F R A Z E R M A R K E T I N G PA C K A G E S
Are you ready to reach even more families? We’re excited to offer a variety of search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing packages that will help families notice and connect with your funeral home. Our social media packages help you connect with families in your community, and our SEO packages help families find your funeral home’s website more easily. Whether you’re looking for a one-time service or more in-depth account management, our marketing packages are designed to fit your funeral home’s needs.
S C H E D U L E A F R E E C O N S U LTAT I O N !
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I N F O @ F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S . C O M
ISSUE 17
Table of Contents
for Goal 07 Ideas Setting in the New Year
By creating resolutions, you can continue to grow and better serve your client families.
Time 10 Eight Management Tips to Save Funeral Directors Time
With a little planning and prioritizing, you can make the most of your everyday tasks.
15
F E AT U R E A R T I C L E
Cybersecurity for Your Funeral Home To keep your sensitive information safe, follow these cybersecurity best practices.
of Offering 22 Benefits Life Insurance
to Practice 35 How More Self-Care
Assignments as Funeral Payment
If you’re not practicing self-care, it can lead to job fatigue and burnout.
It gives your families another payment option and improves your funeral home’s cashflow.
25
Why Your Funeral Home Should Consider Hiring an Intern Your staff is busy, so why not let an intern take some tasks off your employees’ plates?
28
Employee Features Meet two members of our Frazer family — Jason and Leah — and learn about their roles at Frazer and their hobbies.
31
Things to Do 41 Ten with Your Funeral QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge on Final Disposition Methods Take this quiz to see how much you know about final disposition methods!
Home’s Extra Revenue
Without a clear plan, you may not be making the most of your extra funds.
to Create 44 How a Personalized
Funeral Service Through photo displays, tribute videos, and more, you can create unique funeral services.
Letter from the Editor Dear readers, Welcome to The Meaningful Funeral magazine, an exclusive publication by Frazer Consultants. Our goal with this magazine is to be a resource for your funeral home and to help you learn new skills, keep up with funeral trends, and serve your current client families in more meaningful ways. In this issue, a few topics you will learn about are ways to save time, practice more self-care, and set goals for your funeral home. The new year is the perfect time to reflect on your current way of doing things and come up with new ideas to continue to grow and better serve your client families. Want to read The Meaningful Funeral on the go? Every issue is available for free on our website, all you have to do is visit frazerconsultants.com/meaningful and click the “magazine” tab. I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Meaningful Funeral, and I look forward to hearing your feedback. If you have any suggestions for future magazine content, we would love to hear them — just email us at marketing@frazerconsultants.com. And if you really love our content, visit frazerconsultants.com/meaningful and sign up for our newsletter to have fresh content and funeral news delivered to your inbox every week!
M AT T F R A Z E R P R E S I D E N T, F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S
TRIBUTE CROWDFUNDING
Crowdfunding campaigns without the risk! With Frazer-powered websites, your families can host crowdfunding campaigns for memorial funds, medical expenses, charity donations, funeral expenses, and more. The best part? Your funeral home is in charge, traffic stays on your website, and you get paid up front.
S C H E D U L E A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N !
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I N F O @ F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S . C O M
06 | The Meaningful Funeral
Ideas for Goal Setting in the New Year By creating resolutions for your funeral home, you can continue to grow and better serve your client families. 2020 is wrapping up, which means it’s that time of year when everyone makes resolutions for the new year. Although it may seem cliché, creating goals is a great way to keep your business thriving, so we’ve brainstormed some possible New Year’s resolutions! MAKE THE MOST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
If your funeral home isn’t on any social media platforms, start with Facebook. Or, if you already have Facebook and have the time and resources to manage another social media account, try Instagram or LinkedIn.
Your resolution also can be to clean up your funeral home’s online presence by deleting unused social media accounts. For example, if a potential client family comes across your funeral home’s Twitter account, but you haven’t posted since 2016, that may leave a bad first impression. You should come up with a plan to use the social media account or delete it. G E T C R E AT I V E W I T H I N T E R I O R D E S I G N
To update your interior, you don’t have to plan a full-scale renovation. There are simple things you can do to make your space more inviting.
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Things like a new paint color, updated décor, comfy furniture, and having WiFi available can help make your space more welcoming. You also can create some new spaces, such as setting up a coffee station or creating a space for children to go during the funeral with books and toys. These updates can create a positive first impression when families visit. E X PA N D Y O U R F U N E R A L PAY M E N T O P T I O N S
Many families have little to nothing in their savings, so having alternative funeral payment options is a must-have for them. Payment options like financing, life insurance assignments, or crowdfunding can be the difference between planning a meaningful funeral and settling on a less expensive option. GET A GRIEF THERAPY DOG
We’re seeing more and more funeral homes adding grief therapy dogs to their staff. A therapy dog can comfort your families during the funeral and grieving process. However, it takes a lot of planning, so make sure you have a plan in place before deciding to get a grief therapy dog. AT T E N D M O R E E D U C AT I O N A L S E M I N A R S A N D WEBINARS
The funeral profession is constantly changing, so there’s always an opportunity to learn and stay up to date with the latest funeral trends. Research some upcoming seminars or webinars that you can attend, whether they’re related to the funeral profession, event planning, or another relevant topic. U P D AT E Y O U R F U N E R A L H O M E ’ S W E B S I T E
If your website isn’t responsive — responds to all screen sizes including desktop and mobile devices — then it’s time for a new design. With 81% of American adults owning a smartphone and 52% owning a tablet, per Pew Research Center, they’re likely viewing your website from a mobile device.
