Homesteaders Blog

Highlights from ICCFA DEAD Talks 2024

Last week, hundreds of funeral service professionals from all over (as far away as Guatemala!) traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada for the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) DEAD Talks 2024 sales conference at the Park MGM. Homesteaders Life Company was a proud Black Diamond sponsor for the 2024 event, held January 16-18.

ICCFA is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, funeral service, cremation and memorialization profession. Each year, they host an annual conference featuring speakers in a variety of sales-related topics like marketing, strategy and even AI in business as well as provide ample networking opportunities.

2024 Ins and Outs for Funeral Professionals

You may have seen “ins” and “outs” lists floating around the internet, and we thought the funeral profession could use a list, too! This list is all about what is “in” for 2024 – what will challenge us in good ways and what we will carry into this new year, and what is “out” – or what we will leave behind in 2023 and do better in 2024. Be sure to add your own ins and outs for funeral professionals in the comment section below!

4 Focus Areas for Your Funeral Home Business in 2024

The start of a new year is an opportunity to set goals for business growth for the next 12 months – and beyond. Looking ahead to opportunities for the future, we have compiled a list of four key focus areas to work on and pay attention to this year.

5 Book Recommendations for Funeral Directors

Funeral directors play a crucial role in guiding individuals through one of life's most challenging experiences - grief. To excel in this compassionate profession, continuous learning is key. We did some research among staff and through thousands of online reviews to suggest five books for funeral directors or morticians. Below you will find five recommendations, each with the possibility of bringing unique value to your professional and personal lives.

Top 5 Blog Posts for Funeral Professionals in 2023

As we close out another year, we’re grateful for our Homesteaders Blog readers and the time you’ve dedicated to learning how to better serve client families and improve your business. In 2023, we dove into solutions to boost creativity and increase your community’s awareness about your funeral home’s services. While there are many great posts from the past year, we’ve identified these five popular posts that are worth another look as we enter 2024.

Efficiency Strategies for Funeral Homes Managing Multiple Locations

Managing multiple funeral home locations can present unique challenges, but with the right strategies it's possible to streamline operations and provide seamless support to grieving families in your communities.

Productivity and Task Automation Tools for Funeral Professionals

Digital tools are a great way to help with time management and productivity so you can spend your time doing what you truly value: serving client families. These tools include ways to increase efficiency for project management, marketing, communication within the team and day-to-day operations.

Why Families Prearrange: Trends 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. 

How Your Funeral Home Can Provide Solutions for Preneed Clients

The most successful companies often build a loyal customer base, at least in part, because of one very simple idea: They solve problems for the people they serve. Not only do they solve those problems, but they also clearly share why their offerings can provide the highest satisfaction in the process.

Using Data to Connect with and Retain Funeral Home Client Families

For many funeral homes, goal setting includes defining a target for the amount of preneed and at-need business your firm will generate. The most successful firms maintain a preneed to at-need ratio 60/40, which may seem like a stretch goal. Fortunately, you can turn to easily accessible data to help you find and retain your client families.