Exclusive Q&A on Automated Outreach: Streamline Follow-Ups and Boost Engagement

January 6, 2025

Transform Your Outreach Strategy While Developing Trust with Families 

Automation is changing how businesses of all kinds, including funeral homes, connect with customers and find leads. 


If you’re curious about the impact of automation, join us at MKJ Marketing’s 2025 Winter Summit, happening Feb. 3-5 at the beautiful Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Tribute Technology is a proud sponsor of the event. 


Tribute Technology’s President of Commercial Markets Courtney Gould Miller will be leading a session on automation. She’ll share details about how this technology can enhance your follow-up processes while preserving the personal touch essential for building trust with families. 


Here’s a preview of what Courtney will cover in her session. 


Q: What makes automated outreach so valuable in today’s business environment? 


A: Automated outreach helps businesses stay connected with their leads and customers without requiring constant manual effort. The right tools enable timely, personalized communication that keeps your firm top-of-mind while saving time and resources. It’s about finding the right balance between efficiency and authenticity. 


Q: How does automation help with nurturing leads? 


A: Automation ensures no lead is overlooked. By creating thoughtful communication workflows, you can send the right message at the right time, guiding families through their journey in a meaningful way. From the first contact to a preneed or at-need contract, it’s about fostering relationships at every step. 


Q: Response rates can be a challenge. How can automation improve them? 


A: Automated systems can improve response rates by ensuring follow-ups are consistent and engaging. Using personalized templates tailored to a family's specific interests or needs makes your messages more relevant, encouraging recipients to engage and respond. 


Q: Marketing efforts often require a lot of coordination. How can automation maximize these efforts? 


A: Automation simplifies complex marketing tasks by managing repetitive processes, enabling your team to focus on higher-value work. Tools like lead tracking, audience segmentation, and targeted campaigns help ensure no opportunities are missed, making every effort more effective. 


Q: Some worry that automation might feel impersonal. How do you maintain trust while using these tools? 


A: That concern is valid. That’s why it’s essential to integrate a personal touch. Automation doesn’t replace human connection—it supports it by making thoughtful, consistent communication possible. For instance, you can schedule follow-ups, send condolences on important anniversaries, or check in based on a family's preferences. It’s about using technology to strengthen relationships... not weaken them. 


Q: Why should someone attend your session at the MKJ Summit? 


A: I’ll share practical advice on how to use automation effectively, boost engagement, and achieve better results. Attendees will leave with steps they can use right away to streamline their processes and build stronger connections with leads and customers. 


Join us at the MKJ Marketing Summit to elevate your outreach strategies. You don't want to miss this! 

Register Now
December 30, 2025
[Blountville, TN / New York, NY — December 2025 ] — Heritage Family, a leading national network of funeral homes and cemeteries, today announced the company-wide expansion of their successful partnership with Chptr, in collaboration with Tribute Technology, delivering modern video and television-based death notices and community announcements to families across all Heritage Family locations nationwide. Chptr is a media and technology platform that helps funeral homes distribute service information through trusted local television and publisher channels, extending reach within the communities they serve. Through this partnership, Heritage Family locations will be able to share service listings and death notices across local station websites, station-owned digital platforms, and affiliated publisher networks. The initiative is powered by Chptr’s national media network and integrated into Tribute Technology through Tribute Spotlights—creating a seamless workflow for funeral home teams. “For generations, local television has been one of the most trusted ways communities learn about important life events,” said Lindsay Granson, Chief Operating Officer of Heritage Family . “This partnership allows us to bring that reach back to funeral service—combining Tribute Technology’s platform with Chptr’s media network to ensure families’ announcements are seen where communities already turn for local information.” Through the integration, funeral homes using Tribute Technology can activate Tribute Spotlights , which distribute death notices and service details beyond traditional obituary pages and into trusted local media ecosystems . Chptr serves as the media and distribution layer—connecting listings to television stations and publishers across hundreds of U.S. markets—while Tribute Technology remains the core platform funeral homes already rely on. “Funeral homes deserve modern visibility without added complexity,” said Craig Greenseid, President and CEO of Tribute Technology . “By integrating Tribute Spotlights with Chptr’s broadcast network, we’re giving firms a simple, scalable way to extend their reach into local television and publisher channels—without changing how they work.” Chptr’s media network includes partnerships with major local television station groups and regional publishers, helping funeral homes reduce reliance on third-party obituary aggregators while retaining first-party ownership, local trust, and measurable reach . “For generations, families have paid significant fees simply to publish an obituary. This partnership changes that forever,” said Rehan Choudhry, CEO of Chptr . “For the first time ever, funeral homes can offer families broadcasted obituaries at no cost—ending an era of expensive print notices and replacing it with a modern, media-driven approach that reaches communities where they engage today and fundamentally modernizes how life is honored.” A nationwide rollout across funeral homes and cemeteries As part of the expansion, Heritage Family locations will gain: Television-based death notices and service listings via local station websites Distribution through trusted broadcast and publisher networks , not just aggregators Integrated activation through Tribute Spotlights , embedded in Tribute Technology’s platform Centralized reporting on reach and performance tied to media placement The partnership reflects a growing shift in funeral service toward local media visibility, platform integration, and reclaiming control of community announcements . About Heritage Family Heritage Family is a national network of funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories dedicated to honoring life through personalized, community-centered service. The organization operates more than 130 locations across 11 states. About Tribute Technology Tribute Technology is a leading provider of software and digital solutions for funeral homes, helping firms streamline operations, support families, and deliver meaningful memorial experiences. Tribute Spotlights extends Tribute Technology’s platform into broader community and media distribution. About Chptr Chptr is a media and technology platform connecting funeral homes with local television stations and publishers to power modern death notices, service listings, and community announcements—restoring visibility, trust, and control to the firms that serve families every day. Media Contact Jenny Knizner Head of Growth, Chptr E: jenny@chptr.com
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