Blog Archives

STORYTELLING FOR FUNERAL SERVICE

1/19/2022

Below is a sneak peek at the keynote presentation for CANA’s 2022 Cremation Symposium, titled Storytelling for Funeral Service. If you haven’t secured your attendance, you can register here

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “STORYTELLING”?

Storytelling as a marketing tactic has been buzzing around the industry for a couple of decades—especially since the Internet, and its ability to reach more people more often, became ubiquitous.

But when asked to define storytelling, marketers often hem and haw. They hail it as the Next Big Thing in Business Development, but then fall back on cliches and misunderstandings. They mistake “branding” or “customer experience” for storytelling.

So let’s define our term right off the bat:

storytelling, noun
using narrative techniques—i.e., this thing happened, then this next thing happened, then the next thing happened, etc.—to connect with your audience, shape their impression of your business, and demonstrate your purpose.

If examples of good brand storytelling might help you understand the concept, check out this example by Google or this one by Apple or this one by Dove.

WHY STORYTELLING MATTERS TO YOUR BUSINESS

We could fill a book describing the benefits of brand storytelling. Among the chapter titles in that hypothetical book:“Storytelling is as Old as Homo Sapiens”

“Storytelling Improves Memory”
“Storytelling is How Kids Learn Things”
“Storytelling Reveals the Things All People Share in Common”
“Storytelling Boosts Oxytocin (the “Bonding Molecule”)”

All good reasons for your funeral business to spend time identifying and crafting great stories. But I want to briefly discuss an additional reason to tell your tell, which is brilliantly put by Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling:

“Stories are ordering, sense-making machines, helping our brains to render the frantic incoherence of chaotic existence into comprehensible narratives.”

Stories help us make sense of a world that is often confusing, isolating, enormous, and filled with contradictions. For funeral professionals, stories’ ability to organize our many feelings and thoughts is especially powerful, and that’s because. . .

emotion produces action

Nearly all human behavior is driven by emotions. When we feel something, we respond—sometimes consciously, often not.

When a potential customer approaches your funeral home, they are in a heightened state of emotion. They’re either planning a funeral for a loved one (feeling grief) or pre-planning their own funeral (feeling nervous or sad).

A great story can help them sort out—even if just to a small extent—the wild mix of feelings they’re dealing with. The alternative is far less effective. . .

making claims

The opposite of storytelling is “making claims.” This is what most businesses do:

“We care about you.”
“We will treat your loved one as if they were our own.”
“We are 15% less expensive than our competitors.”
“Our customers report having an excellent experience working with us.”
“Last year, we helped more families in our state than any other funeral home.”

True or not, a “claim” is a mostly ineffective way of attracting attention and converting that connection into business. Why? Because when the human brain encounters a factual claim, our rational, conscious brains switch on in order for us to determine whether we believe the claim. Even if we believe the claim, we have moved out of our emotional selves and into our logical selves.

Put more simply: If you want to persuade someone to do something, such as hire you to conduct a funeral, you want them feeling, not thinking.

8 seconds to ejection

In 2000, a global study suggested that the average human attention span is 12 seconds—i.e., we devote 12 seconds of conscious focus on a new piece of data until our minds move on to the next thing.
In 2013, another study reported that our attention spans had plummeted to eight seconds.

Twelve to eight seconds in just over a decade—what could account for that? You know, of course: the explosion of Internet technology, computers in our pockets, Instagram, lightning-fast broadband connections—all of it. Never in the history of our species have we had so little time to try and communicate so much.

But there’s good news. While you have very little time to connect with strangers, you have:

More ways to find customers than ever before
Technology and social media platforms galore on which to tell your business’ story
Analytics to help you target your messages with hyper-specificity
Designers who can make the ordinary beautiful and the beautiful unforgettable
The Internet

Every time you set out to promote your funeral home, keep this refrain on repeat in your mind: I have eight seconds. I have eight seconds. I have eight seconds.

FIVE QUICK STORYTELLING FUNDAMENTALS

Once you have their interest, it’s time to tell your story. Here are some cornerstones of brand storytelling. We’ll discuss some of these in more detail at the CANA Symposium, but here’s an advance look.

