Homesteaders Blog

Leadership Development for Funeral Professionals

As we look to the future of funeral service, one thing is clear: investing in your team is the key to your business’s long-term success. Whether you're navigating staffing challenges or preparing the next generation for leadership, a strategic focus on development and retention can strengthen your business and elevate your care.

How to Create Meaningful Customer Experiences at Your Funeral Home

Grieving families walking through a funeral home’s door are carrying more than just grief. They’re carrying the weight of modern life. The stress, the urgency and the quiet hope that someone will see them and make things just a little easier along the complex path of grief. Discover how journey mapping can help you move beyond simply providing customer service to creating truly meaningful, guided experiences that families will remember for life.

6 Simple Ways to Transform Your Preneed Appointment Setting

In the competitive world of insurance sales, a successful preneed strategy starts with one critical step: securing the appointment. And in today’s world, getting confirmed face time with a lead isn’t as easy as it seems. Between unreturned calls and no-shows — not to mention general scheduling challenges with lives revolving around a calendar jam-packed with activities and obligations — and it can feel like a never-ending uphill battle. But with the right strategies, you can turn appointment setting from a pain point into your power move.

Questions You Should Ask About Your Funeral Home Business Strategy

In a profession that’s rooted in supporting communities through a legacy of service, it’s worth noting the behind-the-scenes work funeral service leaders do to propel their businesses forward. They’re thinking strategically not just about what’s happening in the day-to-day, but also accelerating how they prepare for the future. Their approach is proactive, not reactive — and it’s paying off in significant ways in the form of increased engagement with the community, higher levels of satisfaction and more efficient operations that make it easier to pivot with the preferences of their clients. In turn, they can make the most of their investments into their much-needed community services.

Trends in Funeral Home Operations

Funeral service has long been rooted in tradition, but technology is transforming the way funeral homes operate and serve families. While some traditional methods can hold a place in funeral homes’ success, many are embracing innovative tools that streamline operations and enhance customer service.

Spring Cleaning for Your Funeral Home Business

As the seasons change and spring arrives, it’s the perfect time to refresh and reorganize your funeral home. Spring cleaning for your funeral home business isn’t just about tidying up. It’s an opportunity to refresh operations, improve customer service and enhance your reputation.

From updating customer records to deep cleaning carpets, here’s a comprehensive spring cleaning checklist with tips to revitalizing your funeral home this season.

Advice for Funeral Professionals from Funeral Professionals

March 11 marks National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day—a day set aside to honor the dedication, compassion and unwavering service of those who guide families through life’s most challenging moments. Funeral professionals don’t just manage services; they provide comfort, stability and a sense of peace when it’s needed most.

At Homesteaders, we understand this calling on a personal level. Many of our employees are licensed funeral directors and have walked in your shoes. In honor of this day, we asked some of those funeral directors to share their best advice on navigating this deeply meaningful profession with care, resilience and excellence.

Preneed Planning for the Sandwich Generation

As funeral professionals, you understand the evolving needs of families in your community. Among the most complex and growing demographic is the “sandwich generation” — adults who are responsible for their aging parents while also supporting their own children, therefore “sandwiched” between two vastly different family groups. Balancing these responsibilities often leads to looking for ways to reduce financial burdens and plan for the future, making preneed planning an ideal solution.

Connecting with this generation can help relieve some of their financial burdens, while allowing your funeral business to secure financial stability. Keep reading for how to best connect with and share the benefits of preplanning with the sandwich generation.

KPIs to Track for Your Preneed Program

A robust preneed program offers many benefits for funeral homes, such as securing business for the future and increasing awareness and preference for the firm. But how well do you really know the results that your preneed program is driving ­— and what that means for improving your strategies for managing and growing your business?

Beyond the Business: Cultivating Fellowship and Learning in Funeral Service Peer Groups

At Homesteaders Life Company, we understand that funeral service goes beyond providing end-of-life arrangements. It’s about supporting families, fostering meaningful connections and navigating the complexities of grief with care and compassion. For funeral providers, these emotional and professional demands can sometimes lead to feelings of burnout and isolation. That’s why it's important to participate in funeral service peer groups—structured spaces that reconnect professionals with their purpose while fostering fellowship and ongoing learning.

We’ve gathered insights directly from funeral professionals in peer groups to help you understand the value of these communities and how to make the most of them.