Beyond the Obit: Strategic Relationship Building for Funeral Homes
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In this podcast episode of the Death Care Marketing Show, it features an interview between Mary Barnett and Ryan Thogmartin regarding the necessity of modernizing funeral home marketing strategies. The experts argue that funeral directors must stop using social media as a mere digital obituary board and instead use it to build authentic relationships through transparent, educational content. Through sharing the human side of their profession and addressing common consumer curiosities, firms can move beyond a price-driven market to one based on trust and value. Thogmartin provides evidence that organic video content and targeted digital ads can lead to a massive return on investment compared to traditional methods. Ultimately, the source emphasizes that best-known firms outperform those that rely solely on outdated concepts of dignity and silence.
Moving Beyond Obits and Into Relationships (Watch Here)
Most funeral homes treat social media as a digital obituary board, but this episode explores how to shift toward relationship-building tools that foster trust and long-term market share. Ryan Thogmartin discusses why the “virtual handshake” of social media is the modern equivalent of the Rotary Club and how transparency is the key to winning over today’s “curious but misinformed” consumer.
Key Insights & Quotes
- On Media Evolution: “Social media isn’t social media anymore it is interest-based media. It doesn’t matter who you’re connected to… it is interest based”.
- The Power of Recognition: “Best known beats best every single time. It’s what you do once you get that attention that makes sure that somebody comes back”.
- On Relationship Branding: “The number one reason families choose a funeral home is relationship period. It’s not price, it’s not proximity”.
- The Identity Shift: “Lead with relationship don’t tell me what you do tell me who you are”.
Actionable Tips for Funeral Directors
- Stop the “Obituary-Only” Strategy
- A link post (like an obit) often gets only 2% organic reach, meaning almost no one in your community sees it.
- While obits can drive website traffic, they do not build the long-term trust signals needed before a family is in an “at-need” situation.
- Embrace Radical Transparency
- Pull back the curtain on the profession. Ryan highlights a client who grew significantly by answering “morbid” questions and showing the prep room.
- Address misinformation directly. For example, if a viral podcast (like Joe Rogan) spreads myths about cremation, create content “stitching” that video to provide accurate information.
- Prioritize Organic Video
- Organic video content is cited as the fastest win funeral homes overlook.
- Don’t worry about high production value; simply documenting your daily work or sharing your “why” on a phone camera is often more engaging than generic, polished content.
- Implement Systems Over Chaos
- Don’t just delegate social media to a young staff member simply because they “have a phone”.
- Social media must be a top-tier strategy, not task number 10 on a busy director’s to-do list. This often requires partnering with outside experts to maintain accountability and a consistent “playbook”.
- Prove Content Before Paying for Ads
- The biggest myth is that you must throw money at Facebook ads to see results.
- Test content organically first. Only put money behind posts that are already proven to engage your audience. This strategy can lead to a documented 18x return on investment.
Guest Resources & Links
- Disrupt Media: disruptmedia.co — Strategic digital advertising and content creation for funeral homes.
- Connecting Directors: connectingdirectors.com — A leading publication for deathcare professionals.
- Follow Ryan: Connect with Ryan Thogmartin on social media platforms for daily insights into disruptive marketing.
“Best known beats best every single time. It’s what you do once you get that attention that makes sure that somebody comes back” – Ryan Thogmartin
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