SOMETIMES those 15 minutes of fame come after death.
ObitDetails LLC, Chicago, gives families a chance to memorialize deceased loved ones-for all the world to see-on the Internet.
Obituaries posted at ObitDetails’ Web site (www.obitdetails.com) remain for all time. They can be up to 1,000 words, include a photo of the deceased, and for a small additional fee, eulogies, poems and memorabilia may be contributed.
Information about funeral services, with maps and directions, as well as facts regarding florists, charities and condolence gift services, stay posted for 60 days.
The obituaries-which can be written by funeral directors, families or the ObitDetails editorial staff-cost $145.
“I think when somebody lives a life, it deserves to be remembered,” says Stopher Bartol, president and CEO.
“Too few people get a really nice obituary in the newspaper today, especially in the big cities. Even if they do get one, it lasts for a day, then it’s gone,” he adds.
The site is marketed to funeral directors, who initially receive a direct mail piece or two suggesting they offer the site as a value-added service to bereaved families. The DM letters are followed up by a visit from a member of the ObitDetails staff.
“We go face-to-face with the funeral directors because it’s a very new product that isn’t intuitive,” Bartol says.
Some 75 funeral homes in the Chicago area have signed up, along with a handful in New York. At press time, Bartol was busy hiring salespeople and preparing for a trip East to sign on more New York funeral homes.
Response has been positive. Most obituaries are getting 25 to 50 hits, but some garner as many as 400.
Bartol admits, “Some people think this is crazy.
“One reason is because it’s one of the last places people thought the Internet would have a role. And yet to many people, it makes perfect sense.”
Bartol notes that although the deceased may have never used the Internet, he or she often has children or grandchildren who do.
“Our philosophy is everybody is important enough to have a lasting obituary,” he says.
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