Introducing innovation to your cemetery through digital and social media

Transcription

1 Introducing innovation to your cemetery through digital and social media Presentation to the Australasian Cemeteries and Crematoria Association 8 October 2014 Richard Rawling Principal nousgroup.com.au 1

2 Who is Nous Group? Nous is a leading Australian owned management consulting and leadership development firm with 150 people in six capitals. We exist to achieve positive influence. We work with clients to improve our society s well-being, delivering outstanding results on projects critical to their success. In working with clients we aim to deliver 3 core promises: Bold ideas that create success, simply Engaging people who build authentic, trusted relationships Influential and enduring solutions that deliver substantial and lasting difference. We bring a unique, cross-disciplinary approach to clients challenges, ensuring the right balance of expertise and experience across: Business strategy Public policy Organisational capability Executive & talent development Digital strategy & capability Set business direction to build effective, strong organisations Confront the tough societal challenges to provide workable public policy Design organisational architecture and culture to maximise competitive advantage Develop people to turn strategic intent into great organisational outcomes Enable strategy through digital initiatives nousgroup.com.au 2

3 Social media has made a powerful mark on how many of us live our lives and engage with each other In Australia Users in March 2014 (millions) A big question remains just how useful is it in the world of business? Sources: Facebook, Twitter, socialmedianews.com.au, Nielson nousgroup.com.au 3

4 Social media can be an invaluable tool for business owners Social media can be fantastic for: building communities and brand awareness facilitating better customer service increasing sales and leads through engagement Broad reach. Social media can reach millions of people all around the world Ability to target. Particular groups, often in particular locations Free or low-cost. Many forms are free for business, and paid options are usually low-cost Personal. Enables communication on a personal basis with individual customers and groups Fast. Quickly distribute information to many people Easy. Don't need high-level skills or computer equipment to participate. There are some key things that users must keep in mind! nousgroup.com.au 4

5 Social media is great for building communities, but be clear about the community you want! Clarifying purpose is absolutely vital - Why are you building it and for who? Purpose often aligns with unmet and common needs, such as sustaining memories of loved ones who have passed away Communities are best shaped around shared characteristics Geographic Demographic Common interest Activity based Communities evolve over time stay alert and responsive Be very clear about the specific benefits YOU and MEMBERS want and will get mutual ROI really matters! nousgroup.com.au 5

6 Building a community requires choosing social media platforms best suited to your marketing strategy Social media explained: I am at a cemetery I like these cemeteries This is an interesting photo of the cemetery This is a video of the cemetery My skills and interests include cemeteries nousgroup.com.au 6

7 Social media is great for community building and shaping customer experience but is patchy generating sales alone. Growth of on-line sales channels has slowed relative to traditional retail (still 4-5 X stronger)* Relatively weak channel for discovering and buying products Search is better for driving on-line traffic eg Google Ads Aggregator tools and services can redistribute social media content Keep your bricks and mortar service selling presence strong and relevant Social media can play a role in the shopping journey but must be well integrated Internet Website Internet Website + Social media integrated Social media only * CapGemini Global Digital Shopper Relevancy Report, 2014 nousgroup.com.au 7

8 Marketing insights must be the basis for new products and services, but traditional marketing roles have shifted Think roles applying analytic capabilities like data mining, return on sales modelling, channel efficiency analyses, etc. Feel roles focussing on customer experience, interaction and engagement, as well as PR, alumni and community engagement, etc. Do roles content development to support, respond to marketing driven requirements, web design, collateral, etc. The key thing to note is that the mix of marketing roles needed must be shaped to best suit the business challenge being faced. Bottom line - Social media is not the best tool in every situation! nousgroup.com.au 8

9 Clever us of social media can empower marketing insights and positioning Traditional marketing Communication is one way Limitations exist on the content that can be distributed Can struggle to cut through to entertain or inform Social media enabled Communication is a conversation. It is interactive and two way More personalised content can be posted and reactions gauged Offers dynamic opportunities to entertain, engage and educate The result? An online community, which gives a business greater humanity and authenticity But why and how is this relevant to marketing a cemetery? nousgroup.com.au 9

