TRIBUTE CROWDFUNDING
Crowdfunding options 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. C A L L T O D AY F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N ABOUT TRIBUTE CROWDFUNDING!
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ISSUE 9
Table of Contents
06
20
How to Stay on Track with Your Resolutions
Your funeral home’s brand is much more than your name or logo. Learn what your brand truly is.
80% of resolutions fail by February. Don’t be part of this statistic.
08
New Year’s Resolutions: A How-To Guide for Funeral Directors The key to successful New Year’s resolutions is choosing realistic goals. These ideas will help get you started.
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This Kind of Thinking Can Hurt Your Funeral Home Doing things how they’ve always been done won’t help your funeral home grow.
What Is Your Funeral Home’s Brand?
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F E AT U R E A R T I C L E
What It Takes to Be a Modern Funeral Director The funeral profession is changing. What does it take to be successful in the coming years?
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Four Signs You Need to Refresh Your Funeral Home’s Brand Keeping your brand up-todate shows families your unique story and identity.
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Meet two members of our Frazer family — CJ and Audrey — and see what they have to say about Tribute Insurance Assignments.
Becoming the Thought Leader in Your Community Stand out from other funeral homes in your area by being a trailblazer.
30
How to Create or Update Your Funeral Home’s Pet Memorial Services Pets are becoming more like family members. Learn how you can serve families when their animal friend passes away.
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Employee Features
Four Ways Your Funeral Home Can Unlock Innovation This Year New Year, New You? These four tips will help your funeral home thrive this year.
How to Prepare for the Rise of Alternative Funerals Staying on top of these trends helps you better serve families and fulfill their funeral needs.
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F E AT U R E A R T I C L E
Preparing Your Funeral Home for the Future Adding these high-value services can help cushion your funeral home’s bottom line and allow you to reinvest in your firm.
43
How to Reinvent the Funeral Experience for Today’s Families Families’ funeral needs are changing which means the services you offer should too.
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Helping the Next Generation of Funeral Directors Succeed By helping this emerging generation of funeral directors, your funeral home can continue to flourish.
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. This issue is all about the new year, and how your funeral home can make the most of 2019. Inside you’ll find tips for setting and sticking to your goals, as well as ideas for ways you can improve. Make 2019 your year by creating New Year’s Resolutions for you, your staff, and your funeral home. Embrace change this year, while still maintaining your reputation and honoring the traditions in your community. Improve your workflow and efficiency so that you can create more meaningful services, or even offer new ones. Whatever you decide, we hope this issue inspires you to be the best version of yourself in the new year. 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 “Resources” at the top of the page. 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
N E W F E AT U R E : RESPONSIVE OBITUARIES
Honoring lives on every device. Making our social Tribute Walls more mobile-focused 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. C A L L T O D AY F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N !
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How to Stay on Track with Your Resolutions Were you successful in your resolutions from last year? If not, you’re not alone.
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Many times, resolutions fail by February, and it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. The resolution might just be too large and timeconsuming to complete on top of your other responsibilities. But by re-evaluating your New Year’s resolution, you can avoid making the same mistakes this year. R E - E VA L U AT E Y O U R N E W Y E A R ’ S R E S O L U T I O N S
If you found it difficult to complete your resolution, then you may need to downsize it this year. For example, if your funeral home’s resolution was to step up your social media game, try breaking it down into smaller steps this time. Pick one social media platform to focus on, such as Facebook. If your funeral home doesn’t have a Facebook page, have your resolution focus on creating a personalized Facebook page. If you already have a Facebook page for your funeral home but don’t use it often, focus on posting a few Facebook posts per week. Or if you already post regularly to Facebook, try taking advantage of one of Facebook’s other features, such as Facebook Live or Facebook Events. Or for another example, let’s say your personal resolution was to practice more self-care and de-stressing activities. Try picking one destressing activity, such as meditation or yoga, and schedule a time to do it. Start by doing it every few days and gradually work up to every day and longer periods until it becomes a regular habit.
your resolution goals. The four tendencies, according to author Gretchen Rubin, are upholders, questioners, obligers, and rebels. To find out your tendency, take The Four Tendencies Quiz online. If you’re an upholder, you may have too high of expectations. Try to re-evaluate the bigger picture of your resolution. Create a detailed timeline of when you want certain steps completed and try to be patient. It will take time for your resolution to become a reality, but your hard work and patience will be worth it in the end. Questioners, as they are named, might be questioning the purpose of their resolution. To determine the clear meaning of your resolution, write down a detailed explanation of your goal. Include why it’s important, how it will help you or your funeral home, and what steps you need to take to complete it. Obligers need to clearly communicate their resolution with someone. They struggle to meet inner expectations, so by being accountable to someone else, it becomes an outer expectation that’s easier for them to meet. Try having weekly meetings with someone about your goals and rewarding yourself for accomplishments. Rebels need to find their own self-motivation behind their resolution. Determine why your resolution is important and complete it in a way that makes sense to you. Focus on the outcome of your resolution and how it will benefit others.
