Homesteaders Blog

Funeral Business Leadership Series: Part 1 - Leading the Business

This is the first in a series of three blog posts showcasing how small improvements can help you become a business leader in your community and industry. In this first post, we will cover essential traits for successful funeral business professionals and upcoming industry trends to watch out for in the coming year.

As a funeral professional, you often take care of a variety of functions in your business, handling everything from planning and executing funerals (obviously!) to accounting, human resources or even social media. It can be exhausting to say the least. So how do you find time to keep up with all of it? Let’s uncover the essential traits that successful funeral professionals need and our prediction on the top three key industry trends to keep an eye on in the coming years.

How to Recognize Loved Ones During Non-Memorial Holidays

As someone in the funeral business, you already know the value of celebrating the more widely known memorial holidays, such as Memorial Day or Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), with your client families and community members. There are many simple ways you can draw in your local community during these times. However, you may often be overlooking the value and importance of providing the chance to remember loved ones on non-memorial specific holidays and milestones throughout the year.

Many of your client families are experiencing holiday “firsts” without their loved ones and are looking for support and guidance on how to establish new meaningful traditions for themselves and their families. Here’s a list of commonly celebrated holidays and ideas for how to provide opportunities for your families to remember and recognize the lives of their loved ones throughout the year.

5 Counter-Intuitive Strategies for Hiring & Retaining the Best Funeral Home Employees

Every funeral home in the nation seems to be looking to hire more staff these days. Articles in funeral publications suggest that the increased call volumes from Covid, the retirement of Baby Boomers and the effects of the “Great Resignation” are converging to create a hiring boom in funeral service. From licensed funeral directors and preneed specialists to the office staff and unlicensed funeral assistants, funeral homes need outstanding employees for all areas of their business.

Increase Your Cybersecurity with These Small Business Tips

We are well into spooky season, and if you like thrills and chills, you're in the right place! If that's not your thing, hang in there because the thrills we're talking about aren't jump scares or paranormal events. We’re offering helpful tricks to prevent potential attacks – cyber security attacks, that is.

2022 Convention Highlights with NFDA President Randy Anderson

Homesteaders’ VP-Corporate Communications Dean Lambert chatted recently with National Funeral Directors Association president Randy Anderson about the organization’s Baltimore event. We’re a perennial supporter of NFDA’s largest annual conference, and Mr. Anderson tells us why it’s important and valuable for funeral professionals to participate.

Lessons from Stories That Stick by NFDA Keynote Speaker Kindra Hall

Businesses, brands, marketing teams and leaders at all levels are desperately trying to capture attention and resonate with consumers who expect more. Is there a secret weapon? A silver bullet to humanize and connect?

4 Reasons You Don’t Want to Miss the 2022 NFDA International Convention & Expo

Can you name one place where you can participate in new learning opportunities, listen to inspiring keynote speakers, discover new solutions for your funeral home business and network with other funeral service professionals? We can: the National Funeral Directors Association International Convention & Expo. Each year, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) – the world’s leading, largest and most trusted association to support funeral professionals – hosts thousands of funeral professionals from around the world at the largest funeral service Expo.

5 Steps for Sharing the Value of Preneed with Families

You’re about to sit down with a prospective client and their loved ones to talk about prearranging, and maybe you’re wondering how to effectively approach the subject of preneed. You want to be personable, reassuring and gentle while getting to know them and broaching a tough subject. But keep in mind, the family is there because they are curious about prearranging or maybe even already know they want to move forward. That means your job is to help them learn about the benefits and options so they can make satisfying decisions for their funeral plans.

Why Families Prearrange: What Funeral Professionals Need to Know

Not all families have an opportunity to prepare for or understand their loved one’s end-of-life wishes. In situations where death occurs unexpectedly, the process of planning a meaningful service or celebration of life without their loved one’s input can take an emotional and financial toll on the family members they left behind. That is why it is important to ensure families know that making advance funeral plans can help relieve that burden for their loved ones. Learn why you should discuss the importance of making advance funeral plans with families and discover preneed trends and resources to help you have productive conversations.

4 Productivity Tips for Starting Your “New Year” in September

Did you know that the “real” new year starts in September? Let me explain. I spent 37 years of my life either attending a school or teaching at one. My father was a high school principal for my entire childhood, which meant that our family life and vacations revolved around the academic calendar. Whether I was a student or a professor, the phrase “starting a new year” usually meant returning to school at the end of the summer.