10 Social media is already actively used to express emotions surrounding major life events, including death* Short and long term uses are actively emerging: Short term Social media can enable solace for the bereaved: Allows the bereaved to feel they are part of a larger grieving community Forum through which people can confirm they will remember the deceased Long term Personal pages can become digital memorials. (Facebook has anticipated this; individuals can request that the deceased s page be memorialised) Allows for a sense of ongoing connection with the individual. The vast majority of messages left on pages in the years after death are addressed directly to the deceased.* *J. Brubacker et. al., Grief-Stricken in a Crowd, (2012); De Groot, Maintaining Relational Continuity, (2012). nousgroup.com.au 10

11 Social media is also making a mark in the cemetery and funeral business - now Case Study Case Example: Tobin Brothers, Melbourne Additional Examples: Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta - Has successfully used a twitter account to: Drive measurable traffic to cemetery website Increase attendance at local events Warms up visitors James A. Dyal Funeral Home, SC Generated 215,000 unique page visits in a month after a post went viral. I Miss My Dad - A Facebook page for posting obituaries 70,000 likes or followers So what could social media do for my cemetery or crematorium? nousgroup.com.au 11

12 Existing client needs Post At Pre Important to take strategic approach when enhancing existing services, and facilitating new ones Existing services Service and product enhancements Leverage client base Blue sky possibilities nousgroup.com.au 12

13 For example.. Community building Information sharing Other Pre- Need Creation of an online community, posting about: Local and community events Relevant news items Customer testimonials Provision of key information: Pricing, and links to website Articles about planning for a funeral etc. Assist in generating pre-need leads Ability to configure preferred burial/cremation option (prior to F2F session) At- Need Can be used to post articles about dealing with grief Accessible, non-confrontational source of information about pricing, funeral planning etc. Obituary posting more general sharing Provides a forum for expression of grief; solace can be found by knowing that others are going through similar pain. Alternate to traditional death notices Guidance about burial or cremation location (integrated with Google Maps) Live streaming of funerals so those unable to attend can still feel involved. Remote ordering of flowers, etc Post- Need Ongoing sense of connection to the place of rest Ability to post reflections online for sharing Catalogue of visitations post funeral Digital memorialisation Live feed webcams of the cemetery Grave cleaning services nousgroup.com.au 13

14 Social media and digital memorialisation combined allows for active and enduring engagement Traditional memorialisation: static and passive Modern memorialisation: dynamic and active nousgroup.com.au 14

15 Social media can also enhance strategic relationships Opportunities Cemetery operators can better engage with funeral directors by hashtagging, retweeting, and commenting on their social media accounts. Potential customers can be connected with funeral directors, for win-win outcomes Potential benefits: additional revenue streams for value adding services and business otherwise foregone Potential risks: compromising existing relationships with funeral directors nousgroup.com.au 15

16 Social media marketing can be hard work! The web never sleeps! Dedicated effort is required for best benefit, especially when multiple social media platforms are competing for your attention. Consider using a social media dashboards : Productivity Tracking Scheduling Analytics Collaboration Social media also carries risks that must be well managed: the rapid spread of the wrong kind of information about your business (e.g. incorrect information accidentally posted by you, negative reviews posted by others) legal problems if you don't follow privacy legislation and laws regarding spam, copyright, etc. nousgroup.com.au 16

17 There are some specific do s and don ts in using social media The don ts. Disable or delete negative comments Be inconsistent in tone or message Forget to respond to customer queries Use it like traditional media Use it in isolation Only post obituaries Post too often, or too infrequently nousgroup.com.au 17

18 There are some specific do s and don ts in using social media On the other hand, the do s. Be personal Engage with the social media profiles of other relevant groups Fill out your about section thoroughly, with links to other platforms and your address Post information that is informative and interesting Use your platforms together e.g. repost blog posts on social media Consider context when you are posting Monitor your page regularly for spam nousgroup.com.au 18

19 Wrapping up use social media wisely and it can pay great dividends Social media is not a fad it is a conversation that is already happening. Don t let it happen without you! Make sure you have a clear strategy, and don t use social media in isolation. It should not be the sole element of your digital marketing strategy. If used well, you can help foster an enduring, inclusive online community that will benefit both you and your customers. If monetization is your primary goal, then think again about relying on social media in any substantial way nousgroup.com.au 19

20 Contact us Richard Rawling, Principal (03) linkedin.com/company/nousgroup Facebook.com/NousGroupAU nousgroup.com.au 20