Homesteaders Blog

Advice for Funeral Professionals from Funeral Professionals

March 11 marks National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day—a day set aside to honor the dedication, compassion and unwavering service of those who guide families through life’s most challenging moments. Funeral professionals don’t just manage services; they provide comfort, stability and a sense of peace when it’s needed most.

At Homesteaders, we understand this calling on a personal level. Many of our employees are licensed funeral directors and have walked in your shoes. In honor of this day, we asked some of those funeral directors to share their best advice on navigating this deeply meaningful profession with care, resilience and excellence.

Statistics Funeral Professionals Should Know for 2025

The funeral profession is experiencing a period of transformation — shaped by shifts in demographics, technology and consumer behaviors. Funeral professionals must stay informed about emerging trends and statistics to adapt their services effectively and meet the evolving needs of families. From the rise of mobile phone usage to Artificial Intelligence (AI), understanding key statistics can help funeral homes stay ahead of the curve.

Funeral Service Events to Add to Your 2025 Calendar

We’re jumping right into convention season this year and can’t wait to meet new funeral professionals and see familiar faces! Each state and national convention offers a chance to learn more about the funeral profession, meet new people and discover tools and processes to strengthen funeral home businesses. In this post, we’ll highlight the well-known, larger conventions where you can find us this year, but check out our events calendar for a full list of events where you can find Homesteaders team members in 2025.

KPIs to Track for Your Preneed Program

A robust preneed program offers many benefits for funeral homes, such as securing business for the future and increasing awareness and preference for the firm. But how well do you really know the results that your preneed program is driving ­— and what that means for improving your strategies for managing and growing your business?

Beyond the Business: Cultivating Fellowship and Learning in Funeral Service Peer Groups

At Homesteaders Life Company, we understand that funeral service goes beyond providing end-of-life arrangements. It’s about supporting families, fostering meaningful connections and navigating the complexities of grief with care and compassion. For funeral providers, these emotional and professional demands can sometimes lead to feelings of burnout and isolation. That’s why it's important to participate in funeral service peer groups—structured spaces that reconnect professionals with their purpose while fostering fellowship and ongoing learning.

We’ve gathered insights directly from funeral professionals in peer groups to help you understand the value of these communities and how to make the most of them.

Problems Your Funeral Home CRM System Can Help Solve

Do you find yourself relying on outdated processes and tracking your business on paper? What about trying to make critical business decisions without the data you need, or using disconnected systems that make it difficult to analyze your sales and marketing activities’ impact? If you answered, “yes,” to any of these questions, you may benefit from using a funeral home CRM system.

Helping Families Through Holiday Grief: Our Best Resources

Did you know there are at least a dozen religious and national holidays observed in December? Therefore, even if someone doesn’t celebrate a mainstream holiday like Christmas or Hanukkah, it’s likely they’re still celebrating something meaningful to them.

Funeral Words No Longer Used in Funeral Service

Language evolves over the years, and what may have been an acceptable or sensible term 100 years ago, may not be the most accurate or respectful term today. This holds true for the funeral profession and funeral service. Whether you’re a funeral professional or a person curious about funeral terms and funeral words, continue reading to learn about the origins of common words and phrases, which ones we continue to use today and how some have changed.

Ways for Funeral Homes to Collaborate with Local Businesses

For funeral professionals, developing connections in your community can take many forms – including collaborating with local businesses to build meaningful relationships and expand your reach. Whether it's through hosting preplanning seminars, offering facility tours or partnering with professionals with other areas of expertise, this important work creates a network of support and trust that extends beyond funeral services.

How Funeral Directors Can Support Families with Grieving Children

In your role as a funeral professional, you often see families during their most challenging times, and not just adults feel the weight of grief; children too feel deep loss. November marks Children's Grief Awareness Month, and also features Children's Grief Awareness Day on the third Thursday of November. This time is dedicated to bringing attention to the needs of grieving children and the benefits of the support they receive from the community, including from professionals like you.