R E S O L U T I O N S A N D YO U R T E N D E N C Y
Your tendency, or how you meet expectations of yourself and others, influences how you meet
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New Year’s Resolutions: A How-To Guide for Funeral Directors Often, people make New Year’s resolutions that aren’t thought out or planned. This results in unclear and unrealistic resolutions doomed to fail. According to U.S. News, a shocking 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February.
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So how can your funeral home create a resolution that sticks? And how do you create resolutions not only to better your funeral home but also your own wellbeing? We’ll go over some helpful tips and resolution ideas to get you started. R E S O L U T I O N C R E AT I O N P R O C E S S
The new year is an excellent time to implement resolutions for yourself and your funeral home. However, remember that you can make changes whenever you wish and not just starting on New Year’s Day. What’s important is that you have a plan in place to achieve it. When drafting your resolution, have a clear goal and end date in mind. What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it by? Ask yourself if it’s possible to achieve your resolution within your desired timeframe. It may help to create 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 resolution, it makes it easier to commit. Also, it’s okay to reward yourself throughout the process. You should celebrate and treat yourself when you’ve reached milestones along the way. It also helps keep you motivated and excited throughout the process.
owning smartphones per Pew Research Center, many families will research your funeral home on a mobile device, making a mobile-friendly website a top priority. Step up your social media game. With seven in 10 Americans using social media per Pew Research Center, this is an excellent way to engage with your families and community. Create a Facebook page for your funeral home if you don’t already have one. Or, consider expanding to other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram. You can use our free social media kits to get started. Update your funeral home’s lobby. Your lobby is the first impression families get of your funeral home when they visit. By updating your furniture and décor, you can create a comfortable and inviting space. Or you can create a plan and set goals for a largescale renovation, such as adding a coffee shop or expanding your chapel. Offer multiple funeral payment options for your families. For example, with Tribute Pay, you can offer families multiple funeral payment options such as Tribute Crowdfunding, Tribute Loans, and Tribute Insurance Assignments. Host more community events.
R E S O L U T I O N I D E A S F O R YO U R F U N E R A L H O M E
Update your website to a mobile-friendly design. According to SmallBusiness.com, 79% of small businesses with websites said their website is mobile-friendly. And with 77% of Americans
You can get started by planning a holiday remembrance program if you don’t already plan one. Or, host educational seminars for your community, such as one about the importance of preplanning.
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RESOLUTION IDEAS FOR FUNERAL DIRECTORS
Stay active. Join an exercise class or start your day with yoga. Whether it’s working out, running, Pilates, or another activity, find something that you enjoy. Try new healthy recipes. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be difficult. You can find some healthy recipes that are quick and easy to make. Take time for yourself. Read a new book, do one of your favorite hobbies, or try something new. Practice de-stressing activities. Do activities that help you de-stress after a long day, like going for a walk or watching your favorite show. Balance your work and home life. Try to keep your work discussions at the funeral home, even if it’s a family business. Your home should be a place to relax and spend time with family. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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T R I B U T E LOA N S
Offer the flexibility your families need with Tribute Loans. With financing, families can afford to give their loved ones the send-off they deserve. Offering financing directly on your website means one more service you offer families, and it also means your funeral home gets paid up front. C A L L T O R E Q U E S T A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N O F T R I B U T E L O A N S T O D AY !
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The Meaningful Funeral | 11
This Kind of Thinking Can Hurt Your Funeral Home The funeral profession is like nothing else in the world, and there is a lot to love about that. Funeral directors have the special task of honoring the deceased and telling their final story through a ceremony that helps families heal along the way. But because it’s unlike any other profession, that means funeral homes face many unique challenges. One of the big ones is trying to balance tradition with innovation — a funeral home needs both, but finding that middle ground can be tricky. Too much innovation too fast can seem overwhelming, but not adapting to changes will only hurt your funeral home more in the long run.
been slow. Just look at how much funerals have transformed in the past 100 years. Not much, right? But compare the amount of change from the last 100 years to the last 15 or so, and the rate of change is unprecedented.
WHY IT’S HARD FOR SOME FUNERAL HOMES TO EMBRACE CHANGE
For example, no one thought the cremation rate would surpass burials, especially not this early. Yet it did. And the NFDA believes that by 2030, cremation will make up 70% of body disposition in the U.S. That’s a complete reversal in a short span of just 30 years.
