relationship with Ferncliff Cemetery and lead to the opening of a discussion about her plans. 

HOW FUNERAL INNOVATIONS HELPED

Initially, Susan found a Funeral Innovations eBook offered on Ferncliff’s website called “Why the Holidays Aren’t Always Jolly,” which offers guidance for those facing grief during the holiday season. Downloading this eBook entered Susan into Growth Engine software so she could receive follow-up resources that related to her specific needs.

Through effective nurturing from different marketing channels, Funeral Innovations kept Susan’s interest as she began discovering more available content with information she wanted. This is her timeline of engagement:

• April 2020: Downloaded our “Grieving from a Distance” eBook which helps those coping with loss during the pandemic. This eBook is important because it allows the funeral home to have a conversation with their community members about the value of remembering loved ones and how that can look different for everyone.
• May 2020: Signed up to receive monthly newsletters. Funeral Innovations offers automatic newsletters that share updates, educational information, and grief support content.
• July 2020: Signed up for our “Coping with Conflicting Emotions” Facebook campaign. This particular sign-up is important because Ferncliff Cemetery can see that Susan signed up in Growth Engine and then can keep her on their radar as someone who is having a tough time dealing with grief and might need a little extra attention.
• October 2020: Signed up for our “Top Tips Before Planning Your Cemetery Arrangement” Facebook campaign. This campaign works to guide people through the cemetery arrangement process and gets them thinking about aspects they might not have considered. This preparation makes it easier for funeral professionals to navigate that conversation when they connect with the interested party.

Growth Engine nurtured Susan through different marketing channels such as eBook downloads, email follow-ups, Facebook campaigns, and newsletters. Her latest download shows she is highly interested in learning about cemetery arrangements, which is a clue for Ferncliff Cemetery as well as Funeral Innovations, that the follow-up is working successfully. After receiving subsequent materials curated and planned by Funeral Innovations, Susan connected with Ferncliff’s sales staff to learn more about their services.

*Note: Susan Lenning has been used as a pseudonym to protect this person’s privacy. 

HOW GRACE’S JOURNEY STARTED

In March of 2019, Grace Richards* initiated her interest in Forest Lawn by signing up to receive an email series Funeral Innovations offers called “Week in the Life of a Funeral Director.” Our continuous email series and newsletters supported Grace’s interest and grew her connection to Forest Lawn overtime. No pushy, high-pressure tactics. Just regular useful information delivered automatically through Growth Engine.

This personalized engagement resulted in Grace’s submission of a contact form on Forest Lawn’s website in October of 2020 to learn about options for her father and herself. Funeral Innovations helped cultivate Forest Lawn’s relationship with Grace long enough to keep her attention and encourage her to choose them for service when the need arose.

HOW FUNERAL INNOVATIONS HELPED

At first, Grace found a Funeral Innovations email series campaign on Forest Lawn’s website called “Week in the Life – Funeral Director” and signed up in March of 2019. This email series spotlights funeral directors to show what their day-to-day looks like and how they serve their families. After signing up for this email series, Grace’s name was automatically added to Growth Engine for follow-up resources like additional campaign sign-ups and newsletters. 

As Grace continued to receive active and compelling nurturing through email, newsletters, and Facebook, she got the resources she needed about funeral services and about Forest Lawn. This is her timeline of engagement:

• March 2019: Signed up for our “Leaving a Legacy” email series and PDF. This Funeral Innovations series talks people through what it means to leave a legacy with guided questions and an interactive workbook. It shares ideas about planning a legacy and what that tangible aspect might look like for your own service which gets families thinking about planning ahead with a funeral home.
• November 2019: Signed up to receive monthly newsletters. Funeral Innovations has worked with Forest Lawn to create a customized newsletter that features their new mausoleum construction and general funeral home and cemetery updates.
• October 2020: Filled out a contact form on Forest Lawn’s website. Grace shared a thoughtful and personal message about losing her father as well as the impact it had on her relationship with her family. She wanted to know more about what kinds of options Forest Lawn had to help soothe the stress of planning her father’s funeral service.

Our strategy, Growth engine software, and content effortlessly reached Grace through different marketing channels such as email series campaigns, PDF resources, and newsletters. Her most recent point of contact shows a high level of interest and makes Grace a hot lead for Forest Lawn to follow-up with. After receiving subsequent nurturing carefully strategized by Funeral Innovations, Grace was able to confidently take the next step forward in reaching out to Forest Lawn staff for more information about services.

*Note: Grace Richards has been used as a pseudonym to protect this person’s privacy. 

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Funeral Innovations’ Growth Engine takes digital marketing and makes it personal and relatable for your families. Whether you’re a cemetery or a full-service funeral home, we help connect you with your community with guided and thoughtful nurturing that works for them. When you shares these resources, it keeps your community invested in your firm, and ultimately turns a cold lead into a hot one.