Breaking the Mold: What Funeral Service Can Learn from Other Industries
When we started LochBridge Media, it wasn’t just to build another multimedia company; it was to evolve. We saw an opportunity to learn from industries outside of funeral service, to collaborate with some of the best minds in branding, marketing, and service, and to bring those insights back to funeral professionals. The reality is that our profession has spent too much time operating in a bubble. And in today’s fast-moving world, staying stagnant isn’t a strategy—it’s a slow decline.
Think about the industries that have had to reinvent themselves. Netflix, for example. Remember when they used to send DVDs to your mailbox? It worked for a while, but then things changed. Streaming became the future. While Netflix adapted, Blockbuster held firm to what worked in the past. We all know how that turned out.
The funeral profession is facing its own version of this evolution. The way people engage with services has changed. More families are turning to online resources, social media, and alternative service options. Meanwhile, industries like estate planning, hospice care, and even financial services have adapted in ways that we can learn from.
Take a large publicly traded company, for example, one of the companies we’ve had the privilege of working with at LochBridge. They’ve built a reputation on long-term thinking, adapting to market shifts, and investing in industries that are poised for the future. Estate planning attorneys are another great example. They’ve streamlined their processes, making it easier for families to navigate complex decisions well in advance. Hospice organizations have embraced digital communication and outreach to ensure families get the support they need, when they need it.
These industries have something in common: they didn’t sit back and wait for change to happen. They took the lead. And that’s exactly what we need to do in funeral service.
At LochBridge, we’re focused on bringing these lessons to our profession. By integrating cutting-edge multimedia, digital marketing, and branding solutions, we help funeral homes stand out in a crowded market. We’re not just competing with other funeral homes anymore; we’re competing with shifting consumer expectations. Families expect seamless digital experiences, clear messaging, and services that fit their needs, not just what’s always been done.
So, the question is: Do we adapt and evolve, or do we wait and hope that the old ways keep working?
The funeral profession has always been built on service, care, and trust. Those values don’t change. But how we reach families, how we communicate our value, and how we position our businesses for the future must evolve.
The companies that lead will be the ones willing to learn from others, to embrace change, and to invest in the future. Isolation won’t save us. Innovation will.
LochBridge was built on that belief. And we’re just getting started.