Historically, adapting to new ideas, technology, and other changes in the funeral profession has
Change is happening fast, and it’s not just from cremation. Funeral traditions are changing all
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around us, and funeral homes must get creative to cater to the needs of families who prefer highly personalized memorial services. P R O M O T I N G A C U LT U R E O F C R E AT I V I T Y I N YO U R F U N E R A L H O M E
There’s the old saying that change for change’s sake is just bad business. This kind of change is different. This is the change needed to meet the new needs of families. Change that is needed to survive. The “we’ve always done it this way” kind of thinking is dangerous because it blinds us to emerging trends. To combat it, we must instill a culture of creativity in the funeral home. Consume content that supports different ideas than your own. It’s human nature to look for ideas that support our own beliefs, but it also can lead to generic ways of thinking. Expand horizons by reading new blog posts, trade publications, or other forms of content you’re not used to.
community. Even if it’s families you haven’t served before. What better way to find out what families want than by asking? Leverage technology. Technology plays a vital role in the creative process. According to an article in Forbes, “by expanding possibilities and automating part of the creative process, we can all be more creative and productive.” Use technology to quickly customize traditional aspects of a service, like stationery, candles, and Tribute Videos, and then use the time you saved to work on other ways to personalize the funeral service. Focus on making things easier for others. Shifting your focus from “How does this benefit me?” to “How will this benefit others?” is a way to open your thoughts to new possibilities. Embrace alternative thinking styles. Following one style of thinking is exactly how a business falls into the “we’ve always done it this way” mentality.
Collaborate. Collaborate with everyone, from other staff at the funeral home to the families in your
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What It Takes to Be a Modern Funeral Director Death is, unfortunately, an unchanging aspect of life. But the same can’t be said for funerals.
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New technology and ideas about how we approach death are spreading faster than ever. As a funeral director, it’s important to understand how to embrace change, while still maintaining important traditions.
(NFDA). Both would transform the landscape of funerals into what we recognize today. Funeral homes became commonplace in communities, and by 1920 there were more than 24,000 funeral directors.
Before we get into the changes facing funeral homes, let’s take a step back and look at the evolution of the funeral director. Innovative technology and ideas aren’t new to the funeral profession; it has happened throughout the history of funerals. Learning about the past is key to understanding the future.
It was in 1963 that the American Way of Death was published by Jessica Mitford. Her investigation led to several reforms in the funeral industry. By 1984, the Federal Trade Commission passed the Funeral Rule, which outlined consumer rights when it came to funerals.
THE BEGINNING
For the sake of brevity, we’ll start with the beginning of funeral directors in America. That started around the Civil War. Before that, caring for the dead was largely left to the family. It was during this time that the traditional American funeral started to take shape. Several factors helped contribute to that. The Civil War was a big one; soldiers were off fighting hundreds of miles from home, and families wanted a way to preserve the body so that the deceased could get a proper burial. As a result, embalming became popular. The practice became even more accepted when President Lincoln’s funeral train toured the country. People came from all over to pay their respects to the fallen president. Embalming preserved the president’s body for the lengthy cross-country trip, and helped spur the idea of embalming as common funeral practice. In 1867, formaldehyde was discovered by a German chemist, August Wilhelm von Hofmann. The preservation properties of formaldehyde helped improve the embalming process. The use of formaldehyde laid out what would be standard for modern embalming practices. In 1882, the first school of mortuary science was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, as was the National Funeral Directors Association
Just as in the past, new technology and ideas are shaping new trends in the funeral home. What exactly are those trends? We will look at what it means to be a funeral director today, and how to better embrace the future of the role. THE MODERN ERA AND CURRENT TRENDS
It’s not enough to simply be aware of trends. It’s important to understand the reasoning behind their growth. The biggest emerging trends facing the modern funeral director are cremation, personalization, environmentallyfriendly funeral options, and technologyfocused funeral services. C R E M AT I O N
Let’s get the big one out of the way. Cremation rates have risen, and the rates show no sign of stopping. The National Funeral Directors Association’s 2017 Cremation and Burial Report found that 50.2% of Americans chose cremation in 2016, while only 43.5% chose traditional burial. By 2035, the cremation rate is expected to reach nearly 80%. We’ve all been aware of its slow rise for some time. But are we fully aware of the reasons why? A big factor is the fact that less Americans participate in organized religion. A rising number identify with no religion at all — around 20% of the population or around 40 million people, per Pew Research Center. Organized worship, especially Christianity,
The Meaningful Funeral | 15
New technology and ideas about how we approach death are spreading faster than ever. As a funeral director, it’s important to understand how to embrace change, while still maintaining important traditions.