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S TA R T A F U N E R A L H O M E B L O G
If you don’t already have one, a blog is a great way to connect with your community. Try posting a new blog post once per week. For example, you can write about what to bring to the arrangement conference, how to grieve during the holidays, and other relevant topics. B O O S T YO U R E M P LOY E E E N G AG E M E N T
Make sure your employees feel appreciated by finding ways to show you care. For example, plan a fun team building event, such as having a movie night or volunteering at a local event. Or, even just buying them coffee or telling them that they’re appreciated can express your gratitude for their hard work. B E M O R E I N V O LV E D I N Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y
Host community events to get to know your community members! Some event ideas are a seminar or webinar about healthy ways to cope with grief, a presentation on preplanning funerals, or a community movie screening with a meaningful message about grief and loss, such as Up or We Bought a Zoo. THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN DRAFTING YO U R G OA L S
When drafting your goals for the new year, have a clear goal and end date in mind. What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it by? It may help to come up with a step-by-step plan with smaller goals to meet throughout the year leading up to your main goal. By writing down a plan and talking about your goal as a team, it makes it easier to commit to it. And don’t forget to reward your team for their hard work! You should celebrate when you reach milestones along the way, such as with a team lunch. It also helps your team stay motivated and excited throughout the process. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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Eight Time Management Tips to Save Funeral Directors Time A common thing that workers across all professions don’t have enough of is time. This is especially true for the funeral profession, as you wear many hats.
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As we continue to navigate this new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic, funeral directors need even more time to come up with creative ways to honor lives. So, what’s the solution? With a little planning and prioritization, you can make the most of your everyday tasks. You cannot afford wasted time or else important tasks may not get done. Sometimes you only have a few days’ notice to plan a funeral and learn someone’s life story. Without effective time management, it may seem impossible to get everything done, so let’s go over some timesaving tips that you can implement into your funeral home's day-to-day operations. 0 1 — C R E AT E A F I L E O R G A N I Z AT I O N S Y S T E M
When organizing your digital files, create folders that make sense for each document type. For example, you can have a folder for all your finances and a folder for your marketing documents. This way, when meeting families, you can pull something up right away instead of browsing through a sea of files. To keep up with your file organization system, do a yearly audit of your files. 0 2 — H AV E AT TA I N A B L E G O A L S
You should have goals for yourself and your funeral home. When writing them, be as specific as possible. Doing this can help avoid frustration if you don’t complete a goal because it was too large or not clearly mapped out. To make sure they’re attainable, write down a clear plan to make it happen. To keep track of all the goals, you can create a Goals folder in your file organization system!
0 3 — E S TA B L I S H C L E A R J O B D U T I E S
Make sure your employees understand what tasks they’re expected to complete. This way, no one needs to scramble to get something done before the family arrives. Of course, you can help each other out as needed, but make sure each necessary task has a primary person responsible for it. 0 4 — P R I O R I T I Z E T H E M O S T I M P O R TA N T TA S K S
Determine what tasks are the most important and have the earliest deadline. Put those tasks at the top of your to-do list. Then, you can add tasks that are important, but not time-sensitive to the list. However, don’t let these other tasks fall through the cracks. For example, even though posting to social media may not be at the top of your to-do list, it’s still important. 0 5 — C R E AT E A T E N TAT I V E S C H E D U L E
Creating a to-do list helps you develop a tentative schedule for the day. Of course, the workday for funeral directors can be unpredictable, so you can adjust your schedule when unexpected things come up. By also keeping track of how long it takes you to do certain tasks, you can better manage your time. Ask yourself, does this seem like a reasonable time for this task or does it need more or less time? 06 — DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP
Another thing to keep in mind when managing your time is to not be afraid to ask for help. By dividing up various tasks, you can be more productive. Just be sure to train your staff on how to do the task. By taking time to train everyone, it will save you more time in the long run.
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07 — MAKE TIME FOR SELF-CARE
Self-care is important to schedule into your day, even if you feel like you don’t have time for it. Without it, you won’t be able to efficiently complete your tasks. Even just taking a few minutes for self-care can make all the difference for your mental and physical health. To start, set aside 30 minutes a day for doing a relaxing activity, such as taking a walk or reading a book. 0 8 — I N V E S T I N T I M E - S AV I N G T O O L S
There are many innovative tools out there that can help save funeral directors' time. For example, with a social media automation platform, you can schedule social media posts ahead of time. You can pick a time each week to write and schedule your posts and then you don’t have to worry about it. The same goes for an email automation platform.
E N G A G E W I T H FA M I L I E S I N Y O U R F U N E R A L HOME’S COMMUNITY!
