Using new tech tools can not only save you time and money, but also improve your efficiency, improve your marketing, and add more service options for your families. The best part is you don’t have to break the bank to use these tools. There are plenty of free tech tools online to choose from these days so that’s why we’ve narrowed down some of the top tools that would be beneficial to funeral directors.
Here are 5 free tech tools that not only do we recommend for funeral homes, but we at FrontRunner use most of them ourselves too.
1. Slack: Streamline your internal communications
Communication is important when planning funerals and using a communication tool can help keep all your employees on the same page. Slack has many helpful functions that bring your work collaboration to the next level. With Slack you get private and group messaging with team members, discussion boards and company-wide channels, plus video calling and file sharing. Efficient communication for your team means more time to spend serving your families.
Pros: Private and group messaging, voice and video calling, file sharing and storage, ability to search old messages and files.
Cons: Only 1 on 1 voice and video calling, limited to 5GB of file storage, message history only goes back for 10K messages (all can be upgraded with paid versions).
Free version: Visit website.
Paid Versions: Pro – $6.67 USD per person/month, Business Plus – $12.50 USD per person/month, Enterprise Grid – contact sales for price estimate. Learn more.
Alternatives: Microsoft Teams, Workplace from Meta
2. Canva: Design the perfect Facebook post or funeral pamphlet
Don’t worry about trying to learn complicated design software like Photoshop, Canva is an easy-to-use alternative. With thousands of free templates and a drag-and-drop editor, you can become a designer in minutes. Canva also allows you to upload your own photos or use graphics, icons and photos from their built-in library. Some popular templates for funeral directors are Facebook posts and ads, Google ads, flyers, pamphlets, website banners, event invitations, and business cards.
Pros: easy to use, simple drag-and-drop editor, over 250,000 templates, free library of graphics, icons and photos.
Cons: Some limitations on creating complex designs, need to upgrade to access all of their library of graphics, icons and photos.
Free version: Visit website.
Paid Versions: Canva Pro – $119.99 /year for one person, Canva for Teams – $149.90 /year for the first 5 people. Learn more.
Alternatives: Pixlr, Adobe Express
3. Unsplash: Access a free library of stock photos
Can’t find the perfect photo for your latest blog or Facebook post? Unsplash has all the free stock photos you need. This online photo library saves you time from taking your own photos or hiring a photographer. Choose from over 3 million free high-resolution images to find the perfect one.
Pros: Easily pick and download from 3 million+ free stock images, professional photography.
Cons: Contains more general photos which are not of your funeral home or staff, sometimes doesn’t have exactly the photo you’re looking for.
Free version: Visit website.
Paid Versions: It’s always free but it does advertise iStock for more image selection at a cost.
4. Grammarly: Avoid spelling and grammar mistakes
Whether you’re sending emails, entering in case information, or even just taking notes, as a funeral director, you’re constantly writing. Grammarly can help speed up your time spent writing by being your on-the-go editor. You want to make sure the information you’re entering in your cases is accurate and that your emails sound professional, and Grammarly helps by checking your grammar, spelling and more. That way, you don’t have to review your writing over and over again.
Pros: Corrects grammar, spelling and punctuation, clarity suggestions, tone detection, works on desktop and website applications.
Cons: Like any editing software their suggestions aren’t always 100% accurate for what you’re trying to say.
Free version: Visit Website.
Paid Versions: Premium for 1 person starting at $12 USD per month, Business for teams starting at $15 USD per month. Learn more.
Alternatives: ProWritingAid, Hemingway App
5. Zoom: Meet with your families or coworkers from anywhere
Zoom hit a boom with the increased need for socially distanced contact during the pandemic, and here’s why you should still be using it. First off, it gives both you and your families the freedom to have meetings wherever and whenever you want. This allows for more flexibility, especially for families with disabilities that make it hard to travel. On top of that, it saves time and money as your families don’t need to commute to your business and you don’t need to do house visits.
Pros: Quality video calling up to 100 people, group chat box, file sharing, record meetings
Cons: Free version limits video calls to 40 minutes
Free version: Visit website.
Paid Versions: Pro – $149.90/year/user, Business – $199.90/year/user, Business Plus – $250.00/year/user, Enterprise – contact sales. Plus, additional add-ons. Learn more.
Alternatives: Microsoft Teams, Google Meet
Bonus: Free FrontRunner tech
Did you know we also offer free tech? Use Tribute Video to create beautiful memorial videos free for all of 2022. Schedule a demo to learn more.
