Funeral Home Television Marketing: What You Need to Know

Can you even afford television advertising for your funeral home?

You probably know advertisers pay an average $5.5 million or more for 30-second Super Bowl spots. But the average cost for national spots in 2020 was $115,000, and you can expect prices for local spots to be even less expensive.

How Does Television Ad Cost Work?

Most pricing for television ads is based on CPM. That’s cost-per-thousand viewers. (We know — the acronym is weird. It’s CPM instead of CPT because it’s based on the term “cost per mille.” Mille is Latin for thousand.)

CPM can range widely depending on factors that include:

• Type of show. Popular shows draw larger audiences, so ads running during highly watched shows cost more. Ads on cable networks also tend to cost more than those that run on broadcast channels.
• Ads that show up during primetime television hours tend to be pricier, but timing can also refer to seasons. Holidays, political races, and major events (such as the Olympics) can all drive up ad prices because of increased competition for the ad space.
• General demand. Television ad space is limited. The more businesses in an area want TV ad space, the more expensive it will be.

For example, the average CPM in Los Angeles for a 60-second TV ad spot is around $34.75. In Kansas City, the average is only $14.36

In midsize markets, SMBs might be able to find TV ad spots for as low as $5 per thousand viewers.

Pros and Cons of TV Advertising

Television ads can help you reach a large local audience. If your deathcare firm has a regional or national presence, TV advertising can be a way to get your message out to wider audiences too.

Traditional 30-second ad spots let you convey a story about your service or business that is harder to get across in print or even some online ad formats. And showing up on local television can help create authority for your firm in the minds of consumers.

However, TV ads are typically the most expensive form of advertising, and there’s no guarantee anyone “watching” is paying attention. Plus, it’s not inbound or highly targeted advertising that seeks out connections with people who are already searching for at-need services.

Are TV Ads Right for Your Funeral Home?

Whether or not television ads are right for your funeral home is an individual business decision. Consider your ad budget, audience needs, and marketing goals. And if you want to try TV ads, consider starting small with a local station and an off-peak ad time.