Long read
As a consumer, you're not short of businesses you can turn to for solutions. And chances are, you have your go-to list.
Maybe you have a local mechanic you've trusted for years because of honest repairs. You might have a preferred doctor or dentist you always see after several positive experiences. You probably even have strong opinions about where you get your coffee.
But think about the last time you had to work with a new business. How did you decide they were the best choice for you?
If we had to guess, you probably turned to Google, looked for online reviews, or even opened an AI chat tool to compare options and find the business that would best meet your needs.
Sound right? If so, that’s because it’s the same thing other consumers do every day, including the families in your community.
As expectations shift and more people turn to digital solutions for life’s important moments, it’s no surprise that funeral planning is moving online, too.
This guide will walk you through what online funeral arrangements are, why they matter, and how to set up an online arrangement tool that works for your funeral home.
The shift toward online arrangements for funeral homes
The truth is, finding and engaging with businesses online is becoming the norm for many consumers. A recent study found that 76% of consumers said they would search for a company's website before visiting in person.
But it doesn’t always stop at research. Many consumers are now making final decisions and payments online. Our New Funeral Consumer study found that 92% of consumers have purchased merchandise, such as groceries, clothing, or shoes online, and 38% of consumers are comfortable ordering funeral merchandise, like a casket, online.
This consumer behavior is a part of a larger trend called eCommerce, which is simply the practice of buying something online.
And if you’re thinking this trend stops with basic necessity purchases…think again.
That same study found a 44% increase in families' comfort with planning a funeral online. Many families are now comfortable researching and even purchasing funeral‑related merchandise, including caskets, digitally.
That means being prepared to serve families online is more important than ever.
Serving today’s families online
As a funeral professional, you likely have a website, and it has probably replaced the Yellow Pages as the primary way people find you. But how often is your website helping families take the next step by starting, or even finishing, arrangements?
Most funeral home websites weren’t built as true planning tools. They function more like digital brochures. You’ll find basic information, contact details, and maybe a form. That’s useful for initial research, but it doesn’t help families who want to start or complete their arrangements online.
That’s where an online arrangement tool for your funeral home comes in. With the right tool, you can give families the option to start or complete their arrangements online. You’ll also set up your preneed program for long-term success.
Most importantly, you keep your personal guidance at the center of it all.
Plus, by offering online arrangements, you can show families that you are modern and flexible in how families can work with you, while still being deeply committed to creating meaningful services.
Here's what you'll learn in this guide:
- What are online arrangements?
- Does your funeral home need an online arrangement tool?
- What should you look for in an online arrangement tool?
- How should you set up your online arrangement tool?
- How can you drive traffic to your online arrangement tool?
What are online arrangements?
Online arrangements are how families plan a funeral, and even pay for it, all online. That means families can use a tool to choose services, complete forms, explore options, and pay from the comfort of home.
However, some online arrangement tools do offer hybrid options for families, so they can work independently online while still having the opportunity to work in person with you for guidance and support.
Whether fully online or hybrid, the goal is the same: to make funeral planning easier, more convenient, and more accessible for families.
And you might be thinking, “That’s not what my families want.” That may be true for the families you’ve served so far, but what about the families who never contacted you because online options weren’t available at your funeral home?
Which brings us to the next section: Does your funeral home need an online funeral arrangement tool?
Does your funeral home need an online arrangement tool?
The same consumer study mentioned earlier found that almost 20% of today’s consumers haven’t attended more than 2 funerals in the last 10 years. And 12% haven’t been to a funeral at all in the last decade.
For many families, planning a funeral today feels like stepping into unknown territory. They’ve never done it before, and they don’t want to get it wrong, which is why there’s a good chance they’ll need professional guidance to know what to do.
That’s where your professional care comes in. So, why do you need an online arrangement tool?
The short answer is simple...your families are expecting it!
Almost every industry is already providing some sort of eCommerce experience, which means your families have been trained by every other industry to expect an online, self‑guided option.
And now they’re expecting that experience for something as important as funeral planning. By offering an online arrangement tool, you can serve both at‑need and preneed families in the way they prefer to work with you. Fully online. Hybrid. In-person. The choice is theirs.
Here’s how online arrangements enhance the experience for every family you serve:
At-need
With an online at‑need planning option, families can browse your unique services and merchandise to better understand the value of a complete funeral experience, instead of just shopping for the lowest‑cost cremation on a price list. Then, when they’re ready to plan, they can do so entirely online and seek your in-person guidance when they want.
Preneed
An online preneed tool lets families build a meaningful plan on their own timeline and even fund it online. And if a family doesn’t finish online, you and your team can confidently follow up to help them plan ahead. (We partner with Funeral Directors Life to make this option a reality.)
