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Renewing Sympathy
How to stay relevant |
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Written by Amanda Ryder
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Like many industries, the funeral business is constantly evolving to keep up with the changing times. These changes are a result of a greater understanding of the grieving process and a desire to celebrate the life of loved ones through more customized ceremonies and services. As a florist, you need to keep up on these changes, as they directly impact you and the sympathy work that you do.
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The sympathy market has changed and florists need to stay abreast of these changes in order to attract funeral buisness.
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Who’s buying flowers?
Smithers-Oasis recently conducted a national survey in the U.S. on the topic of sympathy. The company’s marketing manager Jacque Sir Louis says their research reveals that 51 per cent of all flower-buying households buy funeral flowers within a year. “If you look at who’s purchasing those flowers, the large part of our market is with the consumer that is aged 45 and up,” says Sir Louis. He says that when florists receive funeral business, they’re really hitting the core flower-buying customer so it’s crucial the flowers are top-notch.
“These are important flowers. They need to be something that will last, something that can be taken home, something that can be delivered to convalescent homes, something that can be taken and used on the coming Sunday in the church service. It’s our flower show in some regard,” says Sir Louis. The survey’s research has found that, specifically for funeral flowers, price is not as much of an issue as long as the flowers last, so longevity needs to be emphasized with proper care and handling. Sir Louis advises that when sending sympathy arrangements, the correct flower food and instructions also need to be attached to give the design the longest vase life possible.
Trends in funeral services
Gone are the days when florists could get away with a simple casket spray to suit anyone. The business has changed and customers want a design that reflects the life of their loved one.
Suzanne Scott, executive director of Funeral Service Association of Canada, cites personalization as one major trend in funeral services. “It’s having lots of pictures and bringing in articles that were important to the family or to the person that was deceased,” says Scott. “Also with technology, there’s things like audio visual presentations and pictures put together as a slide show. Lots of funeral homes are putting up screens.”
Smithers-Oasis design director Cory Lonsert, aifd, says this trend towards customized ceremonies and an emphasis on who the person was has changed the way florists interact with clients. “I don’t want to overstep my boundaries here, but we are now seeing where florists are almost taking on a grief counsellor role, where instead of asking what colours they would like you are actually asking about the deceased and their hobbies.” By talking with the client about these types of things, the hobbies of the deceased can be incorporated into designs – if a person was a golfer, then a golf club or golf ball might be inserted into the arrangement.
Another emerging trend that Scott says is occurring in the funeral industry is an increased interest in green funerals. Some families may choose a more environmentally friendly material for the casket, opt out of embalming fluids, use natural rocks for the headstone instead of polished stone or even choose a green burial in special cemeteries.
Lonsert offers his tips on how florists can incorporate the environmental movement into the sympathy market. “We are trying to use materials that are recyclable like aluminum wire and also just a very vegetative look.” This could also include showcasing designs in glassware that can be taken home and reused. “It’s a good thing to let the family know that a lot of what’s being used is recyclable. Also, just with the process of designing, trying to be a little bit greener. There are some shops out there that are actually composting their waste stems.”
Through the Smithers-Oasis national survey, Sir Louis has found that cremations are on the rise and are becoming a more popular option. “In North America about a third of all burials are cremations and in Canada that number is growing even larger than that of the U.S.” In the event that a cremation is chosen, there may still be a casket if the deceased is cremated after the funeral service or an urn may be placed at the altar if the family opts for an immediate cremation. Lonsert refers to funerals where an urn is used as ‘alterscapes’ or ‘funeralscapes’ and the urn is incorporated into the design. “The urns are now highly decorative, very beautiful and are not the typical urn shape that you used to see. They can be worked into the alterscapes and you can do a very vegetative design to almost house the urn. A lot of the time you end up with a $300 to $400 alterscape that is replacing the casket spray of old,” says Lonsert.
Working with your funeral director
To take full advantage of the sympathy market, florists need to talk with funeral directors so they are aware of the services you offer and can refer you if necessary. “It’s often very important to build a friendship with your local funeral director. That is one thing I notice a lot of florists don’t realize. They think that the funeral business is just going to come to them and it really isn’t. You have to be, for lack of a better term, much more aggressive and literally go out and build that relationship. You can’t just expect the referrals to come out of the blue anymore,” says Lonsert.
Approach the funeral directors in your area and let them know what your business has to offer and why they should deal with you.
Smithers-Oasis is a member of a funeral directors association in the U.S. and Sir Louis says they often communicate with funeral directors about their concerns. “One of things that the funeral directors unanimously talk about is while they don’t sell flowers they certainly like to make a ceremony that’s appropriate and they’re having a hard time themselves just keeping relevant and creating a great ceremony. The best thing that they can do is be able to offer some other options for floral design and sort of fit the floral into their ceremony to make it real personal and special,” says Sir Louis. “The more that they know about what the florist has available and that they have a good connection and relationship with that florist the better off the ceremony will be for everyone.”
Scott backs up this point and advises florists leave a brochure of their work that showcases the variety of projects they’ve done or what they can do. “Were talking about the baby boomers here who are arranging these funerals and they don’t want the standard thing. Someone has to come up and say here’s what we can do for you and here’s how great it can be,” says Scott. She says florists might also want to consider setting up a deal with funeral directors where florists “provide a fresh piece in the funeral home – something new or innovative – to display at the funeral home and have people go ‘oh that would be great’.” To keep costs down, Scott suggests that florists perhaps rework a design that was leftover from a funeral and showcase it in the front hall of the home.
The period after a funeral can also act as another opportunity for service. The family may opt to take the arrangements home or take them to the cemetery but transporting the flowers can be problematic. “That’s a big concern we’re seeing – you have these big fabulous arrangements and then nobody can get them in the car. That’s actually another area for additional customer service. There are shops out there that will go after the service and redeliver the flowers the house,” says Lonsert.
This can also be a way to win over your local funeral director. “For a while there, funeral directors would take flowers to nursing homes and that sort of thing but it just becomes ridiculous. It’s another job for them to try and get rid of these extra flowers,” says Scott.
When it comes to dealing with your local funeral director, the best thing to keep in mind is that the relationship works both ways and involves a little give and take. Keep up on the sympathy trends and let your funeral director know that you can help create a more personalized ceremony or design a beautiful floral remembrance incorporating the urn on the altar. You both have a common goal and depend on each other to offer great service to your mutual clients at one of their most difficult times.
To hear Suzanne Scott's view on the "in lieu of" debate, click here.
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