The Pre-Need Revolution: Why Digital Wins Where Traditional Sales Fail

The pre-need market is shifting — and most funeral homes are losing

For decades, pre-need sales followed a simple formula: door-to-door agents, paper contracts, and trust built face-to-face.

That model is dying.

Today's pre-planning families don't want a sales pitch.

They want transparency, convenience, and control — all digital-first expectations.

The funeral homes winning the pre-need game aren't hiring more agents. They're building digital ecosystems that let families explore, plan, and commit on their own terms.

Digital pre-need platforms provide insights traditional methods can't match

What the data actually shows

The numbers don't lie. Funeral homes embracing digital pre-need strategies are seeing measurable results:

• Carriage Services reported a 26.7% increase in cemetery preneed sales after implementing digital partnerships and customer-facing platforms.

  
  

• Foundation Partners Group acquired digital planning platform Cake and launched After all, positioning themselves to capture a $30 billion end-of-life planning market growing at 6% annually.

  
  

• Industry reports show that 19% of consumers now prefer digital pre-planning tools over traditional in-person arrangements.

  
  

The takeaway? Digital isn't replacing human connection — it's enhancing it by meeting families where they already are: online.

Why traditional pre-need sales are failing

1. Barrier to entry is too high

Asking families to commit to a major purchase during a cold call or single meeting? That's a hard sell in 2025.

2. Transparency gap

Families want to compare options, understand pricing, and research providers before making decisions. Paper-based systems hide information; digital platforms reveal it.

3. Convenience mismatch

Today's families expect 24/7 access to information. Traditional pre-need sales operate on appointment schedules that don't fit modern lives.

The digital pre-need advantage

Here's what digital-first pre-need looks like in practice:

1. Online exploration tools

Families browse service packages, pricing, and options without sales pressure. This builds trust before the first conversation even happens.

2. Self-service planning portals

Let families start their plan at 2 AM if they want to. Digital tools respect their timeline, not yours.

3. Automated follow-up sequences

Nurture leads with educational content, planning checklists, and milestone reminders — all without manual intervention.

4. Integrated payment plans

Make pre-need accessible with transparent payment options built directly into the digital experience.

Case study: 26.7% preneed growth through digital transformation

Carriage Services, operating 162 funeral homes across 26 states, didn't just adopt digital tools — they rebuilt their entire customer journey around them.

Their strategy:

• Developed Trinity, a customer-facing ERP system with family portals

• Formed strategic technology partnerships to enhance pre-arranged services

• Created a digital-first approach to every customer touchpoint

The results within 18 months:

• Cemetery preneed sales increased 26.7%

• Total revenue grew 5.7% to $404.2 million

• Adjusted EBITDA rose 11.5%, proving digital strategies drive profitability

Their Vice Chairman and CEO credited "strategic execution at every level" for delivering outstanding financial results.

Real results from Carriage Services' digital pre-need strategy

Source: Carriage Services Q4 2024 Investor Report

Building your digital pre-need strategy

You don't need to be a tech company to win with digital pre-need. Here's how to start:

1. Audit your current pre-need process

Where do families get stuck? What questions go unanswered? Digital tools should solve these friction points.

2. Create a digital planning hub

Give families a place to explore options, estimate costs, and begin planning without committing to a meeting.

3. Train your team to guide, not sell

Digital pre-need shifts the conversation from "let me convince you" to "let me help you complete what you've started."

4. Track digital-attributed preneed sales

Measure which digital touchpoints lead to conversions. Double down on what works.

Objections (and the truth behind them)

1. "Our clients prefer traditional relationships."

Your current clients might. But the 40-60 year olds planning ahead expect digital options. Ignore them, and they'll plan elsewhere.

2. "Digital feels impersonal."Digital tools don't replace relationships — they start them earlier and make them more informed.

   
   

3. "We don't have the budget for digital transformation."You can't afford NOT to. Competitors are capturing pre-need market share while you're still scheduling cold calls.

   
   

The pre-need market you're missing

Here's what happens when you don't offer digital pre-need:

• Families default to direct cremation providers who've mastered online convenience

• Digital-first competitors position themselves as "modern" while you appear outdated

• Younger generations exclude you from consideration entirely

The funeral homes that dominate the next decade will be the ones who capture pre-need digitally today.

Your pre-need future starts now

Traditional pre-need isn't dead — it's evolving. The funeral homes seeing 20%+ preneed growth aren't abandoning personal relationships. They're enhancing them with digital tools that meet modern expectations.

Digital pre-need creates:

• More leads (families explore before they commit)

• Higher conversion (educated prospects convert faster)

• Predictable revenue (digital nurture sequences work 24/7)

The pre-need revolution is here. The only question is: will you lead it or watch from the sidelines?

Ready to transform your pre-need strategy? MTL can help.