Think about it. If your reputation isn’t spotless, why on earth would anyone trust you with one of the most sensitive services they’ll ever need? Imagine a family, grieving, looking for a funeral home, and they come across your place with a measly 2.5-star rating on Google. That’s the fastest way to lose a potential client before you’ve even had a chance to show them what you can do.
That’s why guarding your online reputation—polishing it up if need be—is absolutely critical. Just like word-of-mouth keeps your name golden in the local community, your online reviews are now the front line of your business.
I’ve worked with business owners who wish online reviews would just vanish. They hate that nitpicky customers or, worse, competitors can tarnish their name with a few strokes of the keyboard. And yeah, trolls and bad actors exist. But here’s the truth: they’re the exception, not the rule. Most people leaving reviews are just trying to be helpful.
So stop resisting. Online reviews are here to stay. Embrace them and make them work for you.
Now, here’s the good news—reviews can be your best friend. Positive ones, obviously, boost your funeral home’s reputation and put families at ease when deciding whether to trust you with pre-need or at-need services. But here’s a little-known secret: it’s not just the glowing 5-star ratings that help.
The number of reviews matters, too. Having lots of reviews makes you look legitimate and well-established. And guess what? Search engines love that. Google actually considers how often your business is reviewed when ranking your site. A funeral home with 50 reviews, even if a few aren’t perfect, will outrank a place with 12 flawless ones. Quantity over perfection, in this case.
Now, promoting reviews in the death care industry? It’s a little trickier than most businesses. You can’t be heavy-handed or pushy. But with the right touch, you can absolutely encourage satisfied families to share their experiences.
For example, in a follow-up email after services, you can include a discreet link to review your business. No bold “Leave Us a Review!” buttons. Just a soft nudge at the bottom of the message. And, of course, timing is everything. Give it a little time before you ask.
Or, you can make things even easier by using reputation management software. At Ring Ring Marketing, we offer a tool that monitors your online reputation in real time. It even helps you intercept negative reviews before they hit the web by directing unhappy clients to contact you privately first.
Now, when a negative review does slip through—and let’s be real, it will happen at some point—the last thing you want to do is go on the offensive. Don’t argue. Don’t get defensive. Nothing will tank your credibility faster. Instead, respond calmly and professionally. Ask for clarification if something’s unclear. If you messed up, own it, apologize, and make it right. If the critique is unfair, don’t fight. Figure out what went wrong and work to change their mind.
At the end of the day, sure, you want to mitigate the bad reviews. But more importantly, you want to build a steady stream of thoughtful, positive reviews. Done right, your online reputation will speak volumes about the care, professionalism, and trust you offer. And that’s worth its weight in gold.
