May 31, 2022
Published by 
Foresight on May 31, 2022
Foresight on May 31, 20222022 Funeral and Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study Insights Summary DOWNLOAD NOW In what was undeniably the most transformative time in generations, The Foresight Companies conducted annual consumer studies to connect data behind the speculative trends about how COVID-19 will impact the funeral and cemetery profession, both in the short-term and the long-term. With these new trends becoming permanent, how do we embrace and implement these changes that are vital to your future business success. We encourage you to download our Insights Summary on the results of our 2022 Funeral & Cemetery Consumer Behavior Study. It highlights the evolving consumer attitudes towards the funeral and cemetery market and the ways operators need to adapt. The future of funeral service is here, and we must pivot our business model to answer the needs and demands of the consumer.
May 30, 2022
Published by 
Catherine Belliveau on May 30, 2022
Catherine Belliveau on May 30, 2022While researching technology trends in the funeral and cemetery profession I came across a company that provides an application to support bereaved families, Empathy. Their goal is to help a family with every loss related task associated with handling the loss of a loved one. This support is provided online or via a downloadable app. What caught my eye while perusing their website is a report, they released in March 2022 exploring the impact of bereavement in America beyond the financial cost of disposition and any memorialization. The report is based on a survey of over 2,000 families who took part in winding down their loved one’s affairs in the last five years. In summary, this study details the expense of a death for American families not just in monetary terms, but also in time, in emotional and physical health, […]
May 30, 2022
Published by 
Dan Isard on May 30, 2022
Dan Isard on May 30, 2022The cemetery has been in operation forever. You have been on the board for a long time. But times are changing. Sales are impaired. Cash flow is tight. You need to reconfigure your master plan to be more cremation focused. Finding good management for day to day is worrisome. On top of that, there is going to need to be an infusion of capital and you can’t find a bank to loan to your cemetery. What do you do to resolve this seeming impasse? This conundrum is not limited to nonprofit cemeteries. It is a similar matter for public cemeteries owned by municipalities. It is also an ongoing issue for church cemeteries. As you attend ICCFA meetings and see old friends, a few of them have chosen to try and sell their cemeteries. You now understand why they chose that […]
May 30, 2022
Published by 
John McQueen on May 30, 2022
John McQueen on May 30, 2022Your clients will thank you In the 1609 William Shakespeare play, hamlet, the main character is torn between life and death. His famous line, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” is most appropriate when discussing Celebration of Life ceremonies. And although the question is different, the conundrum remains the same: Do families want a celebration of life or not? I’m here to tell you that the answer is yes, but will it be held with you, the funeral professional, is the real question. As identified in The Foresight Companies’ 2021 Consumer Survey, 63% percent of consumers feel a big celebration is important in honoring the life of the deceased. In fact, this number has increased in the post-pandemic world in which we now live. On the surface, that number looks to be good news for the […]
May 30, 2022
Published by 
Chris Cruger on May 30, 2022
Chris Cruger on May 30, 2022Many of us think of leadership and management as being synonymous, but they really are not. Moreover, leaders and managers potentially possess very different skill sets. While management and leadership often have overlapping functions, they should not be used interchangeably. Peter Drucker said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” A very subtle, yet profound difference. The good news, bad news – You do not necessarily need management skills to lead, and vice versa, you do not need leadership skills to manage. What you do need is a clear direction and plan to execute on. Management is the how and when, while leadership is the what and why. Now, the interesting thing about these two functions is that they play a role in every organization. Whether you are a team of two or have 200 employees […]