With our social media packages, let us take managing your social media accounts off your plate! Depending on the package you choose, our staff will post on your behalf. Funeral directors are experts at funeral planning, so let our social media experts handle your social media accounts. This way, you can focus your time on what matters most: caring for the families you serve. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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Cybersecurity for Your Funeral Home To keep your employees’ and client families’ sensitive information safe, follow these cybersecurity best practices. When it comes to cyberattacks, everyone thinks they’re safe. You may think “Why would they want my information?” or “I have nothing to hide.” However, once a cyberattack happens to your funeral home, you’ll realize how detrimental it can be to your business. Hackers can ruin your important files and steal sensitive information, which may lead to you paying a hefty price. That’s why it’s important that your funeral home stays one step ahead. Getting a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, creating complicated passwords, and practicing email and WiFi safety are just a few ways you can keep your data secure. This guide will go over ways you can stay on top of your funeral home’s cybersecurity and avoid online threats.
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I M P O R TA N C E O F A N S S L C E R T I F I C AT E
First, we should start with what exactly an SSL certificate is. It’s a small data file that encrypts the data that’s exchanged between your web server and browser. When your data is encrypted, it’s basically scrambled in a way that hackers cannot decipher. It only becomes legible again with the proper decryption key.
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This is important because it protects sensitive information that is entered online such as credit card information, social security numbers, and login credentials. Knowing the Difference Between HTTP and HTTPS When you have an SSL certificate, HTTPS will
go before your website’s URL address. HTTP stands for hypertext transfer protocol. The “S” at the end stands for secure, so families will know that your funeral home’s website has a secure connection.
Google. In fact, Google prefers HTTPS websites over HTTP websites, which means having an SSL certificate will improve your search engine optimization (SEO) and your website will rank higher in search results.
It’s becoming the norm to have an SSL certificate for your website. Not only do families expect it but so do search engines like
As SSL certificates become expected, Google Chrome also will show families an alert when a website is not secure. This means that even less
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tech-savvy families will know that they should stay clear of unsecured websites. Having Your Client Families’ Best Interests in Mind Besides helping your SEO and making your website more visible online, having a secure website helps your client families. When they enter payment information, they can feel at ease knowing that their information is safe. A data breach makes your business look less credible and adds stress to families who are already coping with the loss of their loved one. With an SSL certificate, you can let your families know that they can trust you and your business practices. All Frazer-powered websites are protected with SSL, so your families don’t have to worry about hackers stealing any of their information — everything is safe and secure. C R E AT I N G A PA S S W O R D
One of the easiest ways to improve your cyber safety is to create a secure password. That means creating a password that no one else could ever guess. Because once hackers get into your personal accounts, they can begin to figure out ways to compromise even more of your personal information and data. The Longer, the Better Short passwords are a surefire way to get your account hacked. In fact, many websites require your passwords to be a certain length and have various characters, numbers, and capitalization when creating an account. Creating a long password makes it harder for others to guess what it is. Don’t Use Common Phrases Phrases like “FuneralDirector1994” or anything that has your funeral home’s name in it are not secure. Come up with a nonsensical phrase that
18 | The Meaningful Funeral
only you could come up with. Avoid using your name, pet’s name, spouse’s or child’s name, or any significant dates. Jumbling up different characters, letters, and capitalizations will make your password more secure. Password management software also can help you create a strong password. They automatically create and store your passwords for you. Keep it Secret For certain accounts, it’s inevitable that you may need multiple employees to know the login information. That’s okay, but make sure only people who absolutely need to know it have permission. Make it clear to your employees that passwords are not to be shared. If you must write your passwords down, store them somewhere no one else will find it such as a locked safe. Also, be sure to change your passwords regularly, especially if they’re known to multiple people. If an employee knows your passwords and leaves your firm, it’s a good idea to change them. One Password Per Account Many people are guilty of using the same or a similar password for all or many of their accounts. This is basically asking for hackers to break into all your accounts! Use a unique password for every account and don’t use old passwords more than once. EMAIL SAFETY
Hackers are getting more advanced in the ways they use email to get your personal information. That’s why it’s important to stay informed on ways you can protect yourself and your funeral home while using email. Phishing According to Wombat Security’s 2019 State of the Phish Report, 83% of survey respondents
experienced phishing attacks in 2018, which is up from 76% in 2017. Phishing is when hackers target you by email, phone call, or text message pretending to be from a legitimate institution (such as a bank or credit union). Their goal is to trick people into revealing some of their personal information.
Phishing.org lays out a few common features of phishing emails. The first is they are often too good to be true. If the email is promising monetary gain, special deals, or prizes, it’s most likely a phishing scam. Also, if there is a sense of urgency (ex. “Act now!”) it’s often best to flag it as spam and hit delete.
As hackers become more clever, their phishing emails begin to look more legitimate than what you imagine a spam email looking like. Oftentimes, they pose as HR representatives from your company or as tech support.
Hyperlinks and attachments also are things to be cautious of. Look for misspelling of links before deciding to click and never open an attachment from an unknown sender. Even if the sender’s name is one you’re familiar with,
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double-check their email address to be sure it’s actually who they claim to be. If you receive an email from an unknown or unusual sender, chances are it’s phishing. M A LWA R E
Since phishing is an umbrella term for many cybercrimes, let’s focus on malware. Malware is software that can wreak havoc on your computer, server, or computer network. It’s important to keep in mind that email is responsible for delivering 94% of malware, per the 2019 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report. To stay safe from it, always be wary of URLs and attachments in emails. If you’re ever unsure of a link or shared file from a coworker, ask them about it outside of email. Hackers can make it seem like their messages are coming from people in your contact list. Also, to reiterate, never open a file from an unusual sender. Even if it looks like it’s coming from your financial institution, it’s important to double-check, especially if you are not expecting to receive files from them.
