Funeral Homes serve a unique role within a community, present to help families navigate through the most challenging moments, bringing people together to honor loved ones. There is an implicit trust in a funeral home and its employees during these difficult times to ensure that a family’s spoken and unspoken needs will be met.
Establishing strong relationships within the community when a funeral home's services are not required helps the funeral home establish trust, gain credibility, and build authenticity and brand recognition. In addition, being active within a community often helps boost employee morale as team members may develop long lasting relationships.
Here are 5 ways to connect with the community
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Host a Bingo Night. Why Bingo? It’s simple, does not require a lot of planning or space, can be done virtually or in person, and people love it. You can partner with a senior center to help drive visibility to the event or use their space. You can host any event that enables you to be present and provide an engaging activity.
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Hold a Clothing Drive. Provide for those in need and help families who may be trying to determine what to do with a loved one’s items. You can partner with local businesses to help spread the word in the community and provide a reason for people to see how beautiful your funeral home is.
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Volunteer at a Local Veteran’s Day Event. Honor the Veterans in your town by volunteering to set up chairs and serve snacks at the celebration. Hear their stories and get to know the Veterans by talking to them and their families.
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Build Partnerships with Small Business Leaders. Invite local community leaders to participate in educational roundtable discussions such as helping families plan for their future.
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Give Thanks. Stop by the local firehouse or police department with snacks and say thanks. Get to know the first responders who work hard to keep the community safe. Show your appreciation and stay top of mind with those who may encounter families in need.
These ideas, along with the countless other engagement opportunities, can help your funeral home become more deeply embedded within the community.