Building on a well-established legacy is a challenge made easier with the stability and support of a trusted preneed partner.

Jeffrey O’Keefe, Jr. is just getting off the phone with another family.

He already has four funeral services scheduled for the weekend, and this last call makes it five. But this isn’t unusual. Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home has been very busy lately, and they’re doing everything they can to care for families.

When families come to you for help, you have to make things work. Jeffrey O'Keefe Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes

“When families come to you for help, you have to make things work,” Jeffrey says. “There’s just no two ways about it.”

So while Jeffrey focuses on providing the best possible experience to families, it helps knowing he can trust Precoa to completely take care of growing his funeral home through preneed.

Delivering meaningful preneed experiences

A tradition of excellence is only built by continuous improvement and progression.

Growing up, Jeffrey O’Keefe watched his father and grandfather master the balancing act of upholding tradition while staying competitive. It’s a challenge he’s also accepted, and it’s what led to the decision to train Bradford O’Keefe’s staff to focus on educating families about funeral service.

“The flow of the arrangement conference is important, whether in preneed or at-need,” Jeffrey says. “Families have so many preconceived notions about funeral service, particularly about cremation. It’s up to us to help them understand that cremation is just an alternative to burying a casket, and that everything that happens beforehand can coincide with a traditional funeral.”

The preneed experience with Precoa aligns perfectly with these values. Founded on the belief that all families should have the opportunity to experience meaningful connection after a loss, Precoa educates families about the importance of ritual, gathering, and ceremony.

When it comes to preneed, Precoa helps us share the full spectrum of what’s available so we can educate families about why funeral service matters. Jeffrey O'Keefe Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes

“When it comes to preneed, Precoa helps us share the full spectrum of what’s available so we can educate families about why funeral service matters.”

Complete preneed support

To meaningfully connect with families, advance funeral planners need effective support. At Bradford O’Keefe, Precoa does everything to help planners focus on educating and helping families. Leads are generated through marketing that is constantly tested and optimized, the Funeral Planning Center takes care of appointment setting and follow-ups, and planners get top-notch training and helpful coaching.

In short, Precoa sets planners up for success by supporting them throughout the preneed pipeline.

Precoa has the technology and tools to make everything more streamlined and organized so our planners can connect with families Jeffrey O'Keefe Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes

“Precoa has the technology and tools to make everything more streamlined and organized so our planners can connect with families,” Jeffrey says. “It becomes not so much a business transaction as an experience of meaningful relationship building.”

Precoa also helps sustain and grow Bradford O’Keefe’s brand awareness in the communities of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, not only through multichannel marketing but also with events throughout their community.

“Precoa anticipates what families are looking for and builds programs where ease of use is central,” Jeffrey says. “Whether in the digital realm or out in the community, there’s an awareness that funeral directors and planners need to be out there as the public face of the funeral home.”

Preneed all tied together

With Precoa, Bradford O’Keefe never has to worry about managing preneed.

“It’s lead generation, appointment setting, and so many interconnected tools for both planners and families,” Jeffrey says. “Prior to Precoa, we never saw much leg work to create new business for the funeral home. Other providers simply do not have Precoa’s level of organization and integration. Even direct mail, which we all know is old school—with Precoa it really works.”

Having such a high level of end-to-end support is reassuring, and there’s a sense of stability in knowing your preneed partner always has your back. It’s an experience that Jeffrey believes other funeral home owners would appreciate.

Precoa truly cares about fully serving each individual family. Jeffrey O'Keefe Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” Jeffrey says. “I think funeral home owners would be well served to hear everything that is available with Precoa and to understand just how much Precoa truly cares about fully serving each individual family.”

And in a record-breaking year for the funeral home, Precoa’s complete preneed support is more helpful than ever.

The competitive advantage of end-to-end preneed

Bradford O’Keefe is on track to have their biggest sales year ever.

Jeffrey attributes some of this growth to an increased awareness of mortality brought on by the pandemic, making more families interested in prearranging funerals. And right there by his side to help meet this surging demand is his trusted preneed partner.

“Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Homes, Precoa, and myself—we have all just been growing through the years. We have the stable foundation of a personal friendship and a business relationship that we can keep building upon. We know Precoa’s going to be here for our funeral home.”

Like any true partner, Precoa cares deeply about the funeral homes they’re partnered with. It’s why Precoa promises to deliver sustained year-over-year preneed growth, and also why ProActive Preneed® is always progressing and improving.

For a forward-thinking funeral home owner, Precoa’s commitment to progression makes perfect sense.

Precoa leads the field of preneed when it comes to having a forward-thinking mentality. Jeffrey O'Keefe Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes

“It’s important that you always feel like you’re moving in the right direction as a business owner,” Jeffrey says. “And Precoa leads the field of preneed when it comes to having a forward-thinking mentality.”