STERLING, Va. (March 17, 2025) – The ICCFA’s 2025 DEAD Talks Sales Conference, held February 4-6 at the Park MGM in Las Vegas, brought together 402 deathcare sales professionals—including 173 first-time attendees—from 40 states, Canada, and Guatemala. This marks the highest attendance recorded since 2012.
With an electric atmosphere and an agenda packed with actionable insights, this year’s eventcentered around the theme “Mindset Matters,” emphasizing the power of perspective in driving sales success. The conference featured a dynamic lineup of keynote speakers, peer-driven DEAD Talks presentations, and interactive workshops designed to equip attendees with innovative strategies for growth.
“This year’s DEAD Talks was truly the best I have ever attended in my 9+ years with ICCFA,” said Erin Creger of Security National Financial Corporation, echoing the excitement and enthusiasm that filled the conference.
The event kicked off with a compelling keynote from Matthew Pollard, who explored the power of storytelling in sales with “Invisible Persuasion: Building Trust and Profits Through Story.” His session provided attendees with actionable steps to replace outdated sales tactics with a fresh, emotionally resonant approach.
Day two began with an engaging keynote by Art Sarkissian, “Mindset of the Consumer,” which emphasized understanding family personas to create meaningful connections. Throughout the rest of the conference, attendees participated in 20 fast-paced DEAD Talks presentations covering a range of topics, including marketing, pre-need motivators, personal branding, leveraging technology, and more.
“This conference was fast-paced and packed with so many interesting, valuable tools to enhance my sales skills and really help me connect with families and increase sales,” said Terri DiFore, attendee and ICCFA Educational Foundation scholarship recipient. “I walked away with a wealth of information and a renewed passion to bring those tools back to my team. The speakers were engaging and motivated the audience. Great conference and looking forward to attending another.”
Reflecting on the success of his first DEAD Talks as Chairman of the ICCFA Sales & Marketing Committee, Mike Harens remarked, “This year’s DEAD Talks was an incredible opportunity to engage with top deathcare experts and gain insights that will directly impact our businesses. The energy, connections, and strategies shared made this year’s event truly unforgettable, and it was a fantastic way to kick off 2025.”
With its forward-thinking programming and collaborative environment, DEAD Talks reaffirmed its position as the premier sales conference in the profession. DEAD Talks will return to the Park MGM in Las Vegas on January 13-15, 2026. More details will be available soon at iccfa.com/sales.
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Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral, and memorialization profession. The association is comprised of more than 10,000 members in the cemetery, funeral home, and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.
