At its core, the funeral profession is in the business of relationships — creating and nurturing connections with families in your community so they know who to turn to when a loss occurs. However, that relationship-building is not limited to potential client families. Like any profession, networking is an essential part of growing any funeral business. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some actionable tips for expanding your network.

Why community networking matters in funeral service.

First, you may be wondering why networking is so important, especially if your funeral home business has done just fine without a dedicated effort to it. Consider this quote from Zig Ziglar: “If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.” Involving yourself and your business in the community establishes crediblity and deepens trust with families.

Networking and community engagement also support business sustainability by creating referral pathways from family to family, reinforcing your funeral home’s reputation and fostering relationships that extend beyond immediate services into valuable business like preneed. When your firm is known as active and engaged within the community, families are more likely to turn to you for guidance, education and long-term planning.

Build relationships with local organizations and leaders.

No one likes to be solicited all the time. You can probably name at least one business that regularly calls you or sends you mail advertising their product or service. Chances are they’ve never engaged you in conversation beyond trying to earn your business, and it leaves a bad impression.

That’s why it’s important for funeral homes to develop civic engagement strategies such as partnerships with other related businesses or community organizations. Think: senior centers, faith organizations, veteran groups and the like. There may even be community events planned by these organizations or business you can participate in as a vendor or a sponsor. These create opportunities for funeral directors to connect with families in a meaningful way that isn't focused on sales. It's about positioning your funeral home — and funeral professionals as a whole — as collaborators who are invested in the community's well-being, not just service interactions.

Use educational events to create meaningful connections.

Educational events offer a natural way for funeral professionals to network while providing value to the community. Many people only learn about funeral planning and all it entails when a loss occurs in their life or in the life of a loved one. Who better to bridge this knowledge gap than funeral professionals? Hosting or participating in end-of-life education or preplanning workshops allows funeral directors to share expertise without pressure, building familiarity and trust and making families feel more comfortable and informed in future conversations with your firm.

Homesteaders offers free and easy-to-use community workshop toolkits designed to help you plan and execute successful group presentations. In each digital kit, you'll find a PowerPoint presentation, planning guides and promotional materials.* Plus, discover helpful tips for when and how to use the toolkits on our blog.

Stay connected through consistent communication.

Once you've made initial connections using these networking strategies, it's important to foster those relationships. Just like planting a seed, you must continue to water and tend to it to see growth and the fruit of your efforts. Make sure you're staying connected through consistent communication and a continued effort toward community engagement.

Maya Angelou once said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Again, the funeral profession is about long-term relationship building. Before you even earn a family's business, make sure you're treating every interaction with care and considering simple ways to build the relationship. If you meet people with sincerity and empathy — make them feel like you care about them as people, not just as customers — they will remember you and your firm when the need arises.

Turn everyday interactions into networking opportunities.

Networking isn't exclusive to formal events — it happens in everyday interactions. Whether you're attending community meetings, engaging with local businesses or following up with families, you can strengthen relationships by approaching each encounter with intention and authenticity. As every great funeral professional knows, staying present, listening actively and offering guidance without expectation can go a long way. When you lead with connection and care, reinforcing trust and leaving lasting impressions that support long-term community connections, the business will follow.

As an added bonus, satisfied families lead to organic referral growth. Not seeing the results you want from your Google Reviews? Elevia's award-winning model ensures aftercare is treated as more than an afterthought. Through personalized text-based follow-up, families receive the continued care and support they need following a funeral and your business builds a repertoire of five-star Google Reviews to secure your position as the go-to funeral home in your community.

By engaging these everyday networking strategies, you set your funeral home business — and yourself, as a funeral professional — on a track to sustained growth and success. Looking for more insights and inspiration? Check out the Calling Hours podcast, created by funeral professionals for funeral professionals.

*Not for use in Colorado.