The common thread here? Regardless of whether the planning takes place online or is a blend of digital and in-person experiences, families have multiple options to choose your funeral home to take care of them.
Reach more families with an online arrangement tool
To stay competitive in today’s market, your funeral home needs an online arrangement tool that lets consumers purchase funeral or cremation prearrangements online. When you do this, you can reach families who prefer to plan completely online and better support families who want that hybrid experience.
But not all online arrangement tools have everything you need to create a convenient, meaningful planning experience virtually. Next, we’ll outline the most important features to look for so you can select the right solution for your funeral home.
What should you look for in an online arrangement tool?
Introducing new technology into your funeral home is an investment of time, money, and trust. When you choose an online arrangement tool, you’re asking technology to help you provide personalized care for families online.
In this section, we’ll walk through 5 must‑have features to look for so you can confidently choose the right tool for your firm.
#1: Flexible in-person and online planning options
Your online arrangement tool should support both fully online and hybrid experiences. That way, you can reach more families, whether they want to plan everything online, start from home and finish with you, or do most of the planning in person.
For example, with Passare’s Arrangement Guide platform, families can:
- Complete everything online: Families can start the planning experience online, whether preneed or at‑need, and finish it online. From selecting services, packages, and merchandise to making a payment, they can complete every step digitally.
- Start planning online and finish in person: Some families may want to go online and browse your services and merchandise, compare prices, or just learn a bit more about the planning process before they meet with you in person. With Arrangement Guide, families can start the planning experience online and finish the process with you in person when they’re ready.
- Start planning in person and finish online: Have you ever had a family come in to make arrangements, especially for preneed, and not quite “seal the deal?” With Arrangement Guide, you can give families the ability to review options and make final decisions from the comfort of their homes, so they never feel rushed during in-person meetings.
With Arrangement Guide, regardless of how a family chooses to plan, their path leads them back to your funeral home. That way, families never have to choose between convenience and personal care. They can have both.
#2: Promotes the value of a service, not just disposition options
Online arrangement tools have been popping up in funeral service for years now. Many of them have been associated primarily with direct cremation, which is what some families are looking for.
But what about the families who are simply looking for an online way to plan? If your online arrangement tool leads with disposition options, those families may feel limited or even unsure about what’s possible.
With Passare’s Arrangement Guide, families are guided through the planning process as if they were sitting in the arrangement conference with you. Families answer a series of questions, shaped by the teachings of grief expert Dr. Alan Wolfelt, to help them think about the kind of gathering, service type, or experience they would like. This approach allows families to explore all their options and feel confident making decisions throughout the planning process.
#3: Customizable to your firm
Adding an online arrangement tool at your funeral home can feel like giving up control, especially when you’ve always guided families through every decision in person.
That’s why it’s important to look for a tool that’s customizable to your firm, so your online arrangement experience looks and feels like your funeral home, not a generic shopping cart. When you add your branding, services, and unique packages to the tool, families can clearly see what you offer and enjoy a more personalized experience.
Here are a few ways you can do that in Passare’s Arrangement Guide:
- Upload your general price list and branding for each location.
- Let Arrangement Guide use a family’s responses to recommend services and merchandise that align with their preferences and budget (and your offerings!).
- Customize how services are described so they match your values and community.
- Incorporate educational language that explains why services matter, not just what they cost.
- Decide which packages, services, and merchandise appear for at‑need families versus preneed planners.
- Automatically route families to the funeral home branch or location that best matches their needs.
So instead of seeing generic options, families see your services, in your language, and walk away feeling like they’ve already started a relationship with your funeral home.
#4: Accepts online payments
It may seem obvious that an online arrangement tool should accept online payments. But many online arrangement tools don’t offer this option for at‑need or preneed cases.
If a family wants to plan completely online, they shouldn’t have to visit your funeral home just to finalize a payment.
When you find a tool that lets families fund their arrangements or preneed policy online, you open the door for more families to complete the planning process with your funeral home.
With Passare’s Arrangement Guide, you can give families a way to complete payments for both at‑need and preneed:
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At‑need: Families can pay a deposit online or manage remaining balances through Passare’s online at‑need tool, Planning Center.
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Preneed: Families can fund their policies online through our partner, Funeral Directors Life. So, instead of just submitting an interest form, families can walk away from Arrangement Guide with a finalized and fully-funded preneed policy.
Being able to make payments online gives families a convenient, secure way to take the next step, no matter where they’re planning from. Plus, with all payments managed in Passare’s Planning Center, you and your team can easily see which arrangements have been started, paid for, or still have outstanding balances.
#5: Generates free leads for your preneed program
Finally, your online planning tool should complement your preneed program and provide a steady source of qualified leads for your sales professionals.
