Nondigital Funeral Home Marketing Part 3: Print Advertising

Print advertising is dead, right? Wasn’t it killed sometime this past decade by the internet?

That’s a common myth, but the truth is that print ads are still the most trusted form of advertising for consumers. More than 80 percent of people say they still trust print ads.

This month, we’re devoting blog space to nondigital marketing efforts deathcare firms may want to try. We’ve already covered direct mailers and radio ads, so catch up on those posts and then read more below about whether print ads could help you get new clientele.

What Is Print Advertising?

For the purpose of this post, print advertising refers to ads printed in magazines, newspapers, and other publications. While brochures and direct mailers are technically print advertising, we’ve covered that elsewhere in this series.

Pros and Cons of Print Advertising for Funeral Homes

Like any marketing effort, print advertising has advantages and potential disadvantages. One of the biggest benefits of print advertising is that readers tend to respond favorably to it. According to consumer neuroscience researchers (yes, apparently that’s a thing!) at Temple University, print outperforms digital when it comes to:

• How long consumers spend reviewing ad messaging
• Generating emotional reactions
• Being recalled accurately by the consumer
• Creating a subconscious desire for the goods or services
• Creating value in the consumer’s mind relative to the goods or services

When people sit down to read a publication such as a newspaper or magazine, they typically plan to devote some amount of time and attention to the process. That makes it more likely your ad gets that level of attention.

The downside—and the reason funeral homes can’t just rely on print ads—is that your entire audience won’t necessarily read these publications. And a family at need likely won’t pick up a nearby magazine in hopes of seeing a funeral home ad. They’re going to turn to the search engines, which means you do need an online presence too.

The Bottom Line on Print Ads for Funeral Homes

Print ads can be an effective, affordable way to connect with local audiences, but they don’t replace digital. Consider tying the two together, using print advertising to drive people to your website to learn more about preplanning and other services.

Check out the final post in our series on nondigital funeral home advertising for information about showing up for the community, which includes a special type of print advertising.