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Top 6 Funeral Innovations to Consider in 2020

Morgyn Carroll • August 18, 2020

The year 2020 has ushered in a new era of change. Masks are required, handshakes are discouraged, and hugs are forbidden. The funeral industry has long been thought of as “unchanging”, but this is far from true.

Trends rise and fall, what was traditional then may not be traditional now. So let’s take a look at the top 6 funeral innovations for funeral homes and cemeteries to consider in 2020.

6. Creative/Interactive Headstones

A headstone can be more than just a name carved into granite. Using a smartphone, family members and friends can visit a grave and scan a QR code on the headstone; this will unlock pictures and memories of their loved one.

The QR code can be applied to any headstone and, when scanned, will take you to a memorial page. The family can update the page as often as they’d like and upload everything from pictures to audio clips.

5. Live Streaming Services

In 2020, travel restrictions and social distancing make attending a funeral very difficult for many people. Depending on the local restrictions, you may not be able to attend at all.

Live streaming a funeral service provides those who can’t be there in person a way to heal, while staying healthy and safe. The most popular platform to live stream a service on is Youtube Live. You simply need an account and some form of camera (smartphone, webcam, DSLR camera, etc.) to livestream the service. Friends and family can easily view the content.

4. Text Messaging-Based Aftercare

In a time when memorials and services are limited and the world is functioning online, texting is the best way to reach your aftercare families. Not only is it more efficient, but also more personal.

The unique thing about services like Domanicare is that a human, not a computer, is responding to your families text messages. These live responders are also able to request online reviews and tie up any loose ends after the service by promptly forwarding any urgent requests to the funeral home staff.

3. Green Burials

The phrase “Leave it better than you found it,” isn’t always easy to follow when it comes to burials. As our society works to establish sustainable lifestyles, more and more people are turning toward green burials. Green burials have little to no environmental impact and can actually restore natural resources and habitats.

Their sustainability comes from the use of nontoxic and biodegradable materials. The effort of caring for the dead in an environmental-friendly way is both natural and rewarding.

2. Funeral Home Apps

By now you’ve realized how important it is to have an active website for your business. However, you can go a step further. Creating an app to pair with your already great website can help you gain a larger market share. Not only does an app make your business look professional, but it also helps your families. The families who you serve can use the app to view obituaries, refer others for pre-planning, and access condensed info from your website.

An app can also increase your ranking on search engines and give your brand increased exposure. Considering that four out of five funeral shoppers choose the first funeral home they find in their online search, this is a huge advantage over your competitors.

1. Flameless Cremation

Another sustainable way to care for the dead is alkaline hydrolysis, or flameless cremation. Our bodies are already 65% water, so this method is a cleaner way to cremate. Families receive and keep the remains the same as a conventional cremation with fire, but the process is different.

Flameless cremation benefits both the family and the earth. This method doesn’t have the same issue of carbon discoloration as cremation with fire, and most importantly, it’s a green option for those who choose cremation.

Funeral Home Articles

Is Your Funeral Home Ready For 2021?

By Caden Rhoton • November 19, 2020

If there's one thing we've learned in 2020, it's that it's difficult to predict the future, and there will all be surprises that lie ahead. Businesses and individuals need to stay agile and adaptable to be ready for whatever life throws at them. 2020 has been a challenging year for the funeral profession and others as well. Still, we've seen that those funeral homes and funeral professionals who have focused on making their consumer experience as comforting and easy as possible are those that are winning. At Domani, we exist to help funeral homes help their families have a better experience. Through the power of text messaging, we follow up with families and give them the support and resources they need following a loss. That great experience then leads to a positive online review and helps others looking for a positive experience to find that funeral home. It's a virtuous cycle that helps grow a funeral home's at-need business. When it comes to preneed, the same principle holds. If funeral homes can provide the experience a family is looking for, that will be the funeral home that wins. During 2020, our preneed appointment setting team has found great success in scheduling remote appointments. Funeral homes that have been willing to adapt and find new ways to do business have grown even during difficult circumstances. We firmly believe that technology will help us as a funeral profession provide those better experiences for families, but simply using technology for technology's sake is not the answer. We need to leverage technology to help provide personal, engaging experiences with families. We shouldn't use technology as a crutch or an excuse. It's another way to help the ones we serve and provide them the support they need during a difficult time. As we approach the end of the year and look forward to 2020, take some time to think about how your funeral home is providing meaningful experiences for families and how/what you can do to improve that in the coming year. If you're interested in learning more about Domanicare or Domani Appoinment Setting, please schedule a demo by clicking the link below.

3 Ways For Funeral Homes To Get Returning Customers

By Morgyn Carroll • September 1, 2020

By far the most effective way to create a sense of loyalty to your funeral home is to perform an exceptional service for that family. However, there’s more that you can be doing to establish credibility with families. Here’s three easy steps on how to develop loyalty to your company and ensure your customers come back for your services when a loved one passes.

5 Reasons to Text Your Aftercare Families

By Morgyn Carroll • August 28, 2020

The vast majority of people in the US and Canada use smartphones. Almost everyone has a smartphone nowadays. Remember when the first “smartphone” came out in 1992 and cell phones like the BlackBerry and iPhone were considered luxuries when they were first created? Now it’s a common sight to see an iPhone. Most funeral homes and cemeteries haven’t even scratched the surface of text-based aftercare, but with 80% of the U.S. population owning a smartphone, and that number expected to rapidly grow.