And since you’ve already invested in the setup costs of your online planning tool, those leads should be provided to you at no cost.
With Passare’s Arrangement Guide, that’s exactly how it works. After the one‑time setup fee, your online planning and funding tool has no monthly subscription costs or per‑lead fees. This means every family who starts planning, exploring, or funding a policy online becomes a free opportunity for your team to serve more families and grow your program.
Create the best online experience for your families
Now that you know what to look for in a tool, it’s important to know how to set up your online arrangement tool in a way that provides families with the best digital experience.
In the next section, you’ll learn how to configure Passare’s Arrangement Guide, from packages and services to merchandise, so your online experience reflects the same level of care you provide in person.
How should you set up your online arrangement tool?
Once you’ve chosen your tool, the next step is setup. A thoughtful setup helps families plan confidently and gives you a clear way to communicate your value, even before the first conversation.
In this section, you’ll learn how to configure Passare’s Arrangement Guide so your packages, services, and merchandise online reflect the same care you provide in person.
#1. Set up your packages
Packages are the backbone of the online planning experience. When they’re structured clearly, families can immediately see the full range of what you offer — not just the lowest‑cost option.
Decide your core package structure
Research has shown that bundling your services and merchandise together into a package is a far more effective way to show value than offering each item individually. But how you set up your packages is important.
We recommend that you offer six total packages: three for cremation and three for burials. To keep things simple for families, use a Good-Better-Best framework within each disposition type. Within this pricing strategy, you are providing a low-cost option, an average option, and a high-cost option.
For instance, for your three cremation packages, you might set them up this way:
- Good = low-cost, direct cremation option
- Better = adds a viewing, gathering, or additional time with family and friends
- Best = includes both gathering and a full, traditional service
Why this works: By presenting packages this way, you give families a frame of reference for the value you provide and help them quickly identify which options fits their needs and budget.
You also help them feel less overwhelmed by choices. Psychologist Barry Schwartz is known for his theory on "the paradox of choice," which means that the more options we have, the more overwhelmed we feel. By offering 3 packages for each type of disposition at varying price points, families feel less overwhelmed. It keeps the focus on meaningful choices, rather than piecing together every detail from scratch.
#2. Set up your merchandise
After the consumer selects a package, they are then prompted to add any customizations. Arrangement Guide lets you configure allowances and set up pricing in a way that keeps the process simple for families and your staff.
Inside each package, you can set an allowance for caskets, urns, and outer burial containers. When families browse merchandise, anything at or below their allowance shows as “included.” Higher-priced items appear with a simple upgrade amount (+ $200). This helps families understand value right away, without doing mental math.
Keep choices simple and intentional
When choosing merchandise to display, less is more. Offering a curated selection of 9–12 items per category (caskets, urns, outer burial containers) gives families enough variety without overwhelming them. A thoughtful mix of price points, including 1 or 2 higher-end “anchor” items, helps families easily compare options and feel confident in their decisions.
This works because when making decisions, we subconsciously will look at the most expensive item on a list to give us a frame of reference for what good value looks like. Showing a your most expensive $10,000 casket as one of your options can make other options appear more affordable.
This curated approach gives families a full range of options without overwhelming them or distracting them from what matters: choosing what feels right to them.
#3. Set up your services
To go beyond selling direct cremations in your online arrangement tool, you have to show service options. Arrangement Guide makes it easy to showcase these offerings so families can see the value of a complete service, not just the basics.
As you choose what to display, focus on the kinds of services that make the gathering even more special and help families imagine what a meaningful experience could look like. These might include:
- Family limousine
- Dove release
- Livestreaming
- Video tribute
- Reception support
- And other personalization options
These options give families a sense of what a meaningful service can look like, especially if they’re starting the planning process at home and may not know what’s possible.
Keep disposition services inside the packages
At the same time, disposition-related services such as embalming, basic services, or crematory fees should remain included in your packages rather than appear again as add-ons. Listing them twice can unintentionally create confusion or make families wonder whether they’re being charged more than once.
#4. Set up cash advances and add-ons
Cash advances and add-ons are important for transparency. These items fit naturally into an “Additional Options” step within Arrangement Guide. Some examples include:
- Newspaper obituary
- Death certificates
- Flowers
- Clergy or musician honorariums
- Other pass‑through charges
Now, families have a clear sense of what additional costs might be included in the final arrangements.
Just as with services, if something is already included in a package, don’t display it again in Additional Options. Doing so keeps the experience simple and avoids unnecessary confusion. Families appreciate knowing exactly what’s included and what might count as an additional charge. This level of transparency makes both at-need and preneed arrangement conferences smoother for you and for the families you serve.
