Help a newbie PLEASE

Having just avoided yet another close call, I am happy to post a comment for you.

A friend of mine started a pre-paid funeral plan with a local undertaker and asked me to go with him while he spoke to members of organisations to which I belong and which had a need for the service he was offering.

After five full blown presentations of his PPFP and five full blown arguments with me, he went his own way (after all, what did I know about his business?) and is now staring abject failure in the face. He has come to me, cap in hand, to ask for help.

I am no longer able to visit organisations with him but my advice to him is the same as I will now give to you - and please - LISTEN . . . .

STOP SELLING FUNERALS!!!!!

It might surprise you to hear this but nobody wants to buy a funeral - even if you have got the best plan in the world and the most fabulous funerals available, NOBODY WANTS TO BUY ONE!

In your case, you have a poduct that will, if what I have read is accurate, allow a central record of the family finances. It will create a central location for important information. It will create a simple over-view of the family finances and assets. It could replace the family Bible as the storage place for the family tree. Important family events, births, marriages, deaths, exam successes, special attainments, contact details for all friends and relatives with reminders for birthdays and other events that you want to mark for them by sending a greeting or a present.

You have created a product for the living and all your sales page talks about is death.

Why do you start of by saying you want to help people to prepare for their death?

Turn your product round.

One of the benefits of your product is that in the unfortunate event of long term illness or worse, there will be no worries about finding the correct documents and information.

Sell the benefits. Sell the peace of mind that knowing where everything is will bring. Sell the measure of care that husband and wife will demonstrate for each other by contributing to the joint family records.

Enterpryzman -- I think both you and Art have made valid points.

I also think that a list of benefits for the still living isn't a bad idea. Anyone can plan a funeral and in the end that is all they have is the knowledge of security and ease for the family -- do, by all means, point out somewhere very clearly how this can be a handy resource while they are still around, too. You can never have too many benefits. I can't see you selling FEWER if people realize all the ways they can use their investment for themselves, too.

Hi Michael,

I think artwebster is on the right track, although I don't think your sales copy comes across nearly as dark as he seems to.

I work around a lot of insurance agents. They are taught something profound; that life insurance is not for the insured. It's for the people they leave behind. Your product is the same. Nobody wants to buy life insurance, whether it's because they don't want to face their mortality, or because they don't understand that it's not for them. The way to sell the product is to play on people's desire to take care of their loved ones after they pass away. You need to do the same.

Your sales copy needs some punching up. Also, you need to tell your story. If you are a funeral director, you must have plenty of stories to illustrate how hard things can be on the survivors of people who haven't prepared for the inevitable. Use them.

FIX THE SPELLING OF YOUR OWN PRODUCT!

If you're going to make the sales page a personal message from you, you need to include your picture.

What about testimonials? Do you have any? If so, use them.

If you'd like to discuss an arrangement to help you with your page, PM me.

Tim

Let's take a brutal look at your sales page.
Let's ignore the spelling and grammar.
Let's simply look at the message:-

YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

Don't all the wonderful aspects of your software swing into action in the case of ill health?
Don't they swing into action if one of you has to be away for several months on some business or another?

Death is the last thing that you would need this software for but while you are alive, what are the benefits?

This isn't like the life assurance policy or funeral plan certificate sitting in the drawer like some evil vulture awaiting your demise - can you not see how valuable your programme is to the living on a day to day, year by year basis? Can you not see what a fantastic comfort zone it can create?

Run that progeam and some other happy programs to counteract the sad one like birth or something.