Acknowledge the Customer’s Context: Create stories for every conceivable context, starting with the two most obvious ones we discussed earlier.
You Are Not the Hero: Your company is not the hero. The hero is your customers. When you craft stories, especially online, put your families front and center.
Find Your Adjective: Don’t just jump to something obvious, such as “compassionate,” and be done with it. Dig deeper.
Emphasize the Stakes: For a funeral home, the stakes often boil down to this question: What will happen if a person hires a different funeral home?
Invest in Storytelling: You don’t have to break the bank to tell good stories online. But you might need to spend more than you are right now. Invest in top-quality content now, reap the benefits for several turns of the calendar.

Hope to see you in Las Vegas in February! For more marketing, branding, content and storytelling tips, check out the Mighty Citizen Blog.

Andrew shares the stage with presentations from experts across the profession:

Angelique Simpson of Matthews Aurora will talk about Creating a Culture of Trust at your business.
Rolf Gutknecht, co-founder of LAads, will show you The Most Important Part of Cremation Marketing: The Message. A panel of practitioners sharing their results will follow.
Lacy Robinson will help you with Embracing the DIY Consumer.
Chris Cruger, CEO of The Foresight Companies, talks Business Ethics: How Ethical Behavior Plays a Vital Role in Funeral Service and Consumer Satisfaction.
and CANA’s own Barbara Kemmis and Jennifer Werthman help you with Retaining and Engaging Employees Through Story.

Your funeral business has many stories to tell. How do you find them and tell them so that they set you apart and grow your business? Join Adrew Buck and CANA for the 2022 Cremation Symposium February 9-11 at The LINQ Hotel + Experience in Las Vegas. Visit goCANA.org/CANAconnect to see what else we have planned for the event and register to join other innovative thinkers from across the profession. Session sponsored by Batesville

Andrew Buck is the Content Strategist for Mighty Citizen. He studied English and Communications at The University of Texas before beginning a long career in the world of nonprofit marketing and fundraising. Eventually, he combined his love of words with his love of performance to become a software trainer, traveling the country teaching fundraisers how to better manage their data. At Mighty Citizen, Andrew plays a dual role: helping craft internal marketing content as well as partnering with clients on a variety of content projects—including research, messaging, strategizing, branding, and content governance.

THE 2022 LEGAL CHECKLIST

1/5/2022

As 2022 begins, there continue to be evolving demands competing for your time and energy. The last two years have seen some significant changes and developments in many areas of the industry and the laws which govern it. As with the beginning of every new year, it remains important to refresh and improve our habits. It is not too late to resolve to accomplish the following risk management and legal checklist items and establish a new routine for years to come.

1. UPDATE AND REVIEW CURRENT GOVERNING LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

Regardless of your role in the industry, it is important to understand the current laws and regulations that govern your work. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the implementation of many new laws and regulations which may impact your business. Put aside the necessary time to review the federal, state, and local laws and regulations which affect your daily operations.

While right to control final disposition and cremation authorization issues continue to dominate legal complaints against people and businesses in this industry, there have been many new developments in the area of labor and employment, employee safety, and non-discrimination laws which may impact your business. If you have difficulty finding the statutes and regulations governing you and your business, try searching the web sites for your state association or licensing board – they often have links available. Federal OSHA and EEOC web sites, and their state counterparts, also provide significant information and updates.

2. EDUCATE AND TRAIN STAFF ON ANY NEW LAWS OR REGULATIONS AFFECTING YOUR BUSINESS.

Keeping yourself updated on new laws or regulations is just a first step. The next is to educate and train your staff and co-workers on what you have learned. Hold a “lunch and learn” with your team and give everyone the tools to succeed. Education and training are vital steps to every risk management and compliance program.

3. UPDATE YOUR FORMS TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE WITH ANY LAW CHANGES.

Out of date, non-compliant forms are an easy target for regulators and plaintiffs’ attorneys alike. Confirm that your form documents include all the required notices, consents, and disclosures. Consult with an attorney if you have any questions regarding current legal requirements.

4. EDUCATE AND TRAIN STAFF ON THE CHANGES IN YOUR FORMS.

Compliant forms are important, but the persons who use them every day must understand how to utilize them to the fullest. Avoid the problems caused by improperly filled out forms. If done and utilized correctly, forms often provide the best documentation in defense of legal complaints.

