Does the internet really matter?

It's official -- the internet is here to stay.  It's no longer thought of as a passing fad.  In fact, over 78% of all of North America is actively using the internet.  And it's no longer your grandson's web.  We now live in a world where 11% of the U.S. Senior Citizen population in 2010 were Facebook users.  It's actually the "over 65's" that comprise of the fastest growing group of users on all social networks.  

So what does all of this mean for the funeral professional who is proud of the personal relationships he or she has developed within his community?  Are those relationships no longer meaningful?  Will the families you have deep, direct ties to now choose some other funeral home to honor their loved one because some funeral home down the street has a few dozen "likes" on his Facebook page?

It's OK -- take a deep breath.  The internet is not likely to take a close friend of yours and turn them into a patron of your competitor.  But what about that new couple in their early 40's that just moved to the neighborhood?  Or that family who is so distraught over their sudden loss, that they're turning to their grown, digital-native son to help with a lot of the planning?

The reality is, we now live in a world where if you, as a funeral professional, are completely ignoring the web -- the question isn't whether you're giving up business, it's how much.  However, despite what some savvy internet marketer might tell you, you don't have to start developing apps or spending millions on your web presence to stay relevant.  There are simple steps you can take -- which, while it won't spike business today, will help you remain in business in the future.

In future posts, I'll do my best to shed some light on some of these steps.