Is your Funeral Director a Good Salesperson?

One of the most important skills for any Funeral Director is how to be a good salesperson. Yet some of the best Funeral Directors avoid learning it, and some of the best Mortuary Schools do not teach it. However, all funeral home owners discover that is an essential skill to thrive. Because many funeral directors did not properly learn how to sell, they tend to make mistakes and miss out on business.

Assignment Funding options do exist and selling is not a dirty word for Insurance assignment companies or funeral directors. Here are some things we’d like to share:

1. Learn how to ask the right questions and listen to the answers
Pre-need and funeral arrangement sales people ask the right questions and listen closely to the answers to find out what your families needs are. Poor sales people start pushing their list of services before finding what their families want. Every family wants their own fitting funeral and burial arrangements.

2. Talk less & listen more
The most successful funeral homes have a practice where they focus on the features their family say they want. Whether they mention assignments, funding or group life insurance assignments or anything else. Insist on listening and addressing the particular needs of each family.

3. Propose solutions rather than push your services
How do you respond when a salesperson pushes the features of their product rather than solving your concerns? Listen to your families and create funeral arrangements that they help envision. Add your expertise and provide suggestions to make it a collaboration.

4. You have no competitors
Weaker funeral directors mention another funeral homes before families ask about them. This gives competitor’s free advertising. We would never mention another assignment funding company unless we were asked. If xyz funeral funding company was offering assignment funding at a low fee or some other gimmick, we’re polite and have nothing bad to say about the competitor. Speak to the gimmick, not against your competitor. If you mention your competitor, you’re only giving your family a reason to go back to them.

5. Identify Challenges
Hear where your family may be resisting or struggling. Stay patient and circle back to reinforce how you meet their expectations. If they are having concerns about how a life insurance policy assignment can work, be patient. Take a break and offer coffee. Show you really care.

6. Finalize your Sale
Don’t keep talking when your family is ready to complete the arrangements. Once the contract is signed and the arrangements are made, you can always circle back to clarify something later.

7. Follow-up
Many funeral directors do not make the time to follow up with their families. Call and make sure your families are satisfied don’t be afraid to ask if they have any friends that might also need to start planning.

We hope that this is helpful to you.