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Additional/Back Issues Dear website visitor,There is much to be said about death merchants and how these predators target seniors and about the ways to avoid their high-pressure sales tactics. With this newsletter, we're just getting started. Stay tuned for more!.Darryl J. RobertsThe Need for Pre-Need Today, as with no other time in our history, seniors are being targeted by death care merchants with reckless abandon. Unfortunately, virtually everyone over the age of fifty will experience -- or has already experienced -- the death of a loved one. It's a life-altering event which leaves us vulnerable to the emotional sales pitch of death care salespeople. The only way to avoid the burden of making a significant financial decision on absolutely worst day of your life is to make the arrangements before the need arises; which, in the lexicon of the industry, stands for PRE-NEED. I have been an active proponent of making pre-need arrangements since I began selling pre-need cemetery lots in the mid 1960s. We would knock on doors prospecting for potential clients and then make cold calls to those prospects intending to help them solve a problem by buying lots in our cemetery. I was convinced that what I was doing was indeed helpful to the families I visited because it relieved a burden when a death did occur. Of course, when selling to the families we conveniently neglected to give them all of the facts necessary to make a truly informed decision. Rather, we provided the facts that would help us sell our products so we could receive our 15-25 percent commission. There's no doubt that making pre-need arrangements is the best solution for all parties concerned. I have not changed my thoughts about buying pre-need cemetery and funeral goods and services. It is the best way for consumers to eliminate the emotional overspending that almost always occurs in a death care situation. It also has the advantage of ensuring the deceased receives the type of goods that he or she may want. Additionally, it helps family members know the exact desires of the deceased, thus eliminating disagreements among family members. Of course, after coming to this conclusion, the real decision-making process begins. There are more things to consider than most people think and there is a great deal of both information and misinformation concerning pre-need arrangements. The first tip is to never buy from a pre-need counselor who comes to your home. Their first priority is to sell their company's goods and services. This leaves you without the full information about all of the alternatives you may wish to know. Additionally, these salespeople almost always twist your emotional arm about buying while they are in your home because "it is such a good deal" and "you are not likely to do anything once they leave." Remember, these are highly trained commissioned salespeople whose ultimate goal is to simply make the sale. This does not mean they are not nice or well-meaning individuals. It simply means they have been trained to put their interests and the interests of their employer above whatever your needs may be. They are not truly interested in finding and fulfilling your needs. They are taught how to close the sale and will use their training to manipulate you into buying their products. With this in mind, there are three common objections consumers use to get rid of
pre-need salespeople: When your response is that you "don't want to think about making this purchase," the salesperson will begin by asking if you and your spouse have ever thought about or talked about your death care wishes. The average consumer will either say that they have not or at best they have discussed it very little. The counselor will then try to convince you that it is important that you address the issue immediately. The pitch will be that since you have done nothing about these needs that you probably will not do anything once the counselor leaves your home. A compelling argument, but one that is designed to force you into making a monumental decision on the spur of the moment without all of the information you need. Next, you might make the argument that "you just can't afford the purchase at this time" as much as you would like to purchase the items for sale. Obviously, the salesperson, who has no idea of your personal finances, will say that is the very reason that you should make the purchase. After all, the goods and services being offered are offered at a discount today and will never be cheaper in your life. Plus, you can get long-term financing in the form of a monthly payment. What they don't tell you is that there are other goods and services available at a more affordable price and the interest rate for your purchase will be 15-18 percent. Finally, after having been beaten down by the never-ending hogwash of the counselor, you come upon the objection that will surely send him packing: "I will probably move to another area, so I could not possibly need the services in this area." The highly-trained counselor is ready to answer you with his version of the truth. If funeral sales are involved, he will tell you that either your insurance or your trust can be used by any funeral facility in the country so moving will not be a problem. What he doesn't tell you is that the new facility will probably not have the same pricing and will likely charge you significantly more for the same products. If cemetery goods are being sold, the counselor will explain how your purchase can be transferred to another participating facility. He will not tell you that you will pay the difference in the price between the two facilities at the time of the move. This totally negates the big price savings that you receive today. The bottom line is: NEVER BUY YOUR PRE-NEED PRODUCTS FROM AN IN-HOME SALESPERSON. |
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