Matt Blackwell on 
In funeral service, first impressions aren’t optional — they’re foundational. We don’t get the luxury of a second chance. Whether it’s a family walking through your doors, calling in the middle of the night, or googling you while sitting in an ICU waiting room, that first contact sets the tone for everything that follows. And here’s the kicker: that first impression might happen in the arrangement room — but it probably happens long before that.
The family may have already decided to call you before you ever speak. Maybe it was your hearse they saw last year at a neighbor’s service. Maybe it was the way your staff carried themselves at a community event. Maybe it was your website — easy to use, or a mess of outdated links and confusion. Or maybe it was your name coming up in a conversation with a hospice nurse who said, “They took great care of my uncle.” Point is: your impression started long before you picked up the phone.
These early touchpoints are more powerful than we give them credit for. They set expectations. They shape the story in a family’s mind. They determine whether someone approaches your firm with confidence—or hesitation. It’s not just about whether you’re good at what you do. It’s about whether you feel like someone they can trust during the most vulnerable moment of their lives.
By the time they sit down in the arrangement room, the emotional pressure is sky-high. If you lead with pricing or paperwork, you might already be behind. They’re not looking for a menu — they’re looking for a guide. Someone who can help make sense of the fog. Body language, tone, even the state of the room — all of it counts. They don’t remember every word. They remember how you made them feel. Did you slow things down when they were overwhelmed? Did you make eye contact? Did they feel like this was just another Tuesday for you — or something that mattered?
There are a dozen other “first impressions” we don’t talk about enough. The preneed meeting where a skeptical adult child shows up with crossed arms. The 2 a.m. death call, answered by someone who sounds exhausted — or calm and capable. The community luncheon where your staff blends in — or stands out. The aftercare email that either lands with warmth — or feels like spam. The voicemail that gets returned three hours later — or not at all. Every one of those moments is a first impression. And every one is a chance to build trust—or lose it.
Your brand isn’t just what you say it is — it’s what people feel in the first 10 seconds. Every staff member is either reinforcing that trust or unraveling it. Every phone call, visit, or handshake is part of your story. Reputation isn’t made at the end of service. It’s made in all the small moments that lead up to it. The firms that win? They get the little things right — consistently, quietly, and across every touchpoint.
First impressions aren’t fluff. They’re conversion. They’re retention. They’re legacy. And they’re happening — whether you’re ready for them or not.