5. REVIEW AND UPDATE YOUR OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

Regulatory compliance is critical to a successful operation. So, too, are human resource policies, and so much more. If you need assistance in your review, CANA has partnered with Cremation Strategies & Consulting to offer a program which will help you compile operational policies and procedures customized for your business.

6. REVIEW AND UPDATE YOUR EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK (INCLUDING SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY).

Employment issues are a prevalent headache across all industries and business models. Address common concerns in your employee handbook, so that everyone is on notice of the standards to which they will be held accountable, including:

Implement clear, unambiguous policies on work hours, time off, sick leave, and vacation time.
Be mindful that there have been changes in the law and agency guidance on dress codes and make the necessary changes.
Have appropriate sexual harassment policies in place.
Communicate your expectations regarding social media use and restrictions on employee posts on business matters.
Make sure employees are aware that social media is not for airing workplace grievances or complaints.

7. EDUCATE AND TRAIN STAFF ON YOUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

Periodic training and review of operational and employment policies and procedures are critical. There cannot be compliance without your employees first understanding your expectations and standards to which they will be held accountable.

8. MEET WITH YOUR INSURANCE AGENT OR BROKER.

Make sure your insurance agent or broker understands your business. Make time for these critical discussions. Do not assume that your insurance agent or broker “just knows” because he or she has worked with you in the past. Too often there are gaps in coverage discovered when you need insurance assistance or defense to a legal claim, when it is too late to put the protections you need in place.

Many gaps in coverage result from your agent or broker not understanding your daily work and operations sufficiently to make sure that what you actually do is covered. Just because you have “professional liability” insurance, you have no guarantee that all of your professional services are covered. Proactive insurance strategies will serve you best.

9. MEET WITH YOUR TAX PLANNING PROFESSIONAL.

Do not leave money on the table. A tax professional’s advice can add value to your business and improve its bottom line. Mitigate your tax risks and exposures prudently.

10. BUDGET FOR AND PLAN TO ATTEND MEANINGFUL CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

Take some time to think about the education and assistance which will benefit you and your business most in the upcoming year. Then, search for continuing education opportunities that will assist in meeting your goals. There are in person and online resources available to address almost any concern as an industry professional or business owner. Some jurisdictions even allow you to get your crematory operator certification online.

While this might be challenging as we all face the realities of a continuing pandemic, it is important to find those educational opportunities that will provide the insight and knowledge you need for success now and in the future.

Getting your new year off to a good start can jumpstart accomplishing your business’s New Year’s resolutions. Best wishes for your success in 2022!
CANA Members: Your association is here to help! If you ever need these resources or anything else offered by CANA, reach out.

Lara M. Price is a shareholder at Sheehy, Ware, Pappas & Grubbs, P.C., in Houston, in the products liability and professional liability sections of the firm. She has extensive experience in a number of substantive areas of trial practice, including products liability, professional liability, administrative law, commercial litigation, health care law, premises liability, personal injury and wrongful death. She regularly represents corporations, other business entities, and individuals in complex litigation against claims for personal injuries, wrongful death, and economic loss in state courts throughout Texas and in federal courts in Texas and elsewhere. Ms. Price is General Counsel for CANA and Texas Funeral Directors Association.

STORYTELLING FOR FUNERAL SERVICE

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “STORYTELLING”?

WHY STORYTELLING MATTERS TO YOUR BUSINESS

emotion produces action

making claims

8 seconds to ejection

FIVE QUICK STORYTELLING FUNDAMENTALS

THE 2022 LEGAL CHECKLIST

The Cremation Logs Blog

Categories

Archives

Quick Links

STORYTELLING FOR FUNERAL SERVICE

​WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “STORYTELLING”?

​WHY STORYTELLING MATTERS TO YOUR BUSINESS

emotion produces action

making claims

8 seconds to ejection

​FIVE QUICK STORYTELLING FUNDAMENTALS

THE 2022 LEGAL CHECKLIST

The Cremation Logs Blog

Categories

Archives

Quick Links

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “STORYTELLING”?

WHY STORYTELLING MATTERS TO YOUR BUSINESS

FIVE QUICK STORYTELLING FUNDAMENTALS