WA N T T O R E A D M O R E ?
Download the rest of our free eBook to learn more about cybersecurity best practices for your funeral home!
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WEBSITES
Leave your old website in the last decade. It’s time for an upgrade. Make 2021 the year your funeral home gets a modern website that’s unique to your firm. Frazer-powered websites give you and your families the features you need, like our revenue-generating Tribute Store and all-inclusive payment platform Tribute Pay.
S C H E D U L E A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N !
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I N F O @ F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S . C O M
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Benefits of Offering Life Insurance Assignments as Funeral Payment Give your families another payment option and improve your funeral home’s cashflow by offering life insurance assignments as funeral payment. Payment options are a hot topic in the funeral profession right now. Getting paid was already a concern for many funeral directors but is an even greater concern now during the pandemic. Offering online payment options is a step in the right direction, but you can take it even further by offering life insurance assignments as funeral payment. Let’s go over the benefits of offering life insurance assignments as funeral payment for both your funeral home and the families you serve. G I V E FA M I L I E S A N O T H E R PAY M E N T O P T I O N
Many families simply can’t afford to pay for funeral expenses up front. Instead of settling on funeral arrangements, your funeral home can offer them multiple payment options. This way, they can plan a personalized, meaningful funeral service without worrying about how they’re going to pay for the expenses and keep their emergency savings. Many families also want the convenience of paying online from the comfort of their own home. Even after the pandemic is over, many families will still prefer the convenience of online payments. According to Podium’s State of Local Business Report 2020, 77%
22 | The Meaningful Funeral
of consumers want businesses to continue offering contactless payments after the COVID-19 pandemic. For families who want a convenient, alternative funeral payment option, life insurance assignments may be the answer. It gives families another option for paying the funeral expenses in full if they don’t have the funds or don’t want to take on a loan. They also may want help with other expenses, such as medical bills and memorial funds, so they’d benefit from a cash advance option to get their portions when they need it most. Ultimately, it gives families peace of mind knowing that they have the means to pay for their loved one’s funeral, and they don’t have to worry about it while grieving. I M P ROV E YO U R F U N E R A L H O M E ’ S C A S H F LO W
Offering life insurance assignments as funeral payment gives your funeral home another revenue stream. (For ideas on what to do with your extra revenue, check out our article in this issue!) It also may prevent your firm from losing business, as families may go elsewhere if your funeral home doesn’t have alternative payment options like life insurance assignments. Likewise, it can help you keep your current
client families, as the younger family members will appreciate your funeral home growing with the times. However, your firm should do your research before choosing a company to partner with. With an effective partnership, you don’t have to wonder when you’ll get paid. By getting paid faster, you can settle your accounts receivable before the end of each year. This will make your
F R A Z E R C O N S U LTA N T S PA R T N E R S W I T H TRIBUTE INSURANCE ASSIGNMENTS (TIA)
With TIA, your funeral home can process life insurance assignments as funeral payment quicker and easier than ever! It only takes a few minutes to submit a claim in your website’s admin panel, and the claim is verified for funding within 24 to 48 hours. Plus, your funeral home gets paid in as little as 24 hours!
bookkeeping much easier, as all open invoices from the previous year will be completed, and
T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
you won’t carry over any debt into the new year.
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Why Your Funeral Home Should Consider Hiring an Intern Funeral directors are busy people with lengthy to-do lists, so why not let an intern help take some tasks off your plates? When there isn’t enough time in the day to complete tasks such as posting to Facebook and writing a blog post, an intern can help. Hiring an intern can help your funeral home increase productivity and become more established in your community. It also provides you with a fresh perspective from a mind learning the latest trends. WHY INTERNS ARE BENEFICIAL
Not only do internships provide students with work experience, they also provide your funeral home with extra help completing necessary tasks. Whether it’s helping complete timeconsuming tasks or little tasks that you don’t have time to complete. And it’s all at little to no cost for your funeral home. It also makes your funeral home more wellknown and trusted in your community. Your interns will help spread the word about your internship and your funeral home to your community, providing positive feedback. The more your funeral home’s name is put out there, the more possible client families you may find. Plus, there’s the possibility of an internship turning into a new full-time position for your
funeral home. Or you can keep the position open to just interns as a semester-long, yearlong, or summer internship. Either way, it helps your funeral home conquer its workload. HOW TO FIND AN INTERN
Whether you’re looking to hire a high school or college student, there are several ways to go about finding an intern. You can start by posting the position on your social media pages and job search sites like Indeed. You also can create a LinkedIn job posting. Just make sure to lay out the details about the position and specify it as an internship. You can have them fill out an application or contact someone at your funeral home to apply for it. You also can reach out to your local high schools, colleges, and even your client families. They most likely know some internshipseeking students or have children of their own interested in the internship opportunity. INTERNSHIP IDEAS
Of course, a student interested in the funeral profession can shadow one of your staff members. However, your internship doesn’t
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have to be just mortuary science-related. There are many internship ideas, such as a:
perspective and provides the intern with beneficial work experience.
SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN
RESEARCH INTERN
Whether your funeral home has multiple social media pages or just Facebook, an intern can help engage with your followers. This can be through making posts, responding to comments, and other tasks.
A research intern is a great asset for your funeral home because there are many project ideas. For example, they can survey your community to determine what people want from funerals.
PHOTOGRAPHER INTERN
I M P O R TA N T T H I N G S T O R E M E M B E R
An intern can take photos for your blog posts, website, or another project. They also can take photos at your events so your staff can focus on your guests.
If you hire an intern, make sure you have time to supervise them. It may be a good idea to designate someone as their mentor. You also should have clear goals you want to achieve from the internship. What tasks do you want them to complete? What does your funeral home want to learn from this experience? These are good starting questions to consider. Throughout the internship, schedule reviews for discussing their job performance. What are they doing well? What could they improve on?
MARKETING INTERN
A student studying marketing or public relations can develop a promotion plan. They also can find ways to reach your community, like through social media, print ads, event attendance, and more. E V E N T C O O R D I N AT O R I N T E R N
It takes a lot of planning to create a successful event. An intern can be a huge help for organizing events. For example, you can hire a fall semester intern to help plan your holiday remembrance program. WRITER INTERN
An intern can write several different pieces, such as blog posts, press releases, or other projects. They can even share their blog posts on your funeral home’s social media pages. ACCOUNTING INTERN
A student studying accounting or financing can help create a budget and analyze your current expenses. This provides you with an outside
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Students are busy, so don’t forget to be considerate of your intern’s time, too. Oftentimes, they may have classwork or another job to make ends meet. As an employer, you need to be understanding when certain things come up with their other commitments. However, make it clear that they can’t flake on you last minute. It’s also important to consider the skills your intern will gain, as many interns are doing work to gain experience in their chosen field before they begin a job search. Some may even want to use their internship for college credits, in which case you will often need to sign off on a few forms. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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TRIBUTE INSURANCE ASSIGNMENTS
Life insurance assignments, now easier than ever before. Combined, our insurance team has more than 65 years of experience. We know the requirements of more than 300 insurance companies, so we can process claims efficiently and accurately and fund your funeral home in as little as 24 hours.
S C H E D U L E A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N !
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Getting to Know Frazer Consultants Meet two members of our Frazer family — Jason and Leah — and learn about their roles at Frazer and what they like to do in their free time.
NAME
Jason YEARS
One ROLE
Project Coordinator
W H AT I D O AT F R A Z E R :
My name is Jason Berthiaume, and I am part of the Frazer Consultants production team as a project coordinator. When you are building a new website with Frazer Consultants, I am one of the people you could end up working with to make sure it is customized to fit exactly what you’re looking for. After purchasing a new Frazer Consultants website, I (or another project coordinator) will reach out to schedule an initial call to discuss what you like and dislike about your current website, what you are looking for in a new one, and what the most important aspects of your new website are. Once we have completed our discussion, our production team will get to work creating a first draft called the shell. I will often leave you with some homework as well if I need you to supply some content for the new website pages. Once the shell is complete, you and I will spend the next four to six weeks going back and forth talking about what you like and dislike about the
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shell, making changes along the way. When the design has been finalized, the website will go into final website checks where the production team gives it a final look before sending it off to a Launch Specialist who will help take the website live! Once the website is live, I remain available for 30 days of edits and changes based on feedback from your clients and customers. HOW I SPEND MY FREE TIME:
While away from work, you can find me spending time with my wife, Rachael and pup, Mango. We enjoy cooking together as well as skiing, hiking, and almost anything else you can do outdoors together. I also enjoy Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, hip hop, Wisconsin sports, U.S. Soccer, climbing, jigsaw puzzles, board games, reading, video games, and sampling whiskey. I am a member of The Single Malt Society of Madison, and my knowledge of whiskey is slowly growing. My favorite hobby, however, is traveling. I am almost always planning my next six trips. So far, I have explored portions of three continents, and I dream of climbing the seven summits, the tallest peak on each continent. After 2020 cancelled my trip to Tanzania to attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro before it began, I have made plans to try with my brothers, wife, and a few friends next summer. I dream of climbing every mountain and walking every trail. I would love to trade travel stories someday while building a new website!
NAME
Leah YEARS
Two ROLE
Sales Development Representative
My unique background in higher education, project management, publications, and customer service helps me to see the whole picture. I can quickly understand what a client is looking for and help them to achieve the goal of a new Frazer website that is perfect for them and their unique business. HOW I SPEND MY FREE TIME:
W H AT I D O AT F R A Z E R :
I set off on my Frazer journey in the production department as a project coordinator. I learned firsthand what it takes to build a successful website. I transitioned into sales a year ago. As a sales development representative, I get to call on funeral directors and start the conversation about our products. I enjoy chatting with them and finding out a bit about them and their funeral home. My experience in project coordination can help our clients to understand how easy it is to build a website with Frazer. We do all the heavy lifting for you. The first step is scheduling a demo. A demo is simply a time for you to take a few minutes to find out more about our products and how our website can benefit you, your business, and your families. That demo can happen anywhere as long as you are in front of a computer. You can be at the office, at your home, or even at your cabin. We understand how busy our clients are each day. The good news is it will only take 30 minutes to show you how a Frazer website can work for you and your families from the very first day.
