June 23, 2025
Published by 
Nicole Vullo on June 23, 2025
Nicole Vullo on June 23, 2025Written By Jennifer Graziano, Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home There are many seismic shifts that have rattled the foundation of funeral service in recent years. The funeral consumer has changed; it’s all about getting the most while paying the least. Couple this with industry challenges; a dire shortage of labor and a steady decline of qualified candidates seeking entry into the field, and the situation grows grimmer. The challenges we face on both the consumer and labor fronts are not readily solvable but there are steps we can take to mitigate the impact. Among them, employing a cooperative and combined approach amongst funeral homes and working together to rebrand the industry by setting new norms and standards. On the consumer front, we can attribute this latitudinal shift behavior to the post-Covid societal trends of the world we live in. Everything […]
June 6, 2025
Published by Nicole Vullo on June 6, 2025
Nicole Vullo on June 6, 20252025 Funeral and Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study Insights Summary DOWNLOAD NOW Insights in Action: How Consumer Attitudes and Behaviors Shape the Future of Your Business Model For six years, Foresight has been surveying consumer attitudes and behaviors regarding funeral services and the cemetery profession. This research aims to deliver meaningful, fact-based insights that empower our profession to stay ahead of evolving trends. In the last three years, we’ve expanded our research to include funeral and cemetery professionals. This dual-perspective approach reveals an unsettling truth: a profession often out of sync with consumer expectations, and in some cases, actively resisting market changes. Many businesses lack a strategic long-term plan to engage with an increasingly non-traditional and evolving consumer base. We delve into the disconnect between the profession and the consumer, highlighting key findings from our research. You will gain actionable […]
May 22, 2025
Published by Nicole Vullo on May 22, 2025
Nicole Vullo on May 22, 2025Written by Alan D. Wolfelt PhD As you know, there are many families out there who are more difficult to satisfy than in the past. Some observers have noted that today’s consumers are “never satisfied customers.” Many of the families you serve are not familiar with the value of funerals. In addition, we now live in a culture that is convenience and efficiency oriented. These are only two of the many factors that have influenced why some families consider holding “parties” as opposed to meaningful funeral ceremonies. In the face of these challenges, it seems those of you committed to the future of funeral service confront an important choice. On the one hand, you can decide to give up and project that it is the difficult family’s problem. On the other hand, you could work to really listen to the […]
May 22, 2025
Published by Nicole Vullo on May 22, 2025
Nicole Vullo on May 22, 2025Written by Bruce I. Wiener, Managing Partner of Akerman LLP’s Tallahassee, Florida Office Thoughts of a sale or succession planning may be top of mind or beginning to percolate for some death-care professionals. At the same time, allocating time for these matters and tending to real estate housekeeping tasks can be challenging as your days are filled with serving families and your communities. These tasks can pile up over time, making the outlook on completing them formidable. So, if a sale is on the agenda, time should be set aside to fully assess your real estate assets to structure and plan for a potential transaction ahead. Once a purchase and sale agreement has been entered into, the transaction can move very quickly. But the transaction can fail just as quickly if issues arise during the due diligence process and the […]
February 27, 2025
Published by Nicole Vullo on February 27, 2025
Nicole Vullo on February 27, 2025Whether you realize it or not, you already have a personal brand. Everyone does. But let’s clear up a common misconception: personal branding is not about self-promotion, bragging, or flexing. Instead, your brand is your reputation—it’s how you are perceived by your friends, family, colleagues, and, most importantly, the people you serve. Every interaction—whether in person, digital, or over the phone—contributes to your personal brand. So, let’s dive into what personal branding truly is and why it matters. Your Brand Is More Than Just Aesthetic Your personal brand is not a product, a logo, or a cool photo. While these elements can enhance your brand, they are simply accessories—visual cues that help people remember you. For example, my personal style includes red nails, wearing black, floral prints, and sometimes a combination of both! But beyond these elements, my brand is […]