They say a good writer will stay clear of cliches, but I’m writing this so here goes: A picture is worth a thousand words. As unoriginal as it is, this idiom holds true with the Internet Generation. Given that the average user spends 15 seconds on a website, your window to sell your funeral home is small.
So how can you sell your funeral home in as little time as possible? Great photos! Funeral home owners spend thousands, if not millions, renovating amazing venues yet we’re hard-pressed to find good photos online.
So today with these five guidelines, you’ll be able to take great photos of your funeral home like a pro! Grab your camera, a tripod, some flowers, and let’s get shootin!
1. The Equipment
Camera
10 years ago, not having access to a digital camera would have been a valid excuse. However, with a very high quality camera attached to every phone, there is no longer an excuse. Even so, try to get your hands on a DSLR with a wide-angle lens (35mm or less) to capture all the right angles.
Tripod
Sure, you could ask someone with steady hands, like your embalmer, to take the pictures. However, a tripod will allow you to take steady, level shots.
Lights
Lighting is everything in photography. If you can’t open the curtains and let in natural light, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some additional lights that can follow you around as you shoot each room. Soft, ambient light will work best.
2. Time of Day
If you’re taking photos of the outside of your funeral home, do it during the “Golden Hour.” This is the hour right after sunrise or the hour right before sunset. These hours produce soft, diffused light that produces fewer, unflattering shadows.
3. Tell a Story
Each photo should tell a story. When you take a photo, you should be answering some of the most frequently asked questions of your funeral home:
- How many people can fit in the chapel?
- Is there a reception area?
- Do I have a parking lot?
- Do I have an attached cemetery?
- Who will be serving the family?
4. Make it Pretty
This a photoshoot for your funeral home. Adding flowers can make your photos pop. You don’t need to “stage” a funeral, but putting out flowers, opening all the folding chairs, or setting the tables in your reception area wouldn’t be a bad idea.
5. Staff Photos
Nothing is as unique as the service you provide, so differentiate yourself with photographs of your staff. A potential customer will feel more comfortable calling if they can match a face to the voice.
Funeral homes are event venues. Just like a bride choosing her wedding venue, a family choosing a funeral home needs to understand the aesthetics and the services you provide. Funeral homes no longer have the luxury of getting people to come into the funeral home. The selling must be done up front, before the initial phone call. If you can’t tell your story quickly and beautifully, people will click away.
So use these guidelines, have a little fun, and SHOW people why your funeral home deserves the chance to serve them. Don’t sell yourself short!