3 Surprising Ways You Could Be Hurting Your Preneed Sales
By Todd Carlson, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer
For many funeral homes, navigating preneed sales can feel like driving down a winding road without a clear map. You know where you want to go – helping families plan ahead with care and compassion – but the path to get there isn’t always obvious.
You might be wondering:
– How can I grow my preneed program without feeling like I’m just trying to sell something?
– Is it possible to help families preplan and still provide a positive experience?
– Will I ever have time to grow my preneed program?
These are all fair questions, and if you’ve felt uncertain about your approach to preneed, you’re not alone. The truth is, even well-meaning efforts can sometimes lead to preneed sales mistakes like confusion or mistrust if the strategy doesn’t align with the heart of your mission: caring for families.
But there’s good news. By learning which roadblocks to avoid, you can shift your preneed approach from something that feels uncertain into something that truly serves both your business and your community.
Roadblock #1: Wait for families to come to you
As a busy funeral professional, you already have a lot on your plate. Between supporting families in need and managing your business, it’s easy to put preneed on the back burner.
But if your preneed program is passive and only reaches families who happen to walk in or call, you could miss out on serving those who need your help and don’t know where to start.
Ultimately, a passive preneed approach often leaves families unaware of the peace of mind that planning ahead can bring.
What you should do: Be proactive with community-centered outreach
Rather than waiting for interested families to find you, embrace an active preneed program. Look for ways to introduce preneed into your community. You don’t need a massive marketing budget – just consistent and caring communication.
You can do this by:
– Sharing family testimonials and educational tips on social media.
– Hosting preplanning events or educational sessions at your funeral home.
– Using social media or direct mail campaigns to let families know you’re here to help – not sell.
Here’s what you can say to families:
“Many families tell us they didn’t even know preplanning was an option until they heard about it at one of our events or saw a post online. We’re here to answer your questions and help you preplan in a stress-free environment. With our funeral home, there’s no pressure, just support.”
By showing up for your community as a guide, you’ll earn families’ trust and become someone they’ll remember when they’re ready to talk.
Roadblock #2: Have a “one-size-fits-all” approach
It’s no secret that having more finalized preneed contracts benefits your funeral home. After all, who doesn’t want larger average contract sizes?
However, if families feel pressure and choose options that aren’t specific to their needs or wishes, this can backfire and result in chargebacks, outstanding balances, and other preneed sales mistakes.
Plus, if a family feels like you are trying to sell them on every aspect of a funeral or options they’re not interested in, it can make them skeptical of your intentions and even lead to them walking away – and taking their trust with them.
What you should do: Ask great questions to discover each family’s unique needs
When meeting with a family, the most important thing you can do is be a skilled question-asker. By asking specific questions, you can find out exactly what the family’s current situation is and what their desired outcome is.
Ask questions that get to the heart of a family’s needs. These questions will allow you to offer truly helpful options that can benefit families in ways they didn’t even realize. Plus, you’ll show families the benefit of working with an experienced, compassionate, and professional funeral planner.
Here are a few questions you can use to discover what a family really wants and needs:
– What led you to meet with me? → Makes families reiterate their “why.”
– What do you do for work? What about for fun? → See what matters to them and their interests.
– Do you travel frequently to see family or friends? If so, where? → Uncover if they need travel protection.
– Have you attended any funerals? What was the most memorable part? → Find out what they value in a service.
Here’s what you can say to families:
“We believe your funeral should show who you are and how you want to be remembered. You have many personalized options available to create a funeral that honors you and helps your loved ones heal. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to ask you a few questions to learn more about you and how we can create a meaningful tribute together.”
Preplanning is not one-size-fits-all. Each family is unique, and it’s important to ask great questions and listen to every word they say. Because when you discover what a family really wants and needs, you can create personalized experiences that make a lasting impact and build trust.
Roadblock #3: Expect families to be the funeral experts
It’s easy to assume that when a family comes in to talk about preplanning, they already know what they want. But most families only have a vague idea of wanting to get things in order. They typically don’t know where to start and are often unaware of how impactful their choices can be.
When you simply take orders from a family, you commit one of the most costly preneed sales mistakes by missing out on an opportunity to educate, guide, and build the foundation of a lasting relationship. You also fail to find out how to offer funeral options specific to their needs.
What you should do: Offer families options based on their specific needs
Families don’t need a sales script. They need a caring partner. They need you.
After you’ve asked thoughtful questions that help you understand a family’s needs, craft and recommend meaningful and specific solutions to that family’s situation. Doing so will help you create a memorable service for the family and remove the need for the family to know exactly what they want.
Once you know how to best meet a family’s needs, explain their options openly and compassionately:
– Talk about how they can personalize the service through music, readings, keepsakes, videos, and more.
– Share the benefits of visitations or viewings, even if cremation is selected.
– Invite them to consider how they want to be remembered by their friends, family, and loved ones.
>> Families can learn about all these preplanning topics and more here.
Here’s what you can say to families:
“Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas with me. Based on what you’ve shared, I’d like to make some recommendations based on my professional experience. I’d love to walk you through some choices, like how you might want people to remember you or any special details you’ve thought about. I’m here to help you create a healing and meaningful funeral – not just to get it done.”
When families understand what’s possible and feel supported, they’re more likely to plan confidently and feel comforted throughout the process.
Sell with heart. Not pressure.
Having a successful preneed program doesn’t mean sacrificing relationships with families. In fact, the strongest preneed programs are built on relationships rooted in trust, compassion, and respect.
If your preneed strategy hasn’t delivered the results you hoped for, it’s not a reflection of you – it may simply be the wrong approach.
The good news? You can change direction anytime. All you need to remember is to:
– Be proactive, not passive.
– Be specific, not generic.
– Be a guide, not an order-taker.
When you lead with empathy and focus on helping families, you’ll see stronger preneed results. You’ll also see deeper trust, greater community impact, and a reputation as the funeral home that truly puts families first.
Just like driving a winding road becomes easier with the right map, navigating preneed sales becomes smoother when you know where you’re going and how to get there with care.
That’s the kind of success that lasts.
Want to learn more about growing your preneed program the right way?
Explore these blogs today!
– How to make your preneed program a competitive advantage
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