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has long practiced the traditional funeral — casket, burial vault, church ceremony, and cemetery burial. With less people practicing in organized worship, there is less pressure to participate in traditional funerals. Money is another important factor. The traditional funeral is more expensive than cremation. With the average cost around $7,000 and rising, more people turn to the less expensive cremation options. On average, cremation costs around $1,600. Roughly a third of all Americans don’t have any savings at all. Bankrate found that 63% don’t have enough money to cover even a $500 expense. One in three Americans have absolutely nothing put aside for retirement. In a perfect world, people would start saving for
funeral expenses right away, but it simply isn’t possible for many families. People are becoming more environmentallyconscious as well. While cremation still faces stigma for the gases it emits, people view it as a greener option than the traditional burial. Cremation also gives families a great level of personalization. You can do almost anything with cremated remains. Ocean reefs, diamond rings, fireworks, or a vinyl record — if you can think it, they can probably use cremated remains to make it. P E R S O N A L I Z AT I O N
Besides cremation, personalization has become the new buzzword of the funeral profession. The NFDA found that 62% of people who
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wanted a funeral service wanted some form of personalization. People still believe in the important role a service can play in the process of grieving. The Funeral and Memorial Information Council had a Harris Poll conducted to measure the current attitudes on funeral practices and found that 82% of adults 40 and older believe in the importance of a memorial service when coping with loss. So who wants personalization and why? Baby Boomers As the “me” generation ages, they’ve brought the yearning for a personalized experience with them. A lot of Boomers are rejecting traditional services and opting for a unique experience. But why? This generation has always had their own way of doing things. They were a huge catalyst for change in American society. Think of the Vietnam protests, 60s counterculture, and feminism. Even as they near retirement, the urge to do things differently hasn’t slowed down for them. So what exactly do Boomers want in a funeral? They don’t want it to be somber. Instead, Baby Boomers believe a funeral should be about celebrating a life. They are more willing to pay for things they want, not just things they need. But they don’t want to leave a financial burden on their family after they pass. They also are open to preneed purchases. After the recession cut into a lot of savings, Boomers started to think about how they will pay for services ahead of time. Generation X and Millennials Because younger generations grew up in the digital age, their desires for a modern funeral
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service are reflected in that. They still think a memorial or funeral service is important and should be meaningful, but their rituals are different than traditional ones and often more technology-oriented. So what are some of the things they want? Younger generations are more likely to have some sort of virtual memorial or interact with an online memorial of a friend. They’re also more likely to use a crowdfunding site to pay for a funeral. They want funerals to be about celebrating a life as well and are open to things like alcohol served at a funeral, themed funerals, and funeral selfies. They also lean toward alternative and green funeral practices over traditional burials. Change is coming from all sorts of directions. The good news is that even though the idea of “traditional” is changing, people from all generations still recognize the need for a service and the role it plays in bereavement. E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY- F R I E N D LY F U N E R A L S
Green funerals also have seen a rise in popularity. The term “green” can mean a lot of things. A green/eco-friendly service can range from a simple pine box burial to having cremated remains turned into an undersea reef. While the market for a green funeral is still small, it is growing. According to the NFDA’s annual Consumer Survey Study, over half of those surveyed (53.8%) said they had interest in green memorial and funeral options. So why are people slowly gravitating toward this trend? The two big reasons tend to be to leave less of an impact on the environment and to save money, though depending on what type of service it is, it can cost more or less than the average funeral.
TECH-BASED SERVICES
Funerals have started to become more hightech. People are not just comfortable with technology being used at services, they request it. Websites, social memorials, 3D-printedurns — technology is at the forefront of the funeral profession.
Think of the technology as your personal arsenal of tools to meet today’s shifting market. Combining your personal experience in providing quality service to families and this new wave of funeral technology, you can forge ahead in the brave new world of the modern funeral director.
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What Is Your Funeral Home’s Brand? When you think of your brand, your funeral home’s name or logo may be the first thing that comes to mind. However, these things are not your funeral home’s brand.
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Your brand is not a name or a sign; it’s the feeling families get when they read your name and the memories they have of their experiences with you. Your brand shows your families that you care about providing them with the best possible funeral experience. It also distinguishes your funeral home from competitors by showcasing what makes you unique, such as your active community involvement. To put it simply, it’s the meaning behind everything you do and work hard for every day. It’s time to find out your funeral home’s brand and how you can implement it into your work. H O W D O YO U D E T E R M I N E YO U R B R A N D ?
Two important things to keep in mind are your audience and engagement. Who is your funeral home’s target audience? Who is currently engaging with your funeral home? Before you determine your brand and work on engagement, you should know your audience demographics. When determining your brand, consider what you want families to first think of when your funeral home comes to mind. How do you want them to remember their experiences with you? How is your funeral home unique? What makes you stand out among competitors? These are a few questions to ask yourself. It may help to list some adjectives to describe your funeral home and its staff. These are the words that you hope families use when describing your funeral home’s staff to a neighbor or friend. Some examples include caring, warm, kind, respectful, trustworthy, and comforting.
Also, you can make a list of words to describe a family’s ideal funeral experience. The funeral not only is a chance to honor their loved one, it’s an opportunity to begin a healthy grief experience. And as you know, personalization is big with families, as they want the funeral to represent who their loved one was. Meaningful, memorable, thoughtful, and creative are a few words you can use. H O W D O Y O U S H O W FA M I L I E S Y O U R B R A N D ?
