6 Steps to Marketing Cremation Services without Becoming a Commodity

By David Mills
on June 18, 2019

The pressure to compete on price is mounting, but consumers want services beyond cremation too.

Consumer groups and low-cost providers are making price a focus for cremation. However, when we marketing cremation services on price alone, we risk becoming just another commodity like everything else that you can buy online with a coupon or an "on sale now" tag.

What is a commodity? Something to be traded and purchased based upon price alone. Commodities are things for which a special description is unnecessary because the service or good is always the same. The market treats commodities as essentially the same, measured in a standard unit and interchangeable.

How do funeral homes respond to families concern about prices without allowing themselves to be shopped on price alone?

Making Sure They Find You Online - Digital Ads vs. SEO

By David Mills
on June 07, 2019

Online search is the new yellow pages. Even older adults rely upon web search to find important information about healthcare, finances, travel and funeral options. With 75% of those who are age 70 to 74 relying on search, it is no surprise that the decision makers for many funerals, who are Baby Boomers or younger, rely almost entirely on searching online to find funeral resources. A key business decision is how to reach them using digital ads vs. SEO?

Healthcare marketing - Digital Ads vs. SEO

By David Mills
on June 06, 2019

If you wonder whether healthcare marketing should focus on digital ads or organic SEO (search engine optimization), the right answer is often - "yes." Making a choice about how to prioritize ads in your healthcare marketing can pit your efforts to create the content required for effective SEO against digital ads. The digital ads vs. seo decision should be based on your current business needs, and balanced against long-term goals. Healthcare marketing, done well, can address both long-term and short-term business goals.

Inbound marketing - Digital Ads vs. SEO

By David Mills
on March 25, 2019

If you wonder whether inbound marketing can focus on digital ads and organic SEO (search engine optimization), the right answer is often - "yes." Making a choice about whether to include ads along with inbound marketing and its native SEO vs. digital ads is based on your business needs. Inbound marketing, done well, can address both long-term and short-term business goals.

How Do Businesses Grow When the Prospect List is Small?

By David Mills
on February 11, 2019

Solving the Marketing Challenge for businesses with small prospect pools.

We’ve come a long way from the days when all marketing was distributed to the entire available audience - true mass marketing. The development of technologies like targeted cable and retargeting (serving ads to people who have visited your website), has allowed more focused and cost-effective outreach. But these approaches still don’t meet the need for the many businesses, sales teams and nonprofits who need to reach a very small pool of prospects.   

Is your brand helping you to compete in an employee’s market?

By David Mills
on October 30, 2018

It hardly seems fair.  First, consumers use democratizing technology to change everything,  and then the state of change puts employees in the driver's seat too. We're hiring at Story Collaborative, and like many other employers, want to find the right person. Here is a chance to catch your breath and look beyond our now Uberized world as it relates to hiring and keeping great team members.  In this guest post, we are joined by Jonathan M. Mills, Founder of Corporate Culture Specialist with important insights into how your brand  can adapt and thrive in an employee's market.

Harnessing the Power of YOUR Brand story

By David Mills
on September 18, 2018

Why is there such an obsession with stories in marketing? The answer - organizations that are powered by a well-crafted brand story grow more than those with any other communication approach. Brand stories aren’t just a method; they connect to the core of how the human mind works. When we connect with people using a brand story, the message stays with them longer and moves them to take action more quickly.

The Word They Forgot to Add to the Dictionary - Hactics (and how to know if you are doing it)

By David Mills
on September 06, 2018

Def: hac·tic
ˈhaktik/
noun

1. Marketing tactics that create busy work instead of saving time or providing shortcuts to a growth goal.
2. Blend word from Hectic and Hack, i.e., Hactic: Hectic with Marketing Hacks.

Everyone loves a shortcut—but as you know from sitting in the back seat while people refuse to use a map—they don’t always lead you to where you thought they would. It’s easy to get busy with lots of tasks that others have used, or that have been suggested to us as shortcuts for growth. When you begin to dabble in marketing, you can start to get a dozen emails a week with “marketing hacks” (read that as quick shortcuts) with each one promising to address every challenge you are facing.

A Hollow Core, or a brand Story of Purpose

By David Mills
on August 09, 2018

Authenticity is now a core concern of growing companies. Millennials and consumers want to see true integrity and are pushing for real experiences. They want long-term relationships with organizations that bring meaning to their lives rather than simply a paycheck or something delivered in a box. This goes beyond commodities—they want to be connected to organizations with a purpose that anchors the very center of their story.

Keywords Are like VHS Tapes

By David Mills
on June 01, 2018

Keywords are like VHS Tapes; if that’s all you have, you’re going to miss out on better opportunities.

Some things that you thought you knew about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) aren’t true anymore.