Written by Jay Barry

  I am frequently asked “what’s new?” when it comes to pre-need lead generation strategies. I usually respond to this question with a rehash of the customary strategies that have been used by funeral homes for many years. That has now changed!

  While attending this year’s Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association state convention I had the good fortune to meet Jay Barry. Jay shared an idea with me that I was so impressed with; I just had to share it with you.

  Jay is a second generation, licensed funeral director who grew up in the J. William Barry Funeral Home in Atglen, PA. After completing his internship at the William S Bleyler Funeral Home in Chester, PA, he bought a funeral home in Millersville, PA which he operated for several years before selling his business.

  Jay has always been sales and tech savvy and was at the forefront of internet marketing in the automotive business. He has become a subject matter expert on what is becoming the next internet marketing business revolution, text marketing. Text is an extremely efficient, time effective and extremely low cost marketing tool that will soon be used by all businesses. If you have any questions for Jay he can be reached at (717) 314-0628 or jbarry@sentextsolutions.com.

  The next marketing revolution to hit funeral service is here and you have it in your pocket, your purse, on your hip, in your hand or on your desk. If you are like the average American, you look at it an average of 150 times a day. I’m talking about the smart phone, as the instrument and the revolutionary medium is text marketing. According to a 2014 article in Wired Magazine, many people will be eliminating computers from their lives entirely. Their only source of online and mobile content will be the smart phone. This will be a great way for funeral homes to connect with their current and future clients. In some cases it may be the only way.

  98% of text messages are read within 3 minutes of being sent. 75% of smart phone owners prefer to get a text message over all other forms of marketing. 77% of Americans own a smartphone.

  Last week I had a meeting with a 31-year-old woman to discuss text marketing for her business. During the course of our meeting she informed me she had been at her grandfather’s funeral two weeks earlier. While there, she used the restroom. There were brochures in the restroom encouraging clients to preplan. She didn’t take any. She also told me that if the funeral home had offered text marketing she would have signed up immediately. I asked her why and she said to learn about preplanning options. I asked her why she just didn’t take a preplanning brochure. Her immediate response was, “Text is how I want to get that information from the funeral home.”

  I’m sure that many of you will dismiss this as a “generational thing.” The fact is that 91% of millennials text. 92% of Generation X and 92% of Baby Boomers text. 94% of the Silent Generation text. That’s the folks we used to call seniors. This is not about our perceptions of how we expect our clients to act but how our clients want and expect us to perform for their benefit. Your current and future clients want you to offer text marketing on their behalf. Most importantly, they want it now.

  There are everyday practical uses for text marketing to better communicate with our current and prospective clients. I have available a White Paper I will gladly dispatch to you that clearly outlines how funeral service can benefit from a customized engagement with their clients through carefully crafted and targeted text marketing. Simply e-mail me and request your free copy.