My family and I relocated from Phoenix, Arizona to Middleton, Wisconsin to be closer to family a few years ago. We finally consider ourselves Midwesterners after a few rough winters. I am extremely active in the National Charity League (a national mother and daughter community service organization). Through the National Charity League, we have been able to volunteer with a diverse set of charities both in Phoenix and here in the Madison area. It has been humbling and empowering to work hand in hand with my girls making each day just a bit more enjoyable for those in need. Now that we are finished renovating our house, I devote a good deal of time to hiking and biking with my active family Chris, Katelyn, and Emily. My favorite hiking buddy is my sweet Golden Retriever named Jingle. I have SLOWLY acclimated to the new climate and may even purchase a fat tire bike to try some snow biking this year. Would you like to chat with me about your business and how we make it easy for you to switch to a Frazer website? You can reach me directly at 608-478-2348 or email me at Leah@ frazerconsultants.com.
My experience in project coordination can help our clients to understand how easy it is to build a website with Frazer. We do all the heavy lifting for you.
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Quiz: Test Your Knowledge on Final Disposition Methods Take this quiz to see how much you know about final disposition methods, from the well-known methods to newer options. 0 1 — C H E C K A L L T H AT A P P LY: I N 2 0 1 9 , WHICH FINAL DISPOSITION METHODS WERE L E G A L I Z E D I N WA S H I N G T O N ?
A. Outdoor cremation B. Human composting C. Alkaline hydrolysis D. Sea burial 0 2 — C H E C K A L L T H AT A P P LY: W H I C H F I N A L DISPOSITION METHODS ARE CONSIDERED “GREEN”?
A. Human composting B. Natural burial C. Alkaline hydrolysis D. Traditional burial with embalming E. All the above 0 3 — P E R T H E 2 0 2 0 N F D A C R E M AT I O N & B U R I A L R E P O R T, W H AT ’ S T H E P R E D I C T E D 2 0 2 0 U . S . N AT I O N A L C R E M AT I O N R AT E ?
A. 41% B. 46% C. 52% D. 56%
0 5 — W H I C H U . S . P R E S I D E N T ’ S D E AT H H E L P E D MAKE EMBALMING POPULAR?
A. George Washington B. Abraham Lincoln C. Theodore Roosevelt D. Andrew Jackson 06 — PER THE 2019 NFDA CONSUMER AWA R E N E S S A N D P R E F E R E N C E S U R V E Y, W H AT P E R C E N TA G E O F R E S P O N D E N T S A R E I N T E R E S T E D I N E X P LO R I N G “G R E E N ” FUNERAL OPTIONS?
A. 39.2% B. 44.7% C. 51.6% D. 62.5% 0 7 — C H E C K A L L T H AT A P P LY: W H Y A R E PEOPLE CHOOSING OTHER DISPOSITION METHODS BESIDES BURIAL?
A. They aren’t religious. B. They want to save money. C. They want to be environmentally friendly. D. They want a more personalized funeral service.
0 4 — T R U E O R FA L S E : H U M A N C O M P O S T I N G U S E S WAT E R A N D A N A L K A L I N E C H E M I C A L S O L U T I O N T O D I S S O LV E A B O D Y.
True False
Answers on the next page.
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Answers 01 — B AND C
Human composting and alkaline hydrolysis — The law that recognizes these methods as burial options took effect in May 2020. 0 2 — A- C
Traditional burial with embalming isn’t a green burial method. 03 — D. 56%
The NFDA predicts the 2020 U.S. national cremation rate will be 56% and by 2040, they predict the cremation rate will be 78.4% with burial at 16%. 0 4 — FA L S E
That’s alkaline hydrolysis, also known as aquamation and water cremation. Human composting turns human remains into soil. 05 — B. ABRAHAM LINCOLN
He was the first U.S. president who was embalmed. 06 — C. 51.6%
Over the next few years, this number will likely grow as more green options become legalized throughout the United States. 0 7 — A- D
All of these are reasons why more people are choosing disposition methods other than burial. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FINAL DISPOSITION M E T H O D S , V I S I T:
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TRIBUTE STORE
Earn extra revenue for your firm! With Tribute Store, not only can your families conveniently purchase flowers directly from a loved one’s obituary on their Tribute Wall, your funeral home also can earn some extra revenue. When your funeral home hosts Tribute Store on your Frazer-powered website, you receive a commission on all qualifying flower orders.
S C H E D U L E A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N !
