This year, the International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) is focusing its podcast series on “The Changing Consumer,” — exploring consumer needs in deathcare and how they have shifted in recent years. How are consumers finding and choosing their funeral homes? What services are they looking for? Which aspects of the funeral are most important to them? The 2023 season investigates questions such as these to provide insight into modern consumers.
In the March 16 episode, host Gregory McClary, owner of Chapel of the Chimes in Westland, Michigan, spoke to Larnique Mickens, owner of Heritage Mortuary in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mickens is a first-generation funeral director and a veteran of the United States Air Force. She has made a name for herself and her funeral home through social media posts on Facebook and Tik Tok, where she has more than 2,000 combined followers across the two platforms.
In the interview, Mickens shares her story of how she started using social media for her funeral home and provides tips for other funeral directors who are hoping to improve their social media outreach. She says that the first step is to take a detailed look at the customers you are trying to reach.
“Do your research,” Mickens said. “Know your audience, and then, write down a bunch of content. Figure out how you want to deliver it, then write a bunch of funny stuff. Look, [with] research, don’t recreate the wheel. Go see what is out there and then play off of it. Save yourself some time. Have fun while you’re doing it.”
According to Mickens, social media has already changed the way that consumers make purchase decisions. She believes it is important for leaders in the deathcare profession to prioritize social media so that there is content from experts available to the families making major life decisions in the funeral home. She also sees social media as the best way to reach the younger generation.
“On these platforms, there are a lot of young people that are going to be our customers very soon,” Mickens said. “We know they are on these platforms. Let’s start reaching them now with content so that they can come, and we can secure them with their final wishes.”
Other topics covered in the full episode include how marketing to different generations can change your messaging, advice for generating content ideas and more.
To listen to the full episode with Larnique Mickens, click here. The full season of The Changing Consumer is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and in the OGR Learning Library. For more information about the OGR Podcast Series or to revisit previous seasons of the podcast, visit the OGR podcast page. For more information on Larnique Mickens, visit Heritage Mortuary or check out her funeral home’s Facebook or Tik Tok pages.
This episode of The Changing Consumer was presented by Nomis Publications. Since 1974, Nomis Publications has provided the deathcare industry with accurate news, publications and information. Available anytime at https://www.nomispublications.com.