Once you determine your brand, you should determine ways to engage with your families. For example, let’s say you want to go the extra mile for your families. You can do this by hosting community events, providing care packages, and other things that make their experience meaningful. You can give families everything they wanted and more from their experience with you. Or, maybe you strive to help your families long after the funeral. You can find ways to show them that you’re not out of their life once the funeral is over. You’re there for them if they need help with grief, memorialization, preplanning, or getting involved in the community. Or, you can even be a friend to confide in if they need someone to talk to. Ultimately, it’s about giving families what you promise. Your brand can’t be successful unless you follow through with your plans. Through your hard work and dedication, you can make your funeral home’s brand a reality for your client families. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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Four Signs You Need to Refresh Your Funeral Home’s Brand Funeral homes, perhaps more so than any other type of business, tend to have a unique personal story and identity. This identity is usually rich and comprised of many different facets: owners who have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into the funeral home’s success; employees who have dedicated themselves to working through even the most upsetting scenarios; philosophies about life, death, and grieving; and kind words and compassionate hugs exchanged between those who are mourning. F I R S T I M P R E S S I O N S M AT T E R
When a person researches a certain business establishment they might need to contact, that business’ brand plays a central, if not primary, role in their decision-making process. They can quickly determine whether or not the business’ identity aligns with their own values by evaluating the look and feel of their branding assets: logo, website layout, color usage, fonts, photos, and even uniqueness. In other words, your brand serves to identify your business, your story, and your values to potential customers. If you haven’t been serious about branding, or if you already know your brand could use a serious facelift, your funeral home might be unwittingly conveying
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the wrong message and telling families the wrong story. Your brand is your most valuable asset. It is the first impression you’ll ever make with most of the people you encounter. Use these four signs to determine if it’s time to refresh your brand, and make sure your first impression isn’t your last. 0 1 — YO U R B R A N D N O LO N G E R R E P R E S E N T S YO U R F U N E R A L H O M E ’ S I D E N T I T Y
Your identity and personal story have probably evolved over the years. If you feel that your identity has changed significantly, but that these changes have not been reflected in your branding, it might be time for an update. 0 2 — YO U R F U N E R A L H O M E W E B S I T E LO O K S L I K E YO U R C O M P E T I TO R ’ S
These days, online search is the most popular method of discovery for almost everyone. Most individuals prefer to research several similar establishments to see which one speaks to them the most. If a searching family can’t distinguish between your website and your competitor’s website, you will never stand out.
0 3 — YO U R B R A N D D O E S N ’ T PROMISE ANYTHING
Good branding will speak on your funeral home’s behalf. It will communicate meaningful concepts like reputability, compassion, honesty, or trustworthiness. Bad branding, on the other hand, might accidentally communicate the opposite and steer a lot of people away. 0 4 — YO U R LO G O I S O U T D AT E D O R LO W Q U A L I T Y
If your brand is your identity, your logo is the face. A logo is often seen everywhere: on your
letterhead, on your facility itself, on signs, in brochures, and certainly all over your website. Surprisingly, many business owners spend little time on their logo. Logo design should be left to someone with experience and good qualifications. If you’re uncertain about your logo design, it almost certainly needs to be refreshed or redesigned entirely. Consider reaching out to a local design agency or a freelance designer for a refresh. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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Getting to Know Frazer Consultants Meet two members of our Frazer family — CJ and Audrey — and see what they have to say about Tribute Insurance Assignments.
NAME
CJ YEARS
One ROLE
Sales Consultant
W H AT I D O AT F R A Z E R
I am a Sales Consultant here at Frazer, and I’ve been part of the team for about a year now. Over the course of the last year, I have learned so much about the funeral profession through the conversations I’ve had with funeral directors. It’s fulfilling to know that I have the ability to help them improve their dayto-day efficiency and effectiveness through technology. One of my main focuses in the past few months has been introducing Tribute Insurance Assignments to our customers. I know how transformative of a service it is in terms of reducing workload, and it’s rewarding to be able to offer that help to our clients. HELPING FUNERAL DIRECTORS
When I talk to our customers, many don’t believe at first how easy our Tribute Insurance Assignments submission process is. But when we start having conversations about how they’ve done assignments in the past, I understand their hesitation. Many funeral directors haven’t seen a submission process like ours. Once I demonstrate the process, they are shocked at how simple it is. And the immediate and thorough communication between our insurance experts and their
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staff also is unmatched in the life insurance assignments industry. U N M AT C H E D E X P E R T I S E
Our whole system is built with the input of experts who have been doing life insurance assignments for decades. We know the hiccups, the difficulties, the loopholes — so we can prepare for them better than anyone else can. In most cases, we can fund assignments for single payer policies within 24 hours. We also can typically fund more difficult federal or group policies within 48 hours. We also are able confirm unknown beneficiaries, verify whether a loan has been taken out on a policy, and work directly with the insurance companies in the rare case of fraud. If the policy value is unknown – don’t fret! We can verify that information as well. We even accept any type of assignable claim; even pending, coroner, homicide, and suicide cases. H E L P I N G FA M I L I E S
The most important part of Tribute Insurance Assignments is that we can help families in their times of need. We know the last thing you want is to cause any extra anxiety or stress to a family who is grieving. We also know that a funeral bill hanging over a family’s head can cause just that. With our 24-hour funding, we can ensure that your services get paid for faster than ever before, and in a lot of cases, before the day of the service. Better yet, we can advance funding beyond the service costs to help families who may need cash-in-hand faster for other unexpected expenses. At the end of the day, our goal is to help funeral directors help their families, and Tribute Insurance Assignments is just another way for us to do that.