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How to Practice More Self-Care As a funeral director, you’re constantly overextending yourself to help families. Though this work is rewarding, it also can become draining. Psychologist Agnes Wainman explains self-care as “something that refuels us, rather than takes from us.” When funeral directors don’t make time for self-care, they don’t get the chance to refuel themselves, which can lead to job fatigue and burnout. To practice more self-care, we’re sharing simple ways you can get started! E AT F O O D T H AT M A K E S Y O U F E E L G O O D
Eat good, feel good is a motto everyone should live by. When you eat nutritious foods, you feel more energized and ready to take on the day. Of course, it’s okay to treat yourself to something more indulgent every so often. Moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle. MAKE TIME TO GET ACTIVE
Exercise comes with all sorts of benefits such as lowering the risk of heart disease, maintaining a healthy weight, and improving your mental health and mood. So, if you’re feeling stressed, getting active may help you feel better. If the gym isn’t your thing, try a different activity such as biking, hiking, kayaking, or swimming. The key is finding exercise you enjoy. And if you’re swamped at work, try some deskercises. F I N D A H O B B Y Y O U T R U LY E N J O Y
This can tie in with the previous point if you’re interested in finding a hobby that also keeps you active. However, there are many other hobbies out there. For instance, fishing is a great way to clear your mind while enjoying the outdoors. Or you could try a ceramics class to tap into your inner artist.
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TA K E T H AT N A P Y O U D E S E R V E
Feeling drained after a busy week? Lay down and take a 20-minute nap for a recharge. A short nap can help you feel reenergized, lower stress, and boost your mood. Just make sure to not nap much longer, or you may wake up feeling more tired and groggy. In addition to taking short naps, make sure you are getting enough sleep. Adults typically need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. S U R RO U N D YO U R S E L F W I T H P E O P L E YO U E N J OY
When you’re off the clock, make sure you’re keeping good company. Funeral directors have limited time to spare, so it’s important that you are surrounding yourself with people who bring
you happiness. Likewise, enjoying some alone time is important too. It’s all about deciding what you need in that moment in order to feel at ease. TA K E S O M E T I M E T O U N P L U G
By unplugging, that means not checking text messages or your email and trying to live in the present. Try going on a nature walk or finding a quiet place to read a good book. You also can start a journal for writing about your day, what you’re feeling, what’s on your mind, or anything you wish. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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TRIBUTE INSURANCE ASSIGNMENTS
We know that we have employees that are paid right away. We have other expenses when it comes to buying merchandise like caskets, etc., and we could really use the funding almost immediately.
So, to say that we get paid within 24 to 48 hours is true. It’s a very true statement. And, we have found that sometimes on the same day, probably within a few hours after filing the form, we got funded.
HENRY BOULDING F U N E R A L D I R E C TO R A N D O W N E R O F B O U L D I N G M O R T U A R Y, I N C .
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ONLINE PLANNER AND QUOTE BUILDER
Showcase your products and services! Did you know Frazer websites come with an online planner and quote builder? With this tool, families can conveniently begin the funeral planning process online. You can even build out package examples to make your families’ decision-making process easier.
S C H E D U L E A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N !
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Ten Things to Do With Your Funeral Home’s Extra Revenue When it comes to earning extra revenue, your opportunities are endless! Whether you want to offer a new payment option or earn a commission on online flower sales, there are many options! However, perhaps the most important question isn’t how you’re going to earn extra funds, but what you’re going to do with those funds. Without a clear plan, you may not be making the most of your extra revenue. To give you some inspiration, we’ve brainstormed some ideas on what to do with your extra revenue. 0 1 — R E N O VAT E Y O U R FA C I L I T Y
Whether it’s a small or large-scale renovation, your extra revenue can contribute to updating your funeral home’s facility. For small-scale
renovations, you can update your wall art, light fixtures, or other cosmetic changes. For largescale renovations, you can renovate your lobby or add an event space. 02 — OFFER NEW SERVICES
Another idea that also can become another revenue opportunity is to offer new services. These can be new disposition options, such as green burial. Or it can new merchandise like caskets, urns, and memorial products. You can even explore some out-of-the-box options like offering catering services.
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0 3 — H I R E M O R E E M P LOY E E S
05 — INVEST IN MARKETING
If your funeral home is short-staffed, you can use the extra funds to hire some more employees. These can be funeral directors, secretaries, accountants, or whatever positions you’re looking for. You also can consider hiring interns. Check out our article in this issue for internship ideas!
Even if you already have a marketing strategy, you can boost your current efforts or explore some new options. For example, if you have a Facebook Page, you can try boosting some of your social media posts. Or you can try your hand at video marketing and create some educational videos.
04 — HOST EVENTS
0 6 — E X PA N D Y O U R E M P L O Y E E A P P R E C I AT I O N E F F O R T S
Your extra revenue can be put toward hosting in-person or virtual events. These can be related to funeral planning, or they can be for bringing your community together. For example, a few ideas are an educational grief webinar, a remembrance event, and a community barbecue.
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To show your employees you appreciate them, you can use the funds to treat them to something special. A few ideas are getting food delivered for a lunch, throwing a party, going on an employee retreat, or giving them a gift and handwritten note.
0 7 — U P D AT E Y O U R L A N D S C A P I N G
Besides renovating your facility, don’t forget about updating your landscaping! This can be a large-scale renovation like adding an ash scattering garden. Or it can be as simple as planting some fresh flowers or plants to spruce it up a bit.
again, so it’s never too early to start saving up for the next trade show or conference. With some extra funds, your employees can take an extra day to explore the city they’re in and do a fun activity together. Or you can treat everyone to dinner at a local restaurant. 1 0 — U P G R A D E YO U R F U N E R A L T E C H N O LO G Y
Expand your knowledge by signing up for some educational courses! These can be at in-person or virtual conferences. For course topics, you can watch ones that are funeral profession related or about related fields like marketing and event planning.
