Homesteaders Blog

9 Tips to Improve Your Phone Interactions with Families

Funeral providers receive phone calls each day that vary wildly in tone and topic. You are fielding calls from business partners and vendors, community members seeking information about prearranging or an upcoming service and highly emotional calls from families who have just lost a loved one. Understanding what impacts your phone interactions is the best way to make sure you start each conversation on the right foot. Here are nine tips for improving your phone interactions.

The Importance of Online Funeral Planning

In 2019, the average Baby Boomer spent 27 hours online — a quarter of their waking hours. A Forbes study found Boomers are more likely than any other generation to spend an hour or more per day online. The vast majority of Boomers read articles and blogs (60%), buy goods and services (92%), consume entertainment, communicate and shop online.

How to Discuss Cremation Options with Families

We all know that cremation rates are rising. According to CANA’s industry statistical information, the cremation rate is projected to be 60.7% in 2024. Although this number will vary by service area, the percentage of people who choose cremation is expected to continue to increase overall.

As more families are selecting this option, funeral professionals need to be prepared to answer their questions and help them plan meaningful and memorable funeral services. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you work to provide the best possible experience.

High Impact Marketing Ideas for Your Firm

For funeral professionals, there is never enough time in the day to complete every task that needs to be done. Even the best-laid plans are often interrupted. You spend as much time as you can helping families say goodbye to their loved ones, but still also need to find time for administrative work to maintain the building and keep the business running. Marketing is an essential piece of that puzzle as well. These high-impact marketing ideas will help you work smarter, not harder, to ensure your community's families understand all you have to offer.

5 Reasons Why We’re Thankful for Funeral Professionals

Even in relatively “typical” conditions, funeral professionals help families navigate extraordinarily challenging situations with compassionate service. When COVID-19 disrupted everyday life across the country, funeral professionals were suddenly among those who the public called to respond quickly and tirelessly to help their communities through the challenges of the pandemic. Today, those same professionals continue to demonstrate their strength and determination in ways that make a tremendous difference to the families they serve. 

7 LinkedIn Profile Tips for Funeral Professionals

Over the past few years, LinkedIn has built a platform that makes networking and career-building simple, easy and entertaining. With the addition of long-form posts, an increase in video content and an uptick in interest-focused groups, LinkedIn has created a space where people of all backgrounds and careers can connect and share ideas. It has turned into a place of positivity and learning instead of a place where you only go to search for a new job.

Efficiency Tips for Busy Funeral Professionals

When faced with frequently changing circumstances, flexibility and patience are the keys to remaining productive. It’s important to take time to reflect on the things that can help us be more efficient so that when unanticipated scenarios do occur, we’re better prepared to handle them. Here are a few ways to cross more items off your “to-do” list, keep tasks running smoothly and stay focused on your funeral business's long-term success.

Focus Areas for Your Funeral Home’s Future

As we start the year, firms continue to adapt and innovate to meet the needs of client families, finding new ways to provide exceptional care in spite of constantly changing circumstances. It’s a good time to take stock of potential opportunities that help your firm successfully serve your community long into the future.

Funeral Procession Etiquette and Guidelines

Most of us have either witnessed or been part of a funeral procession. The images are somber and moving, alerting the entire community that one of their own has died. Growing up in small-town Iowa, I remember more than a few occasions when my parents pulled over our car to wait for what seemed to be an endless stream of cars driving by in slow-motion, headlights beaming, flags proudly waving. Once the final car passed, we’d proceed. 

What Innovative Funeral Homes are Doing to Stay Ahead

Thinking ahead to “what’s next” can be particularly tough when day-to-day-tasks are demanding and the short-term future seems uncertain. But innovative funeral home owners and managers aren’t just thinking about the technology, services and products their client families want now. They’re looking ahead to how those current needs could influence consumers’ perceptions and the types of experiences their communities may expect from them in the future.