Business Background

• The US funeral services industry generates around $19.1 billion in annual revenue (IBISWorld, Funeral Homes in the US – Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029)) with a projected CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 1.0% through the end of 2024 (though the pandemic caused a temporary spike).
• The industry is primarily made up of small, family-owned businesses with over 87% falling into this category (National Funeral Directors Association, Statistics). There are also some larger, publicly traded companies.
• The industry is experiencing a shift towards cremation as a more affordable and space-saving option. Additionally, there’s a growing demand for personalized funeral services that reflect the deceased’s life and values.

It’s become high fashion to declare the future of selling is “virtual.” While F2F, telephone, text, and other approaches will continue to exist, everything is moving to virtual. Usually, there’s a whole bunch of data to support why this is important. For example, sales people can make back to back sales calls through the whole day.

There are a handful of popular and effective ways to stay in contact with customers, but it’s important to understand the limitations and how to utilize technology to your advantage. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Most people running a business are well aware that customer communication is critical to success, but that’s only partially correct: It’s only successful when executed in a way that not only engages customers but builds meaningful relationships

Consuming in a World of Contrasts It appears many (if not most) Americans are living one life with two contrasting mindsets. Understanding these mindsets is the first step in understanding how consumers are evolving and creating challenges and opportunities to retailers.

Closing is perhaps the easiest commitment to acquire. But for this to be true, you need to gain a number of commitments. In 2016, after publishing The Only Sales Guide You’ll Ever Need, I had already started writing The Lost Art of Closing: Winning the 10 Commitments That Drive Sales on my flight from a meeting with the publisher in New York.

We work for decades, yet for most of us, there are a handful of moments in time that define the course of our leadership career. Unfortunately, these moments — opportunities or crises — don’t come with a caption suggesting, “Hey, pay attention and embrace this mess because it’s going to turn out to be important to you.” For individuals who choose to lead, it pays to see the signposts. Here are three significant moments in the career of everyone who leads that merit your complete engagement.

Usually, when we think about thing, we focus on our return, we answer the question, “How do we make things better for ourselves?” As sales people, we focus on our goals, quotas, and commissions. The customer is only a vehicle for achieving those. As leaders, too often, we focus on ourselves and our own goals. Again, our people become vehicles for achieving those–and if they don’t we find others to do so.

Parents, teachers and other influential adults teach the members of each generation the skills they need to lead a fulfilling and healthy life. Navigating an ever-more complex consumer landscape is one of the most important sets of skills. Gen Zers like recent generations were born into a world driven by consumption. That consumption engine is responsible for approximately 70% of the United States GDP, and Gen Zers are expected to keep stoking that engine.

In media sales, your ability to connect with clients on a personal level can make all the difference. Whether you’re pitching to a high-stakes client or nurturing a long-term relationship, mastering body language is essential. While words can convey information, your body language often speaks louder than anything you say, influencing how clients perceive your confidence, credibility, and trustworthiness. Here are some expert tips to help media sales professionals leverage body language for more successful interactions.

In a challenging economy, newspapers and their websites remain one of the most trusted and effective platforms for reaching engaged, optimistic, and influential consumers. According to The Media Audit, newspapers reach over 40% of adults daily, with readers spending more than an hour each day with content and showing 10% higher financial optimism than the general public. For advertisers, staying visible in this trusted, community-rooted medium is not just smart—it’s essential for maintaining relevance, credibility, and market share.

(By Pat Bryson) I was on a market visit with one of my stations a few weeks ago. We were discussing how to sell a sports team whose games we carry. Traditional sponsorship offered the choice of day games or night games. Take your pick or buy both. There are many more night games than day games. Which one would you buy?

Perhaps as a sales manager or sales executive, you have pondered the question, “Is it time to restructure my sales operation?” When you’re not getting the results you need from your sales team, it’s certainly tempting to consider restructuring how you’re going to market. How to Determine If You Should Restructure Your Sales Team Getting breakthrough performance from a new approach is very appealing

Kick off the week strong with these must-run co-op campaigns your customers will be excited to promote!
• Cub Cadet Ultimate Steering Wheel Event! — Take control of your yard this spring with unbeatable deals on Cub Cadet equipment.
• Good Times Start With Great Deals From Kawasaki! — Power up your adventures with savings that keep the fun rolling.
• Mitsubishi Motors Spring Sales Event! — Hit the road with spring-ready deals on dependable vehicles.
• Gravely Mow the Distance Sales Event! — Get the job done with performance mowers built to go the extra mile.
• Firestone Ag Spring Savings! — Reliable tires and spring specials that keep your equipment moving.
• Great Plains Spring Sales Event! — Equip your farm for success with offers on top-performing implements.
• Valspar Spring Rebate Event! — Freshen up your space with color and savings that brighten the season.

Clipping mdash; the practice of sharing short video segments from longer content across social platforms mdash; is emerging as a stealthy but effective advertising strategy. Initially driven by influencers, this tactic is now attracting major brand dollars, offering new revenue opportunities for local media outlets. While still flying under the radar of regulatory oversight, clipping offers a model of snackable, high-engagement content that local newspapers, magazines, TV stations, and digital sellers can learn from or even leverage. Local media sellers must consider how to integrate or compete with this trend as advertisers look for fast, viral exposure over traditional placements.

Valentine’s Day spending is projected to hit a record $29.1 billion, with shoppers budgeting about $199.78 on average, and gifting expanding beyond romantic partners to family, friends, co-workers, teachers—and increasingly pets. That broadened “gift list” creates multiple local-market campaign angles (romance, friendship, workplace appreciation, classroom gifting, pet-parent pride, and self-care) that different advertiser categories can credibly own. The biggest dollars cluster around jewelry and dining out, while last-minute behavior makes clear offers, smart timing, and cross-channel packaging especially valuable for local media sellers and agencies. Even many “non-celebrators” still plan self-care or social activities, opening additional lanes for spas, salons, fitness, and experience businesses.