Many funeral homes used to advertise on local radio and TV stations. But times have changed, and does it still make sense today?
In some situations, radio and TV advertising can be a fantastic option for you. But not in all situations.
In this video, I give you five questions you should consider before spending the money. If you answer yes to all five questions, go for it. But if one of the answers is no, save your advertising budget and invest it elsewhere.
Below the video you’ll find an AI-generated transcript courtesy of ChatGPT.
Transcript & Summary courtesy of ChatGPT – Is Radio & TV Advertising Still Worth the Money for Your Funeral Home?
Hi there, I’m John Callaghan, and this week I’ll answer a question I received via email. The question is whether radio and TV advertising are still worth the money. It really boils down to the return on investment.
If you invest a thousand dollars and get back twenty thousand, that’s fantastic. But if you invest twenty thousand and only get back a thousand, that’s not a good deal. So, is there going to be a return on your investment?
There are five questions to consider before spending money on advertising. All of these questions need a ‘yes’ answer before you go ahead.
First, is local radio or TV even an option for you? Many local providers have merged, meaning the local content isn’t really local anymore.
Companies like Sinclair Broadcasting have done this in both radio and TV. They consolidate and you might think you’re getting local news, but it’s actually from somewhere else.
They’ve cut a lot of local content, and consumers don’t like that because they can’t get the local coverage they want.
Second, can you serve the whole market? It doesn’t make sense to advertise to people you can’t serve. If you’re just a neighborhood funeral home, then radio and TV ads are probably not a good idea.
Let’s look at some examples. In Toledo, Ohio, there’s a funeral home in Sylvania that advertises on TV because they have ten locations around the city, covering the whole market. For them, it makes sense.
In Rochester, New York, I have a client who only has one location, but they advertise on TV because they’re known for handling large funerals. So, they’re not trying to reach everyone, just a specific part of the market.
Third, do you have a good script for your ad? Remember, a good script that catches attention is crucial. If not, your money will be wasted.
Fourth, can you afford the production costs? Production can be expensive, but nowadays, you can record an ad cheaply with an iPhone, some lights, and a good microphone.
Fifth, can you afford to run your ad often? The average person gets bombarded with thousands of ads daily. Running your commercial a couple of times won’t cut it. You need to run it often to make an impact.
So, consider these points: Do you have a local advertising option? Can you serve the entire market or a significant part of it? Do you have an engaging script? Can you afford the costs of production? And, can you afford to run your ad frequently?
If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to all, radio and TV advertising could be highly effective. Costs have dropped since many industries have moved away from these mediums. Although many people don’t watch TV or listen to local radio, our target demographic still does, so the opportunity for success is there.
If all your answers are ‘yes,’ radio and TV advertising can work well. I’ll be back next week with more tips on how to use advertising to grow your funeral home business. Goodbye for now.
