The May/June issue of Floral Management provides tips for working with funeral homes to increase sympathy business.
“In lieu of flowers,” that ubiquitous obituary closing line, has ramifications most grieving families don’t consider when they write it. In the May/June issue of Floral Management, contributing writer Laurie Herrera explores the importance of funeral flowers for grieving families and what you can do to grow your sympathy business.
Funeral flowers bring warmth and comfort to a somber occasion, and that emotional reaction lasts long after the service, says Todd Van Beck, program director of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. “Flowers do not wither and die in the mind of the bereaved,” he says. “They are recalled time and again as indelible memories.”
But how do you get people to realize it before they write off such a meaningful tribute?
For H. Clay Atchison III, president of McAdams Floral in Victoria, Texas, the answer is building relationships with funeral directors, whom most families turn to for all their funeral-related needs. “It is appealing to someone to walk in and know that all the questions can be answered at one location, all the decisions can be made at one location, and you can write one check,” explains Charlie Hauboldt III, president of Grace Funeral Home, who has partnered with Atchison for more than 20 years.
Atchison encourages Hauboldt and other directors to provide families with alternative phrases to “in lieu of,” which restricts how people grieve or express their sympathy. Among his suggestions:
- Memorial contributions may be made to ___________.
- We encourage _____________ contributions in his/her honor.
- His/her favorite cause, ___________, is accepting donations.
- A memorial has been set up in his/her name at ______________.
Atchison has been able to influence funeral directors because of the ongoing effort he makes to nurture the relationship, including extending attention to the funeral home staff.
Tim Huckabee, president of The Profitable Florist (formerly known as FloralStrategies), which teaches sales and customer service skills, recommends florists who want more sympathy work start by introducing themselves to local funeral directors. Provide a portfolio, ask how you can work with them, and follow up periodically, he says. And always deliver quality products and excellent service. Because families often deal only with the funeral homes, everything — good or bad —ultimately falls on their shoulders, he explains.
For more tips on creating a funeral home presence, read “Win Back Sympathy Sales” in the May/June issue of Floral Management. And, join SAF June 14 at 2 p.m. ET for an Idea Exchange, a virtual peer-to-peer learning event where the focus will be on sympathy sales and combatting the “in lieu of” wording. Register here.
Katie Vincent is the senior contributing editor for the Society of American Florists.
