Articles

What new consumer data means for funeral service and cemetery professionals Each year, Foresight studies the evolution of consumer attitudes toward funeral and cemetery services. Over time, our Funeral and Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study has become an annual benchmark for deathcare, and we make a point of sharing its findings with readers of The Director first. The goal of the study is straightforward: to better understand how families perceive funeral and cemetery services, what families expect from providers, and where the two professions can continue to improve. This year’s research includes feedback from more than 5,000 consumers and more than 1,000 funeral service professionals. This is the highest participation in the history of the study. With this level of engagement, the data provides a clear view into how families approach funeral service and cemetery decisions today. The results offer both […]

Arranging the story, not just the service, ahead of time. “Begin with the end in mind.” – Stephen Covey, American leadership expert and author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People I am friends with a retired funeral home owner and operator in Illinois. He ran an incredibly effective aftercare program that families loved. This gentleman, whom I greatly admire, employed a full-time licensed grief counselor and offered free grief counseling up to one year after a loved one’s passing. This aftercare program generated a multitude of leads for preplanning and prearrangement, but it also became a competitive advantage. He was providing the highest level of high-touch service, so he was able to justify higher prices than his competitors. Many thought leaders have written about how well designed aftercare programs can help owner-operators boost preneed business. And many others […]

Featured in American Funeral Director by Kates-Boylston Publications Tom wasn’t just an employee. He was deeply involved in day-to-day operations, trusted by staff and known to families, and already functioning as the operational backbone of the business. He was the clearest choice for an internal business sale. However, Eli wanted clarity. What was the business worth? What would each path cost? What would the transition realistically look like? We completed a valuation, walked through deal structures, and laid out what each scenario meant. At the time, the business was consistently serving more than 300 families per year. Revenue was strong, and cash flow was reliable. The valuation supported a number north of $4 million. For Eli, buying out his uncle would cost him at least $2 million. And that’s when Eli hit pause. The price felt high. The commitment felt […]

Interdisciplinary collaboration is a competitive advantage in the funeral service and cemetery professions. In the January 2026 issue of The Director, I, arguing that personalization would define success in 2026 and beyond, challenged you to stand out. I urged you to move past sameness and create experiences that feel authentic, intentional and human. Well, in this month’s column, I will address how to accomplish this. Personalization does not happen in isolation. It cannot be owned by one department, one leader or one role. The most meaningful, differentiated experiences are created when people with different expertise, perspectives and responsibilities work together toward a shared goal. This is where interdisciplinary collaboration comes in. In today’s funeral service and cemetery professions, the complexity of business has outpaced the siloed way in which many organizations still operate. Operations, sales, marketing, preneed, finance, leadership, etc., […]

Written by Welton Hong The call came in at 2:17 a.m. A daughter had just lost her father and didn’t know where to turn. She searched “funeral home near me,” clicked on the first result, and landed on a website that looked professional — but offered little clarity. No hours. No indication of whether someone was available right now. No pricing guidance. Unsure and overwhelmed, she hit the back button and called the next funeral home on the list. That funeral home answered. This scenario plays out every day. Funeral home websites unintentionally fail the very families who need them most. In moments of grief, people are not browsing. They are seeking certainty, reassurance and immediate direction. A funeral home website should answer questions. When it lacks essential information, families do not wait. They move on. Here are six must-have […]