#625 out of the box

I was at the mall yesterday and saw the usual assortment of stores: clothing, jewelry, greeting cards and sporting goods.  Those in Los Angeles have a new addition to their shopping repertoire: casket stores.  

Recently several malls in Southern California have opened Til We Meet Again casket stores and funeral planning services in their retail space.  Owners are trying to "reach people where they are" and overcome the stigma of walking into a funeral parlor before absolutely necessary.  "Planning for death will not be as intimidating if it takes place in a lively, happy place like a mall rather than the more somber confines of a cremation home," their spokesperson said.  It certainly is an out of the box (ha ha) way of connecting with their audience.  

Think about your delivery system and ways to reach your prospective clientele.  Maybe it's not the mall, but are there other places where people are that you may be well served to have a presence?  Several services and restaurants are open inside big box stores.  Walgreens added a health practitioner.  Stores have post offices, dry cleaners and banks.  I'll be there is an audience out there waiting for you to find them. 

--- beth triplett

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Source:  Funeral, casket outlets are heading to the mall by John Rogers for The Associated Press in the Telegraph Herald, February 4, 2014.