We’ve been prophesising how baby boomers, the funeral sector's future customers, will want to exit life when the time arrives. Opinionated, affluent, baby boomers are an independently-minded and imaginative generation, approaching death as they lived life but often lacking the appreciation and attention they richly deserve. And the funeral sector has been no exception is our contention.
This generation with their own money and marbles are unwilling to leave their dying wishes to grieving relatives, many of whom are unaware of what the deceased want from their own ‘funeral’ (currently happening in a depressing 42% of cases according to the Sun Life Cost of Dying Report 2023).
Reassuringly, a recent LinkedIn poll amongst 45 of our ‘older’ friends and connections, confirms the baby boomer generation wants to take control of their own ‘funerals’:
92% of folk want to be like Frank, and do it ‘my way’
when it’s time to leave the stage
Over 50% want to mark the occasion and go out with a bang,
25% higher amongst men
Over 50% want to splash some cash on their way to the exit,
with men more willing than women to pay up when it’s time to go
Now, a modest poll granted, but confirmatory none the less of the healthy opportunity to re-consider the business of dying for a new generation of customers.
People will be looking ahead for a much more personalised deal from death than their more religiously constrained, graveside-tied forebearers. A more demanding and expectant generation, they will want to exit on their own terms, with a lot less ritual, prescription and a more imaginative ‘funeral’, for which they’ll be prepared to pay a premium.
They just need choice and change. And an industry willing and able to adopt a more disruptive commercial attitude, to better cater for their next 20 years of customers, ensuring that when their time comes, they can go out like Frank, with the bang they deserve.
But someone in funerals out there in LinkedIn-land needs to be bold and start some disruption, now!
We’re itching to help and work with you to get the views and support of your stakeholders to disrupt the status quo and the insights to appeal to the baby boomers, your future customers. We're well placed to deepen your understanding amongst this generation, as both specialists in customer engagement and of an age, sadly.
You’ve everything to gain today from breaking the rules and engaging a new generation of customers tomorrow.
Get in touch to arrange some tea and conversation, and we'll share some more new and exclusive video research on the general state of attitudes to funerals.
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