Set families up for a confident online experience
Thoughtfully configuring your online arrangement tool helps families feel supported from the very beginning.
Arrangement Guide gives you full control over what families see and allows them to customize with clarity. A well‑built setup ensures every family gets a personal, meaningful experience before they ever walk through your doors and makes your in‑person conversations smoother, too.
Once you’ve built a thoughtful online arrangement experience, the next step is making sure families can actually find it. Your tool is only as good as the people who see it. Let’s learn the best ways to drive traffic and guide families to your online planning experience.
How can you drive traffic to your online arrangement tool?
Once your online arrangement tool is set up, the next step is making sure families can actually find it.
Your website is often the first place people go when they’re looking for information about your funeral home, so it’s the perfect starting point for introducing online planning.
Here are a few best practices when adding your online arrangements tool:
- Create a CTA button: Begin by adding a well-placed call-to-action (CTA) button. A CTA is simply a prompt that encourages visitors to take action, saying something like “Start Planning Ahead” or “Plan Ahead Now.” This button should link directly to your online arrangements tool and serve as the main way families enter your planning experience.
- Have it multiple places: Placement matters. Adding your CTA to your website navigation makes it easy for families to find, no matter where they land on your site. Another place to put your CTA is “above the fold” on your homepage, so people can see it without scrolling.
- Remove old preneed forms: If you currently have preneed forms on a dedicated preneed page, replace those with your new online planning CTA so visitors understand this is the new, preferred way to begin the process.
Adding your online arrangement tool to your website is an important first step. But it’s only the beginning. A simple website link will bring in the occasional “walk‑in.” To reach more families, you’ll need a plan to consistently and intentionally get eyes on your tool.
Here are 3 effective ways you can drive traffic and help families discover your new online arrangement tool.
#1. Create a digital marketing strategy
Families can only use your tool if they know it exists, and digital marketing is one of the fastest ways to spread the word. Using platforms like Facebook and Google Ads allows you to reach people in your community who may not visit your website on their own.
Think of it this way: simply adding your online arrangements link to your website is like having a great “closer” on the sales team who never prospects. Digital ads do the prospecting for you, so when families are ready, your tool is already on their radar.
#2. Have ongoing promotion
A single press release or Facebook announcement might create a momentary splash, but online traffic quickly fades if you don’t continue promoting your online arrangement tool. Consistency is what builds awareness.
Integrate your tool into your regular communication, like:
- Social media posts
- Newsletters
- Community updates
- Aftercare materials
Treat it like a service that deserves ongoing attention, not a campaign you run once.
When you promote online planning regularly, families start to see it as a normal, trusted way to begin the process.
#3. Educate as you advertise
The most successful online planning campaigns point families to the tool they need and educate families on why a meaningful funeral matters. When people understand the value of gathering, honoring, and remembering, they’re more open to exploring their options online.
Whether you’re running Google ads, posting on Facebook, or creating short videos, aim to answer the questions families are already asking:
- Why does a funeral matter?
- What makes a service meaningful?
- How do I start planning?
Educational marketing builds trust, empowers families, and ultimately increases the likelihood they’ll take the next step and begin planning online.
Use marketing services to support your efforts
Building and maintaining a digital marketing plan takes time, consistency, and expertise. For funeral homes that want the benefit of professional marketing without the added workload, partnering with a service provider can be a game‑changer.
Funeral Directors Life not only provides the preneed support through Arrangement Guide, but they can provide marketing expertise to promote the tool. They offer social media management packages, Facebook and Google ad campaigns, YouTube advertising, and even custom video production. These services help you build awareness in your community while freeing you up to focus on families.
Build a better experience for today’s families
Offering online arrangements isn’t just about keeping up with trends. It’s about making it easier for families to start planning with you in whatever way feels most comfortable.
With the right tool in place, you can serve today’s families more effectively while opening the door to long-term preneed opportunities.
Passare’s Online Arrangements brings both of those goals together in one simple experience:
- At-need: Support families who want to begin or complete arrangements online
- Preneed: Help tomorrow’s families plan ahead and fund their plans with confidence.
Arrangement Guide is a modern solution that strengthens how you serve today and how you grow for the future.
If you’re ready to see what this could look like at your funeral home, here are a few easy ways to explore:
- Visit the Online Arrangements page to try Passare’s tool and see the experience from a family’s perspective → Online Arrangements
- Request a demo to talk with an expert and see how it can support your goals → Schedule a demo
- Explore Funeral Directors Life (FDL) marketing services if you want to connect preneed funding to your online experience → Marketing services
However you start, the goal is the same: Make it easier for families to begin planning with you, in whatever way feels right to them.
Schedule a demo of Passare