3 More Social Media Posts to Encourage Action
By Rae Hudson, Account Executive
Social media is a great tool to help your funeral home stay top of mind with families. It can also encourage families to visit your website to learn about funeral topics and schedule meetings with you.
However, if you want to grow your funeral home by driving traffic from social media to your website, it’s important to understand what motivates families to take action.
Psychologist Robert Cialdini wrote a book in 1984 titled Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. In it, he outlines specific influence principles that can help businesses build trust with consumers and encourage them to take action.
Today, we’ll explore how the other principles – consistency and commitment, scarcity, and unity – can help motivate families to interact and engage with your funeral home online.
We’ve even got a few post examples you can use to get started!
1. Establish trust with consistency and commitment
You and your staff put in a lot of effort every day to earn families’ trust and loyalty. But how can families trust you if they don’t know you?
To gain the trust of families, you can start by encouraging them to commit to you with small, consistent actions.
In chapter 7 of his book, Cialdini explains that consistency and commitment influence principles come from “a desire in most people to be and look consistent within their words, beliefs, attitudes, and deeds.”
Families face many choices each day. Committing to a decision helps families appear consistent and saves them from thinking about the decision again.
By encouraging small commitments from families, your funeral home can establish a foundation of trust and support that can lead to the possibility of more significant commitments down the line. Many funeral homes use consistency and commitment through multiple posts over time, with each post asking for more of a commitment.
Here are 3 posts asking for varying levels of commitment — react to a post, watch a video, and schedule an appointment — to encourage families to establish trust and meet with you over time.
Small ask → “Summer is here! As temperatures rise, many families cool off by going to the beach or lake. We want to know what you prefer! Click the ‘like’ button if you enjoy the beach or hit the ‘heart’ reaction if you enjoy the lake.”
Why this post works: Reacting to one of your posts is a small act families can take to begin regularly interacting with you. Use this post to help families get comfortable with engaging with you.
Moderate ask → “Thinking about death isn’t something most of us like to do. It’s also something many families don’t like to plan for. But thinking about your funeral ahead of time can be one of the best gifts you ever give your family by saving your loved ones from making tough decisions during times of grief. Watch this brief video to learn how planning ahead can be the ultimate act of love you show your family!
Why this post works: Many families enjoy watching videos online, so use this post to educate and show families that you’re a trusted expert.
Large ask → “Why preplan? It’s the ultimate gift you can give your family. When you plan ahead, you remove the burden of decision-making from your loved one while they grieve. It’s also easy to get started. Schedule a meeting with us and get answers to your questions today!“
Why this post works: Many people don’t want their loved ones to have to plan a funeral at a time of grief, but they don’t know about their preplanning options. Use this post to help families understand the importance of planning ahead and feel comfortable turning to you for answers.
Each post includes different levels of commitment from families. The key is to remember to start with small requests and build from there.
2. Encourage quick action with scarcity
Have you ever had FOMO? Known as “the fear of missing out,” FOMO is a common emotion many people experience. It’s also tied closely to the scarcity principle.
Cialdini defines scarcity as those who are “intensely motivated to make choices designed to avoid losing something of value.” In short, the scarcer something seems, the more people want it.
Here are a few examples of the scarcity principle:
– Lining up overnight at a store to be the first to purchase a new product.
– Seeing the phrases “going fast” or “45 people are looking at this” next to products or goods online.
– Purchasing a vehicle at the beginning of the year to avoid missing out on a deal that “ends soon.”
Some companies use questionable tactics to exploit this principle and try to manipulate consumers to purchase something. Never use made-up claims.
Instead, use truthful statements in your social media that encourage people to act and always be honest about your funeral home offerings.
For example, let’s say your funeral home is hosting an advance planning seminar. You know you only have room for 20 guests at the seminar, so you create a registration form and use the scarcity principle to include a true statement about registering:
“We’re hosting a FREE Advance Planning Seminar next month! Join us on (DATE) at (TIME) at our funeral home to learn about the benefits of preplanning and the peace of mind you can give your loved ones. Refreshments will be provided, and you’ll receive a free planning toolkit at the event! Seating is limited to the first 20 guests, so RSVP today. We can’t wait to see you there!”
Not only is the reciprocity principle present in the caption (providing refreshments and a free toolkit for signing up), but the scarcity principle is there, too. The fact that seating is limited will let people know they need to decide if they want to go and quickly RSVP to save their spot.
With scarcity, remember to be truthful, honest, and caring.
3. Build rapport with families through unity
Connecting with families is one of the most important things you do as a funeral professional. An effective way to show families your heart for service is through the principle of unity.
Cialdini identifies unity as the final element of his influence principles, meaning if someone feels included, they’re more likely to participate. If an individual feels connected to someone, they’ll consider their thoughts and actions more carefully when making decisions.
Here is how the principle of unity can influence others:
– An Asian-cuisine restaurant gains popularity in a city with a large Asian population.
– A recent college graduate is hired after disclosing they attended the same university as the CEO.
– A daughter avoids a specific shoe brand because her mother had a poor experience.
To build unity with families, show them you have similar values, and they’ll be more likely to come to you when they need help. Use social media to share your funeral home’s values, beliefs, and heart for service.
Here’s a sample caption:
“We believe that relationships are what really matter in life, and we’re proud to share this great community with you – our amazing friends and neighbors. From building relationships around town to helping families plan a beautiful service for a loved one, we are here for you. No matter what, know that you can always count on us!”
Families want to turn to funeral homes that they share a connection with. If you present yourself more as a friendly face than an unfamiliar business, even better.
Unlock all the benefits of your social media with our team
Cialdini’s 7 principles of influence can help your funeral home build trust, educate, and meet with more families. These post examples can help you get started, but coming up with regular posts that practice these principles takes time and energy, which you need to serve families.
Our digital marketing experts know which posts, videos, and images resonate with families. We’ll create a consistent social media calendar to encourage families to visit your website and learn more about you.
Want to see how it works? Please fill out the form below to schedule a demo and learn more about our digital marketing packages.
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