Page A6 MAY 2023 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Section A www.vischerfuneralsupplies.com Your first portrait is FREE Custom Portraits from ANY photo www.PortraitsAtNeed.com By Welton Hong As more consumers turn to online resources to find local businesses, funeral homes must keep up with the times to remain competitive. This includes making sure they are listed on all relevant online directories, including Apple Maps. For years, Google has dominated the local search landscape, with its Google My Business platform being the go-to destination for businesses looking to manage their online listings. However, with the recent launch of Apple Business Connect (ABC), funeral home owners and marketers have a new reason to consider listing their businesses on Apple Maps. One of the biggest advantages of being listed on Apple Maps is the platform’s widespread integration into daily life. With an estimated user base of 75-100 million U.S. adults and being the default mapping application on over 136.8 million U.S. iPhones, Apple Maps is a tool that many consumers turn to when they need to find local businesses. Additionally, with Apple Maps being integrated into over 80 percent of automobiles sold in the United States through Car Play, funeral homes listed on the platform can reach customers even when they’re on the go. While Apple Maps might have had a shaky start when it first launched a decade ago, the platform has since undergone significant improvements. With features such as the “Explore” layer for navigating notable features of cities and neighborhoods and curated guides to places, Apple Maps is becoming a more comprehensive resource for consumers looking for local businesses. This presents a unique opportunity for funeral homes looking to stand out in a crowded market. Getting listed on Apple Maps is relatively straightforward, although it can be time-consuming. Businesses with fewer than 25 locations can search for their Place Cards and go through the verification wizard to claim each listing. Those with 25 or more locations will need to acquire a “D-U-N-S” number and follow the Enterprise Onboarding Guide to get started with multilocation Place Cards. The Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) number is a unique, nine-digit identification number assigned to businesses by Dun & Bradstreet, a commercial data and analytics company. The D-U-N-S number is used as a standard business identifier and is recognized globally. In the case of Apple Maps, businesses with 25 or more locations are required to acquire a D-U-N-S number before they can create and manage their listings on the platform through Apple Business Connect (ABC). This is because the D-U-N-S number is used to verify a business’s identity and prevent fraudulent activity. Obtaining a D-U-N-S number is a relatively simple process that involves registering for a Dun & Bradstreet account and providing basic information about the business, such as its name and address. Once the account is set up, businesses can apply for a D-U-N-S number, which is typically issued within a few business days. While the process of obtaining a D-U-N-S number may seem like an extra hurdle for businesses, it serves an important purpose in maintaining the integrity of Apple Maps listings. Apple Maps Is Ready to Compete with Google Powerhouse Marketing with Welton By requiring a D-U-N-S number, Apple ensures that only legitimate businesses with a verifiable presence can create and manage listings on the platform, which in turn helps consumers find accurate and trustworthy information about local businesses. While it may require some extra effort to obtain, the benefits of having a presence on a widely used and trusted platform such as Apple Maps are well worth it for businesses looking to reach new customers and grow their brand. Funeral homes should not overlook the importance of being listed on Apple Maps. With the platform’s widespread integration into daily life and its growing set of features and filters, it presents a unique opportunity for funeral homes to reach new customers. By embracing new technology and digital marketing strategies, funeral homes can stay ahead of the competition and continue to serve their communities for years to come. Welton Hong is the founder of Ring Ring Marketing® and a leading expert in creating case generation from online to the phone line. He is the author of Making Your Phone Ring with Internet Marketing for Funeral Homes. For more information, visit www.FuneralHomeProfits.com. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.NomisPublications.com Monthly Columnsonline at Shown (L to R) are: Paul Marks from Community Health and Hospice and Katresha Taylor from Brighton Hospice, both 2022 Hospice Caregivers of the Yea; Bruce Buchanan, 4th Generation Owner/CEO of Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers; and Sara Andler from Brighton Hospice, 2022 Hospice Volunteer of the Year Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers Names Hospice Volunteer of the Year and Caregivers of the Year following comments about Andler, Marks and Taylor. They include: “I have had the honor to work with hundreds of volunteers in my almost 20 years of hospice but if I could pick one who deserves this award it would be Sara,” said Katresha Taylor, Brighton Hospice’s Volunteer Coordinator. “She is one of those people that inspires you to become a better leader and team player.” Charlie Ketchen, Chaplin of Heart to Heart Hospice said, “Paul consistently brings peace and comfort to the patients and families he serves as well as the people he works with by helping them to see that he loves, cares, and values them as an individual.” “Katresha is a powerhouse! She seamlessly does two different roles with precision and expertise,” said Justin Lamason, Director of Support Service at Brighton Hospice. “Her attitude is always upbeat and positive and her response to teamwork is always – YES!” According to Bruce W. Buchanan, fourth generation owner/CEO of Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers, “The extraordinary care by Sara, Paul and Katresha is the reason we honor hospice volunteers and caregivers. We thank them for the important work they do and congratulate them on this honor.” Founded in 1881, Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers is family-owned with 13 event facilities located throughout Indianapolis. They have been a national leader in cremation since 1904, a local pioneer in green funerals, and a specialist in ceremonial events such as weddings, family gatherings, and civic meetings. Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers is celebrating its 142nd anniversary. INDIANAPOLIS,IN— Indianapolis-based Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers is proud to announce Sara Andler of Brighton Hospice as its Flanner Buchanan 2022 Hospice Volunteer of the Year, and Paul Marks of Community Home Health & Hospice and Katresha Taylor of Brighton Hospice as the Flanner Buchanan 2022 Caregivers of the Year. The awards were presented by Maureen Lindley, Flanner Buchanan’s Vice President of Marketing at a recognition event on March 14 at Flanner Buchanan’s Prairie Waters Event Center. The goal of hospice care is to improve the quality of a patient’s last months by offering comfort, dignity and care wherever the patient resides. Brighton Hospice recognizes that the dying process is part of the normal process of living and focuses on enhancing the quality of remaining life. The mission of Community Home Health & Hospice is to bring peace of mind to patients and their families by providing compassionate, dignified, collaborative, and patient-focused home healthcare and hospice. Both serve Central Indiana. As part of the award nominating process, various persons submitted the Send Us Your News! We welcome news of the industry. info@NomisPublications.com FAx 1-800-321-9040 PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 CALL 1-800-321-7479 Send us information on your School, Firm, or Association today! FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Nzg4MQ==