It’s important to stay up to date on the latest trends, so make sure your funeral technology isn’t falling behind. With the extra revenue, you can update your website or get a new logo design. With a Frazer-powered funeral home website, we’ll make sure your website is in the right decade.
0 9 — TA K E C A R E O F T R AV E L E X P E N S E S
T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
Eventually, we will be able to travel normally
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0 8 — S I G N U P F O R E D U C AT I O N A L C O U R S E S
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How to Create a Personalized Funeral Service Through photo displays, releasing ceremonies, tribute videos, and other personalization elements, the deceased can be remembered for what made them special.
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This guide explains how to understand your client families’ funeral wants and needs. By putting those desires into action, you can create a personalized service that truly memorializes the deceased and reflects their individuality. E F F E C T I V E C O M M U N I C AT I O N L E A D S T O P E R S O N A L I Z AT I O N
By talking to the family, you can learn about the deceased’s passions to create a personalized funeral service. Below are a few steps to follow for effective communication. 01 — Do Your Research Before meeting the family, do some research to prepare. See what information you’re able to find about the deceased, such as what activities they were involved in. 02 — Find Somewhere Comfortable to Meet Consider meeting at their home or somewhere the deceased liked to go, such as their favorite restaurant. Or, if the family prefers to meet at the funeral home, that is perfectly fine, too. You can even meet them virtually via video chat. 03 — Language and Tone Are Key For personalization, it’s important to ask questions to get inspiration for the funeral service. While they respond to your questions, you should actively listen to their responses, so you don’t miss anything important. 04 — Organization is Critical to Success To stay organized, you can make a checklist of essential information, determine what
personalization projects are the most important, and create a backup plan just in case. C R E AT I V E I D E A S T O P E R S O N A L I Z E T H E FUNERAL SERVICE
Through decorations, floral arrangements, and other unique elements, the funeral service can truly reflect the deceased’s personality and interests. Below are a few ideas! 01 — Location Think outside of the box by having the funeral in a unique location. This automatically adds personalization, especially if it’s somewhere that was special to the deceased. A few ideas are a family member’s backyard, community park or garden, beach alongside the water, or banquet hall or barn. 02 — Theme Personalize the funeral service by establishing a creative central theme. It can be a seasonal theme, such as winter or fall, or it can focus on the deceased’s favorite hobbies, such as baseball or traveling. For example, you can incorporate the theme in the funeral service’s colors, decorations, and mementos. 03 — Decorations A funeral can quickly be transformed into a personalized service and celebration of life through funeral decorations and memorabilia. For example, you can personalize the floral arrangements, music, photo displays, and other decorations with the deceased’s memorabilia. Involving the family in the funeral service also makes it more personalized.
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U N I Q U E WAY S T O P E R S O N A L I Z E T H E P O S TFUNERAL RECEPTION
Some thoughtful and delicious food options to consider when building a personalized menu are the deceased’s favorite foods. Family members also can make their signature dishes
Everything can be personalized in some way. The food, refreshments, and decorations can all come together to create a personalized postfuneral reception. For example, napkins can match the funeral theme or be the deceased’s favorite color.
that the deceased loved. If the deceased liked to cook, make the deceased’s own recipes to serve and give funeral attendees a copy of the recipe as a memorial gift. Another memorial gift option is a bag of the deceased’s favorite candy or snack. And don’t forget about the deceased’s favorite beverages, such as their favorite soda or kind of coffee.
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HOW TO PERSONALIZE THE BURIAL/ C R E M AT I O N
Both burial and cremation have opportunities for personalization. The casket or urn itself can be personalized by having an original design, color, or shape. It can be as simple as their favorite colors or shaped like one of their favorite objects.
A cremation service goes hand in hand with personalization, as families can scatter their loved one’s ashes in a special location or use them to make a memorial keepsake. To add more personalization, families can dedicate a memorial bench to their loved one at the ash scattering location. Witnessing the cremation allows for more personal funerals, as well. If being environmentally friendly was important to the deceased, families can choose green funeral options to reflect this passion and help save the environment in their honor. There are pine caskets, biodegradable urns, and other green casket and urn options for families to choose from.
U T I L I Z E F U N E R A L P E R S O N A L I Z AT I O N S O F T WA R E F O R P E R S O N A L I Z E D F U N E R A L S
With Tribute Center, our all-in-one funeral personalization software, you can create personalized funeral register books, memorial folders, Life Journey Candles, Tribute Videos, and more for your families. Since there are more than 500 customizable theme options, you can truly create one-of-a-kind funeral stationery mementos. Download Tribute Center for free on our website to get started!  T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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TRIBUTE CENTER
Create one-of-a-kind mementos with a one-of-kind tool. With Tribute Center, you can easily personalize memorial folders, prayer cards, thank-you cards, bookmarks, candles, DVD packaging, and so much more with our collection of more than 500 different themes. Gone are the days of pre-printed stationery!
D O W N LOA D T R I B U T E C E N T E R F O R F R E E !
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RESPONSIVE OBITUARIES
Honor lives on every device. The responsive design of our Tribute Walls allows families to honor their loved ones no matter where they are — with photos, messages, virtual candles, flower orders, crowdfunding donations, and so much more!
S C H E D U L E A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N !
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