Death Care Marketing Show | E6: The Invisible Experience Families Remember with Jonathan Steiner

The Invisible Experience: Marketing Funeral Homes Through Scent

In this episode of Deathcare Marketing Show, featuring host Mary Barnett and guest Jonathan Steiner, an expert in scent and odor control. The discussion emphasizes that a funeral home’s marketing begins the moment a family enters the building, as the sensory environment significantly impacts their level of trust and comfort. Steiner explains how odor neutralizers and high-quality fragrances can replace the “aroma of death” with inviting scents, helping to mentally relax grieving individuals. The conversation also introduces a “CALM” framework, standing for Clean, Acoustics, Lighting, and Mood, to help funeral directors audit their facilities. Through focusing on these invisible details, such as signature scents and modern aesthetics, funeral homes can create a safe, dignified space that fosters long-term community relationships. Steiner highlights how modern technology, including app-controlled diffusion systems, allows businesses to maintain a consistent and pleasant atmosphere with minimal effort.

The Invisible Experience: Marketing Funeral Homes Through Scent (Watch Here)

Marketing for a funeral home begins the moment a family walks through the front door, before a single word is spoken or the staff is met. Your building is already telling a story, and the “invisible experience” of scent, sound, and lighting builds the trust families need to feel safe during their most difficult moments.

Actionable Tips for Funeral Directors

  • Perform a “CALM” Environment Audit: Use the CALM acronym to evaluate your facility: Clean and uncluttered, Acoustics (sound/silence), Lighting (warmth/softness), and Mood cues.
  • Address “Nose Blindness”: Recognize that staff may become habituated to odors like the “aroma of death” or chemicals; bring in an outside perspective to identify lingering malodors.
  • Neutralize Odors at the Source: Focus on neutralizing casket malodors and prep room leakage at the source rather than just masking them with heavy perfumes.
  • Adopt Signature Scenting: Establish a signature fragrance across your entire facility, including restrooms and chapels, to create a sense of cleanliness and continuity.
  • Utilize Modern Scenting Technology: Move away from fire hazards like candles or plugins and use cold diffusion machines that can be controlled via a smartphone app for precise intensity and timing.
  • Leverage Scent for Community Marketing: Offer branded reed diffusers or candles with your signature scent as takeaways for community events or remembrance services to keep your brand in families’ homes.

Key Insights and Quotes

  • The Building Speaks First: “Your building starts speaking long before your staff does”.
  • The Emotional Impact of Scent: “Families may not remember every word but they will remember how you made them feel”.
  • Mental Relaxation: Scent provides an “instant untwisting mentally” for families who enter a funeral home expecting unpleasant odors but are instead met with an inviting, professional atmosphere.
  • Personalized Comfort: Scent can be used to personalize a service, such as using the smell of fresh-cut grass for a golfer or lilacs for a personalized remembrance, creating a powerful, immersive experience.
  • Home in the Funeral Home: The goal of environmental marketing is to “bring home back into the meaning of funeral home” to provide comfort when people need it most.

Guest Information & Resources

  • Guest: Jonathan Steiner, Vice President of Enterprise and Funeral Sales at Air Essentials.
  • Website: http://airesscentials.com/pages/our-company
  • Contact:
    • Email: jonathan@airessentials.com.
    • Phone: 561-644-2023.
  • Featured Offerings:
    • Odor Neutralizers: Specialized scents like “Pure Sunshine” or “White Tea” designed for death care.
    • Technology: App-controlled cold diffusion units and HVAC scenting systems.
    • Marketing Tools: Branded reed diffusers and remembrance candles

“There are special aromas that actually feel like they’re putting their arms around you.” – Jonathan Steiner

He also describes the psychological effect of a well-chosen fragrance as providing an “instant untwisting mentally when family comes through the door,” helping to shift their expectations from the “aroma of death” to a space that feels inviting and professional

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