July 30, 2024
Published by 
Curtis Rostad on July 30, 2024
Curtis Rostad on July 30, 2024The number one reason to make a single change to your website. Funeral home websites are surprisingly similar. Pick one at random, check the pull-down tabs and you’ll probably find pictures of the lobby, chapel and grounds; current and past obituaries; and a virtual register book. You will likely also find an “About Us” tab that might include a short history of the firm and pictures of the staff. Elsewhere, you’ll find informational pages on funerals, burial and cremation, and possibly some on caskets and urns. You will most likely also find information on preneed, including a form consumers can fill out if they wish to be contacted about making prearrangements. In most cases, however, the information most critical to funeral planning – pricing – is conspicuously absent. In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) conducted research and found that […]
July 30, 2024
Published by 
Stephanie Ramsey on July 30, 2024
Stephanie Ramsey on July 30, 2024In order to lead well, you must first grow yourself, as any meaningful and lasting change begins within you. “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – JACK WELCH, AMERICAN BUSINESS EXECUTIVE AND FORMER GENERAL ELECTRIC CHAIRMAN AND CEO Let’s go over some of the challenges and hurdles staring leaders in the face in 2024 (and possibly beyond): Rapidly changing consumer wants and needs (client families are a consumer subset) ✔ Consumer demand for more convenience and greater transparency and use of technology ✔ Finding and retaining qualified talent and staff is increasingly more difficult ✔ Funeral home environments becoming more multigenerational among staff ✔ It’s an inflationary environment in which not only money/cost of capital but everything else is more expensive. ✔ There is […]
July 30, 2024
Published by 
Nicole Vullo on July 30, 2024
Nicole Vullo on July 30, 2024Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Future Proof Your Business According to a recent article published by the University of Kansas School of Education & Human Sciences1, the U.S. education system “has been struggling to keep up with other countries in terms of educational performance … The consequences of this educational gap are far-reaching … The USA is now the worst-educated workforce in the industrialized world.” Based on the results of our 2024 Funeral & Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study (FCCBS) , the U.S. funeral and cemetery profession may just be in a similar position when it comes to educating consumers about both its products and services … and itself. And that’s not all. Other data from recent studies highlight another key challenge facing the funeral and cemetery industry: an impending avalanche of customers who live their lives online […]
July 30, 2024
Published by 
Luke Potter on July 30, 2024
Luke Potter on July 30, 2024Establishing a funeral home or cemetery business for future success is crucial for its longevity as well as for a smooth ownership transition. You must be proactive in this approach and take early steps as opposed to waiting for when it must be done. We asked Financial Analyst, Luke Potter to go into further detail on the process. Question: What steps can I do now in my business plan to set my funeral home up to be successful? Luke Potter: Setting up a funeral home for future success is essential for ensuring its longevity and the smooth transition of ownership. Proactive succession planning is a key component of this preparation. By identifying and mentoring potential successors early, whether they are family members or key employees, funeral directors can provide continuity and stability. Developing leadership skills and creating a comprehensive transition […]
June 27, 2024
Published by Nicole Vullo on June 27, 2024
Nicole Vullo on June 27, 2024Written by Wanda Sizemore, Homesteaders Director-Training & Development I have been fortunate to work in many funeral homes throughout my career, from all across the country. I have found that the differences between these businesses are significant, but in a lot of ways all funeral homes are alike: We are all here to serve families when they need us most, and that is true no matter what your role is in the funeral home. Like many of you, I came to the profession through personal tragedy after the unexpected loss of my mother and brother-in-law. In the days that followed, my family was understandably overwhelmed with grief and stress. When it became clear my boss at the time was not able to offer me the time and space I needed to process these catastrophic losses, I left my employer and […]