Authentic Communication In Funeral Service

 Recently, I was talking to a funeral director about a marketing "guru" that his firm hired to train them on how to be more effective. As I pressed to find out what new information they had been taught, I was alarmed to discover that the "cutting edge strategy" they had learned was to script every part of their communication with a family! That's right, everything was scripted!

I have spent the good part of the past 21 years communicating for a living. After delivering 5,000 + speeches, authoring hundreds of articles and writing speeches for and consulting with political candidates, business owners and authors, I feel that I can address this topic with some authority. Every communication expert will agree that when someone reads or recites a script they sound, well, scripted! When a family enters your funeral home, they don't need to hear a canned presentation, rather they need someone who will take an interest in their loved one, learn what's important to them and then design a service that will celebrate that person's life! That can't be scripted. So what's the alternative? Be prepared! And the kind of preparation to which I am referring takes much more thought, care and time. Here are a few suggestions.