5 Struggles Every Funeral Business Faces (And How To Address Them)
November 20th, 2019
Running a funeral business comes with unique trials & tribulations.
While some of the challenges might seem niche, one thing is clear – everyone is experiencing them together.
At the NFDA Convention a few weeks ago, we asked attendees to vote for their biggest business challenge, and the results are crystal clear. So what are the top 5 challenges?
We got them, along with some support & solutions:
#1: Educating Families
Families need a guiding hand when it comes to choosing personalized funeral services over the “basic” funeral package. You just have to find out what they know, and help them understand the options beyond their knowledge.
Click here to download 10 free valuable funeral resources that you can share with your families.
#2: Low Cost Providers
Lets face it, a lot of families view funerals as an overly expensive endeavor. To top it off, only 51.9% of families agree that funerals are an important tradition in life. So how do you combat the value price tags? You have to show families the worth in your services.
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#3: Marketing
The bane of almost any business owners existence, marketing remains one of the biggest struggles in the funeral profession. However, when you stop looking at marketing as selling and remember that it’s about reminding families how you can serve them, things get a lot more fun.
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#4: Profitability
The bottom line to running any business? Being real about your bottom line. Remaining profitable is crucial to keeping your business running smoothly. Luckily the solution is right before your eyes – the more you invest in addressing the first 4 challenges the more your business will grow.
5. Cremation
With cremation rates skyrocketing upwards of 53% in 2018, it’s clear that cremation is here to stay. It’s time to embrace the trend and play to the benefits for both your funeral home and client families.
Want more tips? Read this next → How To Market Cremation In A Way That Will Change Your Business
Honorable Mention: Staffing
While at the NFDA Convention this was not an option to drop a little pink ball into, many people mentioned that staffing is a major challenge at their funeral businesses. It’s not surprising, considering that many funeral directors talk about the great staffing shortage.
One of the ways to begin attracting the right staff is to make sure you’re fully describing the meaning of your job as a funeral director. It’s a wonderful job because it truly makes an impact on others’ lives. Also, make sure you have the goods to back it up! Younger people entering this industry are looking for job components like flexible hours, PTO, health benefits and a living wage.
While these might not all be on the table to offer, make sure you do all you can to provide the care and compensation that attract quality staff to your funeral home. You’ll find that you not only get great employees, but they’ll have a lot more longevity thanks to the support you provide them.
We know it can be tough out there, but you are tough too! Take small steps towards taking down these challenges and you’ll be flying high in no time.
What’s the biggest challenge at your funeral home? Tell us in the comments below!
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