Homesteaders Blog

4 Tips for Planning Meaningful Funeral Services for "Nones"

Traditionally, funeral services have been tied to specific religious or cultural traditions. But as new generations come of age, there’s a growing trend that has shifted toward honoring loved ones through services that reflect personal beliefs and individual values rather than being centered around organized religion.

Final Disposition Options for Families Who Choose Cremation

Cremation has exploded in popularity in recent years. According to a CANA (the Cremation Association of North America) publication The Cremationist, the national cremation rate for 2021 was 57.5%. Among Homesteaders’ policyholders who prearranged, the cremation rate for 2022 was 57.0%. Here are thoughts from families who chose cremation services. While it’s not the most environmentally friendly method for disposition, cremation does have several eco-benefits. Families who choose cremation often forgo traditional caskets, which saves on resources like wood, metal and concrete – as well as the energy used to produce them. Cremation often takes up less space in a cemetery or none at all if the urn is kept at home or the ashes are spread on private property.

Death Care Collective Empowers Female Leaders in the Funeral Industry

A significant demographic shift in the funeral industry has occurred in recent years. As more female workers enter the funeral profession, the need for a space to provide community and support for success quickly arose, and the Death Care Collective initiative was established. A group of driven female leaders in the industry were determined to provide opportunities to empower one another and promote the employment and advancement of women in the funeral industry. Thus the formation of the member-based group, which is currently in the process of becoming a registered nonprofit organization.

How to Start a Career as a Funeral Director

Are you considering a career as a funeral director? If you have a desire to help others and a respect for memorial services, then you may find personal fulfillment as a funeral director knowing you have helped families during their most difficult time.

Best Practices for Setting Up Preneed Appointments

Generating new business and establishing meaningful connections with client families is a key component to any successful funeral home business plan, and growth in preneed services is essential to help ensure the sustainability of your business. Setting up preneed appointments over the phone is one of the best ways to build brand awareness within your community, increase your preneed sales and help secure your at-need market share.

3 Tips for Smoother Funeral Home Family Business Succession Planning

Last year, I was running a discussion group of funeral directors, and they shared some common frustrations. Jessica*, a third-generation, 40-something funeral director, said something that stopped the group in its tracks:

“My father just won’t give up the reins. He won’t even let me meet with families by myself.”

5 Ways to Help Families Honor a Loved One on Valentine's Day

For those who have lost a loved one, Valentine’s Day can be a very difficult and emotional time. It serves as a heart wrenching landmark on the long path of grief, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t meaningful ways to cherish the love that was once celebrated.

Meaningful Mementos for Funeral Services

The secret to adding meaningful touches to funeral services is to ask families questions about their loved one to get to know their passions, preferences and what brought them joy in life. You might be surprised how a small fact about a person influenced big parts of their life. Using this personalized knowledge, and a little out-of-the-box thinking, you can create a meaningful memory for the grieving family and let them know how much you care.

How to Reap More Benefits From Your Funeral Home’s Online Reviews

If you’re in the mood to try out a new restaurant, where do you begin your search to find the perfect dinner spot? Chances are, you do a quick online search for “best restaurant near me” and start vetting your options based on a restaurant’s number of online reviews, star rating and customer feedback. As you narrow your search, do you weed out restaurants with zero reviews? How about restaurants with less than three stars? Consumers follow this same process when they begin their search for a “funeral home near me.”

Real Stories of Text-Based Aftercare Success

You already know that aftercare is an important part of your funeral home’s marketing plan. If you haven’t already developed an aftercare program or are looking for ways to reach customers in a more personalized and non-intrusive way, consider text messaging.