Dear Kelly - Are MY Consumers Online?

Question

Are people really turning to the Internet for grief support?

Answer

Many times I hear from Funeral Directors that they don't believe the families they serve are on the Internet. Did you know that:

New census data shows that approximately 143 million Americans - or 54% - were using the Internet as of Sept 2001, an increase of 26 million over last year.
Approximately 40% of people age 55 or older use the Internet, and each year that percentage increases as people who used the Internet when they were younger continue to do so well into retirement.
Older people report less usage in areas such as gaming or online trading, but are the most likely to search the net for health related issues.
About a third of Americans use the Internet to search for products and information, with 39% of all Internet users making purchases online.
One of the biggest strengths of the Internet is connecting people. People with a quick email or a 'post' on a message board can literally reach people around the world and receive support back. We have found this to be true at Beyond Indigo. We have people on our message boards from Australia, Pakistan, Russia, Greece, China, Japan - the list goes on and on. The statistics show that connections are important to people.
In its 2001 study of online groups, the Pew Charitable Trust's Internet Project found that 90 million Americans, or 84% of Internet users, have used the Internet to contact or get information from a group.
Internet access helps people join "offline" groups as well, with many coming to a local meeting after initially making contact with the group via the Internet. About 28 million people in the study reported using the Internet to get more in touch with their local groups.
Even if people don't take an active part in an online group by posting on a message board or chatting in a chat room they still get enormous benefit. As one member on Beyond Indigo stated:

I have not entered (posted) before but really have received a huge amount from reading over the last few months. A close friend is coping with four types of cancer and is becoming angrier. I want to continue to be open to her and do not want to guide wrongly...anger has to expressed so healing can occur.

At Beyond Indigo, we see sixty-five thousand people a month looking for grief support. The Internet is a valuable tool to aid your business. People are using the Internet especially when searching for information. Support can be found and connections made with others through the use of Message Boards and Chat rooms. By making an upfront investment in learning to use the web correctly, you can get great results for your business. There are many Internet professionals ready and willing to help you make the next step.