NAME
Audrey YEARS
Two ROLE
Operations Manager
W H AT I D O AT F R A Z E R
At Frazer, I am the Operations Manager of Tribute Insurance Assignments. I oversee the entire life insurance assignment process from the receipt of an assignment, to the funding of that assignment, to obtaining payment for the full claim from the insurance company. I also work closely with our design and development teams to make sure that we are providing a topof-the-line product to our customers. We do this by incorporating updated designs and features to make accepting insurance assignments easier and more efficient for all of our funeral homes. And in addition to my hands-on tasks regarding the operation of Tribute Insurance Assignments, I work with our marketing team to get the word out about how it’s just one part of our all-in-one payment platform, Tribute Pay. HOW WE’RE DIFFERENT
Communication is a big part of what sets us apart from other insurance assignment companies. We pride ourselves on maintaining constant communication with our funeral
homes throughout the lifecycle of an insurance claim. We notify our funeral homes via email of any updates regarding the verification and funding process, as well as any additional information needed from them or the family. This information also gets updated in their claims dashboard, where they can see at-aglance exactly where each policy is in the process and what is needed for each one. Our goal at Tribute Insurance Assignments is to be an extension of your funeral home’s staff. We want to be able to take the administrative work of life insurance assignments off of the desks of your funeral directors and support staff. Any documents that an insurance company may require can be completed and submitted to the insurance company by our insurance experts. I love that we can offer this service, because it allows our funeral homes to spend less time with daunting administrative tasks and more time taking care of their families. W H Y I L O V E W H AT I D O
I have worked in the insurance assignment industry for seven years, and I am motivated by the challenge of creating a smooth claims process for each and every life insurance company. I love the variety of claims that we deal with and being able to help create technology that increases efficiency in verifying and processing life insurance assignments. Tribute Insurance Assignments is constantly growing and improving, and I love being a part of that innovation.
Tribute Insurance Assignments is constantly growing and improving, and I love being a part of that innovation.
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Becoming the Thought Leader in Your Community The cost of traditional advertising isn’t the only thing that’s on the rise. Distrust of traditional paid advertisements also is growing. What’s a funeral home to do? Imagine this: spending less on advertising — fewer ads in the paper and fewer spots run on local TV — and yet, growing the amount of client families you serve. It may sound too good to be true, but it can be done. That’s because of a growing trend in small business called thought leadership.
definitions being tossed around, it’s an often misunderstood subject.
W H AT I S T H O U G H T L E A D E R S H I P ?
Thought leadership isn’t just some fancy MBA buzzword jargon and it isn’t just about coming up with new ideas. Thought leadership is about establishing influential and authoritative views that build trust between your funeral home and client families.
Thought leadership could easily be considered your most valuable asset, but with so many
Of all the many definitions running around the internet, CEO and author Michael Brenner
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defines it best: “It’s not pedigree. It’s not where you went to school. Thought Leadership means you provide the best and deepest answers, to your customers’ biggest questions.” Swap the word customers for families, and that’s what thought leadership is for funeral directors and funeral home owners. It’s about answering your client families’ questions and concerns and educating them. There are several ways in which your funeral home can become a thought leader. You could be the leader in memorialization, the leader of personalized services, a cremation thought leader, or even a thought leader in aftercare and bereavement. But remember, being a thought leader isn’t just about simply offering these services — it’s about being an expert in them. H O W C A N I E S TA B L I S H T H O U G H T L E A D E R S H I P ?
Contribute to guest blogs. Writing serves two purposes: It allows you to establish your expertise in a topic and helps you reach a large amount of families. You can contribute to industry blogs, trade magazines, or even submit an article to the local paper. A recent HubSpot article states that “being recognized by already-established thought leaders as a credible source and contributor will further legitimize your industry expertise.” Speak at events and conferences. Take your expertise out into the community. Public speaking events allow for a greater level of audience participation than writing, which means you can directly answer client families’ questions and concerns and build their trust in your expertise. Offer to speak at a local hospice or church, host a workshop or Q&A at the community college, or even put on your own dinner and invite families to learn more about a topic in your area of expertise.
