I’m set for New Orleans. . Are you?

September 13, 2024/Business, Products, Regulations/

Just over a month from now, from October 19 thru the 23rd, I’ll be in New Orleans attending the 2024 National Funeral Directors Association National Convention. I procrastinated but still got registered under the “Early Bird” registration that saved me $150 right off the top. . . . . I also reserved my hotel room right across the street from the convention center, so I’m almost all set.

I just need to decide on my flights and where I will take them from. I live almost exactly – 2 hours to each via the interstate highway system – between Minneapolis and Fargo in central Minnesota. Flights from Minneapolis come with more options but also more headaches in getting to/from the airport. . . From Fargo flights are less plentiful and always connect somewhere, but the automobile trip, and parking, to and from the airport is always hassle free.

If you are a full-time funeral director or funeral home owner I understand how hard it can be to get to the NFDA National Convention. Between a work schedule, business operations work, and simply wanting to be there for families in your own community that might need your service, taking the time off to go and learn can be difficult. . . . . Quite frankly, I think I only made two NFDA National Conventions during my 33 years of funeral home ownership.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

I know how it is. . I wanted to be there for the families in my community when they needed me. However, in retrospect, I think I would have been a better funeral director to those families if I had taken some time for professional advancement such as one will get at NFDA.

Now, that, as my wife says, I carry my business in my laptop, I can be almost anywhere and get my work done. It’s a long way from my 1980 work life start that I had when I was tethered to a land-line phone during my on-call hours.

This will be my 3rd NFDA Convention in the last three years — Baltimore, Las Vegas, and now New Orleans. I’ve come to really learn from them and as I’ve gotten more experience in the profession. I’ve got more and more friends to say hello to also. NFDA provides me that opportunity and as I age I cherish the chance to see old friends more and more.

As a working funeral director and/or owner I know that it is difficult and expensive to attend. However, if you do, I don’t think you will be disappointed. I’ve written about how funeral service is changing and keeping up with the changes and trends may give you a leg up on the competition in your community. I’ve been looking at the seminars that I’ll be attending and I have choices all the way from preparation room procedures to government policy making. . . so, I’m guessing that whatever you are interested in you will find.

A few hours on the Expo floor seeing all the new products and services available may give you some insight to which products and/or services could take your funeral home to the next level. Who knows, you might have a discussion with a new supplier of some type of product that, if nothing else, gives you leverage in dealing with the product you are now using for better pricing or other terms.

And where else can you get a chance to visit with all of the preneed insurance companies and get an idea of how that company that you are using stacks up with the others as far as face value issue amount, growth rates, and commission stands. . . .Just maybe you might find a partner that is a better fit for your funeral home situation.

So, even if you have not done so yet. Think about attending the NFDA National Convention in New Orleans next month. The NFDA began way back in 1882 just as funeral homes were starting to get organized and it has safeguarded our profession for 142 years since.

If you want to look into attending you can start by clicking here.

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