The Funeral Profession’s Top 5 Biggest Challenges

Originally Published on the funeralOne Blog

This year at NFDA, we challenged everyone to be the change — starting with what THEY thought was their biggest challenge in funerals. Attendees were asked to drop their ball into the tube that represented their biggest challenge, and these were the results…

Now that we’ve identified our biggest pain points, it’s time to stop talking about what the future of funerals could look like and start taking action. Here’s how you can tackle the funeral profession’s top 5 biggest challenges right now…

1. Educating Families

When families understand the value of a funeral service, they choose products and services beyond the basic package. The key is to bridge the gap between what you know and what they know.

2. Marketing

Successful marketing is more than just creating a Facebook Business Page or buying a TV ad. It’s about connecting with families before they need your services.

3. Personalization

71% of today’s families don’t want a traditional funeral, and with Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials entering the market, the craving for funeral personalization will only continue to grow.

4. Cremation

Funeral professionals are quick to write off cremation as the enemy of the funeral profession… but it doesn’t have to be. With a 65.5% cremation rate that’s still growing, it’s time that you embraced it.

5. Low-Cost Providers

Only 51.9% of families agree that funerals are an important tradition in life. If this trend remains, families will always go for the lowest cost… until funeral homes start proving their value.