As a supplier, I started my career driving over 50,000 miles per year calling on all types of funeral homes from rural to urban and everywhere in between.  Every funeral home conveys a “first impression”. 

Driving up to a funeral home that has well-manicured landscaping, thoughtful outside décor, and an organized parking lot gives a positive first impression.  Seeing a funeral home’s branded logo on a well-done sign is a must to get noticed and be remembered…just ask McDonald’s.  There are simple things that can be done to impress the “drive by” such as a distinct color for your front door.  Funeral homes can use nighttime lights to set off an impression that is far less expensive than billboards, but grab attention nonetheless.  It may seem outside of the box, but using colored lights such as pink spot lights during the month of October for Breast Cancer awareness can have an impact for a great cause while getting noticed.  If your building accommodates a hanging banner you can not only draw awareness to a worthwhile cause but seasonal changes such as autumn or spring, as well.  These efforts not only create community interest and conversation but may be needed in an era where businesses compete vigorously for our attention.

Because we are such a visual people, it pays to think about how your first impression stacks up.  A funeral home may think of itself as a restaurant and ask if families would want to stop in for dinner based upon what the outside says is being served on the inside.