Axel Jean-Francois on 
Six Proven Plays to Lift Funeral-Home Margins — Without Losing Your Soul
“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” — John Wooden
Running a funeral home today is like steering a tugboat through fog while speedboats zip past. You can’t keep jacking up prices, and you definitely can’t cut corners on care—families remember both. What you can do is run smarter. The six plays below come from live field data (and a few hard-earned scars). Margins may be math, but leadership is still about people.
PLAY 1 — Master the Fundamentals
“Excellence is achieved by the mastery of the fundamentals.” — Vince Lombardi
Why the Middle Wins
Offer three crystal-clear packages—Good, Better, Best. Behavioral economists call it the Goldilocks effect; we call it a license to boost average ticket. 51 % of families in our 2025 study chose the mid-tier when shown three options, versus 34 % when they saw only two.
| Package | Fits | Core Inclusions |
| Good – “Simple Essentials” | Price-sensitive | Removal, paperwork, basic casket |
| Better – “Celebration Plus” | Most families | Adds visitation, upgraded urn/casket, light reception |
| Best – “Signature Farewell” | Premium seekers | Full ceremony, premium merchandise, video tribute, catering |
Homes that added a top “Premier” tier lifted average revenue 12 % in a single quarter. Pro tip: “Simple Essentials” sounds respectful; “Direct Cremation” sounds bargain-bin.
PLAY 2 — Run the Set Play
“Accountability is essential—expect it, inspect it, accept no excuses.” — Pat Summitt
Give Families a Map—and an Exit
Harvard research shows mixed bundles (package plus à-la-carte menu) lift revenue 17 %; pure bundles drop it about 20 %.
- Curate bundles for 80 % of cases.
- Post a transparent à-la-carte list online—68 % of families expect to see prices before calling.
- Seed low-risk upgrades (one-hour reception, livestream) inside the mid-tier. More foot traffic = more merchandise eyeballs.
PLAY 3 — Build the Team First
“The strength of the team is each individual member; the strength of each member is the team.” — Phil Jackson
Payroll Is Your Biggest Check—and Best Investment
- Stagger shifts → cut idle time and overtime up to 40 %.
- Deploy part-timers wisely. Greeters and drivers free licensed directors to serve families.
- Tie bonuses to real impact. Team incentives lift performance 44 % when they run six months or more (Incentive Research Foundation). Two simple KPIs:
- family-satisfaction score
- completed pre-need appointments
Younger pros crave work-life balance. Offer flex scheduling and you’ll win the recruiting wars without bidding up salaries.
PLAY 4 — Control the Court
“Don’t focus on the outcome; focus on the process.” — Nick Saban
Every Dollar Saved Drops to Profit
| Cost Lever | Typical Savings | Action |
| Bundle insurance lines | 5–15 % | Quote autos, liability, property together |
| Raise deductibles | ≈ 12 % at $2.5 k | Self-insure small claims; bank the gap |
| Invest in safety | Rate credits | Staff training, cameras, slip-and-fall audits |
| Plug “silent leaks” | $30–40 k/yr | Cut unused SaaS seats, swap to LEDs, renegotiate linen service |
Be ruthless on overhead, generous on care.
PLAY 5 — Play for Tomorrow, Today
“If you do things right, the score will take care of itself.” — Bill Walsh
Future Work, Locked In
- Valuation edge. Robust pre-need portfolios command premium multiples—steady cash flow is catnip to buyers.
- Referral flywheel. Pre-need-heavy homes see 27 % more at-need calls from the same families.
- Client delight. 97 % of policy owners report being very satisfied; most refer friends.
Build your vault
- Target 1.4 × annual revenue in pre-need face value (2 × = elite).
- Stay compliant. Follow state trust ratios and file on time.
- Quarterly seminars + “Preneed Club.” Newsletters and remembrance brunches keep relationships warm.
- Insurance-funded plans. Typical 10–15 % commission covers marketing and staff bonuses.
Done right, pre-need is your ten-year revenue forecast—in ink.
PLAY 6 — Win the Inches
“It’s the little things that make the big things happen.” — Bobby Bowden
Spend < 1 % of Revenue—Track Every Dollar
| Tactic |
| Geo-fenced ads |
| Google Business Profile posts |
| Post-service direct mail |
Calculate cost per lead and lifetime value; kill anything under a 5 × return. Your marketing plan will self-prune.
The Final Whistle
Margins aren’t magic—they’re compound interest on disciplined, repeatable plays. Pick one, hammer it for 90 days, then layer on the next. Blend empathy with ruthless math and you’ll fund both the mahogany conference table and the community scholarship fund.
Next Step — Run the Numbers
Curious what else we could do for you? Contact your friends at Foresight and let us help you serve your community. Our average client enjoys a 25 % EBITDA margin compared to the national average of 8 %. Let’s make your tugboat glide like a speedboat.