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Engage on social media. Social media is another way to build thought leadership, and compared to the above two, it’s probably the easiest and quickest. Social media allows you to connect with families in your area, or their relatives who might end up making arrangements later on. Social media is so effective because it was designed to be social. Unlike traditional advertising, social media allows for an immediate conversation and questions and concerns families have can be answered in real time. HOW DOES BEING A THOUGHT LEADER BENEFIT MY FUNERAL HOME?
It allows your funeral home to stand apart from other funeral homes. Imagine you’re shopping for a car. Would you buy a car from just any neighborhood dealer, or from the certified dealer that specializes in the exact make you’re interested in? People buy from people they trust, and thought leadership allows you to build and maintain that trust with your families. It also helps you start a conversation. Families aren’t funeral experts, and many families are planning a funeral for the first time. You can position your funeral home to start a conversation about services, options, and ideas that families might not be aware of. Thought leadership can take time to establish, and being an expert means being ahead of the curve. Thought leadership also requires getting feedback and input from families. But despite all the work, it all leads to an overall improved and innovative line of products and services — and more value for the families you serve. 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. C A L L T O D AY F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N A B O U T TRIBUTE INSURANCE ASSIGNMENTS!
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How to Create or Update Your Funeral Home’s Pet Memorial Services Your funeral home can cater to pet-owning families by offering pet memorial services. Let’s discuss some ways you can create or update your funeral home’s pet memorial services.
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According to the 2017-2018 American Pet Products Association’s National Pet Owners Survey, 68% of U.S. households have at least one pet. The survey also found that 59% of dog owners and 56% of cat owners consider their pet a family member. This means when their pet eventually passes away, they may want a funeral service. Pet funerals are becoming more common, as are writing pet obituaries. To many, pets are family members — so they want to honor their life and pay their respects. THREE MAIN ELEMENTS
When it comes to pet funerals, there are three main elements: preplanning, cremation or burial, and personalization. Preplanning With preplanning, families should decide if they want their pet buried or cremated. They also should decide the memorial service type and if they want any memorial products — such as a clay paw print or fur clipping. Cremation or Burial As you know, there are many different types of pet burial and cremation. For burial, you can help them choose a legal burial location or find a local pet cemetery. For cremation, you can see if they prefer private or communal cremation. Personalization There are many ways to add a personal touch to a pet’s funeral. Creating a Tribute Video, selecting symbolic floral arrangements, setting up memorabilia or the pet’s possessions, and having the reception in a special place are all ways to personalize a pet’s funeral service.
offering clay paw prints, packaged locks of fur, memorial jewelry, keepsake keychains, and garden memorial stones to families. You also can suggest some DIY pet mementos or even host some workshops for creating these mementos, such as a collar-wrapped candle. Hosting events such as workshops or educational luncheons can help spread the word about your funeral home’s pet memorial services as well. A pet memorial garden is another special feature your funeral home can offer to families. It gives families a special place to scatter their pet’s ashes or dedicate a memorial in their honor. Before creating the garden, consider the location, types of foliage you’ll include, and memorial statues you’ll feature. A local landscaper is a great resource to get started. A C C R E D I TAT I O N S A N D M E M B E R S H I P S
With accreditations and memberships, your staff can be lifelong learners and your funeral home can become your community’s trusted pet memorial services location. Some memberships that you may want to consider are the International Association of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories (IAOPCC) and Pet Loss Professionals Alliance (PLPA). To be a PLPA member, you must be an ICCFA member as well. Two useful accreditations are from the IAOPCC and the National Funeral Directors Association. To be eligible for the IAOPCC Accreditation program, you must be an IAOPCC member. To complete the NFDA Pet Cremation Authorization form, you need to be an NFDA member first.
M E M O R I A L I Z AT I O N I D E A S
Oftentimes, pet owners want a tangible way to memorialize their beloved pet. Consider
T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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Four Ways Your Funeral Home Can Unlock Innovation This Year Are you taking the “New Year, New Me” approach for your funeral home this year? Whether you’re looking to wow families in new ways, or stand out from your competition, here you’ll find four ways to unlock innovation for your funeral home in 2019. 01 — ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Michael Noice, an entrepreneur coach, wrote in an article for Entrepreneur that innovation starts by asking the right questions. His advice is to ask “questions that challenge everyone’s thinking in new ways. Resist the urge to continue asking common questions that only produce stale ideas that have been recycled repeatedly. Asking the right questions lead you down paths that open new ways of thinking about your business.”
