How to Start and Operate a Funeral Home
Learn how to start and operate a funeral home and you will always have a job. Death is every where and people die every day. The concept is not difficult to grasp. You will be operating a funeral home. Basically, as a funeral director, you will transfer the body and prepare the burial site. Funeral directors help people during very difficult times. Put together a sound business plan and you can become a millionaire simply by operating a small funeral home. Now, let us explain what steps you need to take to start and operate a funeral home.
Things You'll Need:
Meet States Educational Requirements
Start-up Expenses $10,000 to $20,000
Location
Transport Vehicle
Step 1 Develop a Budget
Develop a budget to help you learn how to start and operate funeral home. Avoid going in to debt while trying to get the business started. Calculate exactly how much money you can afford to invest in this project and stay within that limit.
Step 2 Obtain Education and Training
Make sure you meet all your states educational and training requirements to help you start a funeral home. Keep in mind that most funeral directors have a state license. Volunteer to work at a funeral home for at least 90 days to learn what the business entails.
Step 3 Funeral Home Business License
Fill out a funeral home business license application at your city or county office. Locate your state's revenue department official website and apply for a funeral home tax identification number. Call (800) 829-1040 and apply for the federal tax identification number.
Step 4 Funeral Home Business Plan
Create a funeral home business plan or hire someone to write the plan for you. Explain in the marketing section how you are going to attract and keep clients. Draft a financial section so that you will know how to spend and manage the funeral homes money. Use the Small Business Administration's (SBA) website as a resource when developing your business plan.
Step 5 Pricing Structure for Funeral Business
Develop a pricing structure to help you start and operate a funeral home. The average cost of a funeral is about $6,000 to $6,500. Here are some of the basic service and charges you will need to provide: Casket $2,000, Professional Services $1,700, Transportation $1,000, Burial Vault $300.00, Use of Reception Room $500, Use of Chapel $400, Staff $160, and Dress & Grooming $150. These steps will help you learn how to start and operate a funeral home business.
Tips:
Contact a real estate agent and rent a low cost building and convert it into a funeral home.
Make sure the city allows you to operate this business at the desired location.
Always show love and be concerned about all your clients.
Warnings:
Do not borrow any money to start this business.
Try find out how much your competitors charge for their services.
Learn your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Reference:
Purdue University:Mortuary Science/Funeral Director
Small Business Administration:How to Write a Business Plan
American Board of Funeral Service Education:Becoming a Funeral Director
Resources:
New York University:Case Study:Bankruptcy of Loewen Group
4 comments
William this is the way capitalism and the free enterprise system work. You hit the target. Six-thousand dollars is a lot of money for one days work. However, if you can do three funerals in one day, you can make $18,000 a day. It takes some individuals a whole year to make $18,000.
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