In funeral service, where women frequently make end-of-life arrangements and likely influence a significant portion of funeral decisions—similar to how they drive 60% of consumer purchases in other industries—understanding how to effectively connect with female consumers isn’t just good practice—it’s essential for business growth. This week, I had the privilege of speaking with Amanda Hill, Founder and President of Female Forward. Her remarkable expertise in marketing to women has helped companies across industries achieve ROI increases of up to 300%. These valuable insights could transform how we serve families in funeral care.
Women are the decision-makers for over 60% of consumer spending, yet 91% say advertisers don’t get me. Amanda explained this disconnect represents a massive opportunity for funeral homes seeking to better serve their communities.
It’s not uncommon for funeral directors to focusing too much on legacy and company history rather than client-family needs. Amanda emphasized many funeral providers lead with ‘serving families since 1946’ instead of addressing how they can help women families navigate grief and commemoration. The opportunity Amanda emphasized is about shifting from ‘we’re a fourth-generation funeral home’ to ‘here’s how we’ll help you honor your loved one’s unique life.’
Amanda’s insights reveal that women today are juggling multiple responsibilities while facing “working mom guilt.” For funeral directors and pre-need counselors, this means reconsidering how arrangement conferences are conducted.
Amanda advises to get clear on how you want the female decision-maker to feel during the arrangement process, and then design around that objective. It’s important to acknowledge the responsibilities she’s balancing while making funeral arrangements, and show genuine appreciation for her role as family caregiver.
This might include offering arrangement conferences outside traditional business hours, providing video conference options, creating child-friendly spaces, offering grief resources specifically for working mothers, and streamlining paperwork to respect her time constraints.
One striking insight from our conversation was how strongly women value shared beliefs with businesses they choose. “Women want to improve the world but often lack the time to volunteer, so they align themselves with brands that mirror their beliefs,” Amanda mentioned.
For funeral directors, this means moving beyond just listing your services and prices. Women aren’t just selecting cremation versus burial—they’re choosing a funeral home that shares their values. Amanda recommends prominently featuring the funeral home’s community involvement on the website and marketing materials—whether that’s your annual remembrance service, partnership with local hospices, or charitable foundation.
Women are naturally wired to connect with others, yet many funeral homes miss opportunities to facilitate meaningful community spaces during grief. Hill suggests that forward-thinking funeral directors should look beyond the traditional three-day service model. Today’s female consumer is looking for ongoing support and connection after the funeral.
For pre-need counselors feel confident that educational seminars on advance planning create powerful connection points for women who appreciate learning in community settings rather than one-on-one sales environments.
Perhaps most surprising was our discussion about funeral home facility design—particularly restrooms. Amanda emphasized to always remember: As funeral directors, you’re in the hospitality business! Amanda went on to explain that women often retreat to restrooms during visitations when emotions become overwhelming and looking for a one to two minute escape from the world. The question to ask, “is your restroom a sanctuary or an afterthought?”
She shared how women notice details that many businesses might overlook: “Funeral home restrooms should include amenities like quality tissues (not industrial), full-length mirrors for guests to check their appearance before returning to the visitation, makeup-friendly lighting, and comfortable seating. For locations serving young families, changing tables in both women’s and men’s restrooms signal inclusivity. Amanda mentioned the $500 million investment Flying J made to complete renovate their restrooms to be a more pleasing experience for guests and women truck drivers.
When discussing prices with female consumers making funeral arrangements, Amanda recommends focusing on value rather than cost. “Women respond more to stories than funeral merchandise specifications,” she says. Share with client families which merchandise selections are popular and give reasons why families choose those specific ones.
A great suggestion Amanda made was to reframe pricing conversations: “Rather than saying ‘this package saves money,’ emphasize that it “gives your children the gift of not having to guess what you would have wanted.'”
For funeral professionals looking to update their marketing approach, Amanda offers guidance on everything language to imagery. It’s easy to use stock photos for collateral material or social media like caskets and hearses. Instead, feature your community involvement, aftercare events, and educational content about advance planning. Use pictures of women with children to help convey that children are welcomed at the funeral home and need be a part of the funeral experience. It’s important to show authentic images of diverse staff—particularly female funeral directors and preneed counselors—as women often feel more comfortable working with other women during vulnerable moments.
As our profession evolves, with women now comprising 72% of mortuary science graduates, Amanda sees tremendous opportunity for change. “This demographic shift isn’t just about gender balance—it’s about bringing new perspectives to a traditionally male-dominated profession,” Amanda explained.
For mortuary students, Amanda offers encouragement saying that as women entering funeral service, there’s an opportunity to reshape how funeral directors communicate with families. Female funeral directors have a natural emphasis on storytelling, connection, and personalization aligns perfectly with what today’s consumers are seeking.
For established funeral directors and owners willing to implement these insights, the potential impact is significant. By better understanding and serving women’s needs, funeral professionals can create more meaningful connections with families while driving substantial business growth through increased preneed sales, stronger community relationships, and enhanced word-of-mouth referrals. Amanda emphasized the importance of referrals and recommended creating referral lists of past client-families served. Not only does this list help a female consumer save time in researching choices but helps to establish credibility and trust early on with a potential funeral provider.
For more insights on marketing to women download Amanda Hill’s guide “7 Insights to Improve Your Advertising to Women” at FemaleForward.net. and check the recording!
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