Written by Natalie Chapman, Passare Content

When you think of someone who’s good with technology, do you think of:

Your teenage kid who spends time playing video games with his friends online?

Maybe your college-age niece or nephew who never leaves home without their tablet or laptop?

Millennial coworkers who always know the latest tech trends?

Or did you think of someone in their 60s and 70s?

Baby Boomers, those born from 1946-1965, aren’t always associated with being up to date on technology and how it works. But that couldn’t be further from the truth!

This generation is active on social media, shops online, and uses technology to communicate with their loved ones. They're also researching their funeral planning options online.

In this article, we'll address 3 huge misconceptions about Baby Boomers and technology and discuss how your funeral home can use digital services to engage with them and meet their needs.

Misconception #1: They're not online at all.

The first common misconception about funeral planners in the Baby Boomer group is that they are not online at all. But the case is quite the opposite.

In fact, some of the most impactful technological advancements were invented by Baby Boomers:

• Steve Jobs, born in 1955, was a co-creator of Apple.

• Sir Tim Berners-Lee, also born in 1955, created The World Wide Web.

• Robert Metcalfe was born in 1946 and was a co-creator of the Ethernet.

Not to mention, a study by AARP revealed that 79% of respondents in their 60s and 72% of those in their 70s use technology to connect with others, including Facetime, text, phone calls, and even social media.

So, what does all this mean for your funeral home? 

It means Baby Boomers are online.

And if you're not taking steps to connect with them digitally, you're missing the chance to build relationships with those who are online.

Take a look at these two ways you can improve your online presence and build brand awareness with the older generation online:

• Active social media pages: With this, you can promote community events, your products, and service ideas! Here are a couple great funeral home social media pages to check out:

  • McAlister-Smith Funeral & Cremation on Facebook ➡️

  • Mueller Funeral Homes on Facebook ➡️

• A high-quality website: When visitors come to your website, they can view obituaries and service times, see your company details, find useful information about planning ahead.

Don't have time to manage your online presence? Our friends at Funeral Directors Life have services that can help. Learn more here: https://www.funeraldirectorslife.com/marketing-services

Misconception #2: They don't know how to use technology.

Another huge misconception about Baby Boomers is that they don't know how to use technology, and they definitely don’t know how to use it to plan a funeral online. This is also false!

Just last year, my great aunt passed away, leaving behind a large family, which meant a lot of collaborators on the obituary, eulogy, and other service details.

To ensure everyone had a chance to participate, her siblings and children (all between the ages of 50-77) gathered in her home to work on everything.

Now, are you picturing a group at the kitchen table with pens, paper, and a lot of head scratching?

Not this group! They sat with tablets, phones, and laptops in hand to collaborate on service details, the obituary, gathering photos, and more.

And this kind of technology use isn't only happening in my family. A recent report by Statista found that 63% of Americans between 60 and 69 years old own a laptop, and 73% in this age group own a smart phone.

So, if you think the older generations aren't using technology - think again.

As Baby Boomers grow their use of technology, you can offer digital services to help them plan the most meaningful services online. Here are two ways you can offer personal, online interaction with families:

• Online at-need planning: Offer families the ability to plan from their phone, tablet, or computer - from anywhere! Learn more about online at-need planning tools in this article.

• Digital aftercare: Paper cards will always be sentimental, but as people rely more on smartphones, engaging them in aftercare services on a device they use every day becomes a no-brainer. Check out this article to learn more about the benefits of digital aftercare: https://www.funeraldirectorslife.com/5-ways-tech-is-changing-funeral-aftercare/

Misconception #3: They don't want to communicate online.

The third misconception is that Baby Boomers don't want to plan online.

This is also not true!

Think about this - When did you last receive new patient paperwork in the mail? Today, doctors have online portals where patients can fill out paperwork, schedule appointments, or send messages to their doctor or nurse.

My grandparents are 75, and they call, email, and message their doctors online. Before, doctor's appointments were the bulk of their outings. Now, they can connect with their doctors online to discuss less urgent needs and spend less time driving to appointments each week.

The truth is older generations are interacting with businesses online to manage things like doctors' appointments. Why would planning a funeral be any different?

In a recent study we did in partnership with Funeral Directors Life and McKee Wallwork + Co. we found that people’s comfort in planning online rose from 25% to 36% in the last decade.

Read more about the different types of funeral consumers, including Baby Boomers, here. ➡️

You can create a convenient planning experience for Baby Boomers when you use an online, at-need planning tool like Passare's Planning Center.

Planning Center allows you and your families to work together in real-time on the obituary, service details, and vitals, all while staying connected throughout the entire planning process.

And by working together online, you'll have more time during in-person meetings to create a meaningful, personalized service.

Get a free virtual tour of our Planning Center here. ➡️

Start connecting with more families online

As you can see, there is no age limit to technology use. Even older generations, like Baby Boomers, are fond of and rely on technology.

And if you're not making efforts to connect with these consumers online, you’re missing out on a large group!

Take the first step in connecting with these families when you use Passare to collaborate with them online.

Book a demo to see how here. 👇