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For example, we all know that cremation rates in 2019 will continue to increase. But why? Why are more families choosing cremation than burial? We also know alternative services such as green funerals, home funerals, and other nontraditional funeral services are increasing in popularity. Has your funeral home stopped to ask why? Or, more importantly, has it asked how it will meet families’ demands for these new trends? Asking the right questions lays the foundation for innovation and success for your funeral home in 2019. 02 — LEAD THE CHANGE
One of the most dangerous lines of thinking — in any professional setting — is the “we’ve always done it this way” mentality. In the book Small Business, Big Vision, author Matthew Toren argues that the phrase is essentially a company killer. He says that “It isn’t just a group of harmless words…It reflects a lack of creativity… and a serious absence of flexibility. It’s a company killer because it is anything but progressive, and you can bet that at least one of your competitors refuses to look at things that way.” So how can your funeral home overcome this “we’ve always done it this way” mentality? Start by leading the change in your community. Again, it starts by asking questions. What can our funeral home do differently? What can we do that no other funeral home in the area can? Identify new services, experiences, payment methods, memorials — anything that sets you apart from your competitors — and implement them at your funeral home in 2019.
often have the best insight on what families want to see from a funeral service. Frank Dawson, a certified funeral service practitioner and author, shared his methods for encouraging a creative culture in his book Gaining A Competitive Edge Through Transformational Funeral Service. He said that he gives a $2 bill to staff members who present the best ideas in their weekly Monday meetings. He believes that, while $2 is a small amount, it’s more about the pride in presenting creative ideas, and it helps encourage the staff to capture and share any and all of their ideas during meetings. Have your staff always carry a notebook or use a smartphone app to record any ideas. Dawson calls it the “When you think it, ink it” approach. 0 4 — C O L L A B O R AT E W I T H T H E C O M M U N I T Y
Your funeral home’s staff also can look to your community for ideas to innovate this year. Communities a great resource to use. That’s because, typically, your communities all have something unique to offer. For example, your funeral home could create new unique experiences by collaborating with local musicians to create personal tribute songs, local artists to create one-of-a-kind memorials, area restaurants to create a personalized menu for a special tribute dinner or reception after the funeral, or local authors to help write up personal family histories or inspiring obituaries. Every community has something of value to offer. This year, look out in your community for ways to collaborate and create new experiences for the families you serve. You might be surprised at what you find.
0 3 — E N C O U R A G E A C U LT U R E O F I N N O VAT I O N
Sometimes the best ideas start with your staff. The funeral directors working the front lines
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T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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TRIBUTE VIDEOS
Easy-to-create cinematic-quality memorial videos for familes. With nearly 200 intros and endings, almost 400 licensed songs, 850 high-quality stock video clips, and 500 themes for DVD packaging, you can create a meaningful, completely personalized video for families in minutes. C O N TA C T U S F O R M O R E I N F O , O R V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E TO 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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Preparing Your Funeral Home for the Future To prepare for the future, your funeral home can start adding on high-value services. Aftercare programs and pet memorial services are just two examples of how to expand your funeral home’s services.
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E N H A N C I N G YO U R A F T E RC A R E P RO G R A M
NEW IDEAS IN NEW MEXICO
For your funeral home, the aftercare market is the next logical step. It’s good for families and it’s good for your funeral home.
After seeing the success of their aftercare services, a New Mexico funeral home is taking it to the next level.
Funeral homes already have a hand in helping families preplan funeral arrangements. And of course, funeral homes are there at the time of death for at-need arrangements. Now more funeral homes are investing in new services that benefit families long after the funeral.
The funeral home began with a traditional aftercare program – offering families a grief counselor service. It’s something many funeral homes already do. The grief counselor, Linda Phelps, was retained to work onsite to offer families three free one-hour grief sessions after attending a funeral.
Funeral directors know better than anyone that a funeral service is meant to celebrate a life and help with the grief journey. But you also know grieving doesn’t magically stop after a service. Families need guidance after a funeral.
Because of the reception and success the program received, the funeral home is now opening up a grief resource center dedicated to the community.
D O N ’ T M A K E YO U R A F T E RC A R E A N AFTERTHOUGHT
Expanding aftercare services can provide a huge opportunity for funeral homes in the next few years. It’s a service many families want, and it will go a long way in bolstering your funeral home’s reputation. By going above and beyond and providing unique grief services, your funeral home is sure to win positive recommendations from families, and that matters — according to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over all other forms of advertising. I D E A S T O G E T Y O U R P R O G R A M S TA R T E D
Aftercare certainly isn’t a new concept — many funeral homes have some form of aftercare — but now some funeral homes are investing more in their aftercare programs than ever before. They’re able to provide a full scope of services from on-site grief counseling to social media and digital care programs. Let’s look at some examples and get some ideas of how your funeral home can enhance its aftercare as a high-value service.
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David Houston, the chairman of the New Mexico Board of Funeral Services, told the Albuquerque Journal that “Traditionally, grief counseling has not been part of our services. I do think it’s a good idea, and having a grief center, a place that is readily available to people, would provide additional resources to the families we serve.” It’s going to be the first of its kind in the whole state. The funeral home’s resource center also has received the backing of other community organizations, including the Children’s Grief Center of New Mexico, Samaritan Counseling Center, clergy and members of the faith-based community, and first responders, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians. AFTERCARE ONLINE
Of course, building a brand new state-of-theart grief resource center can be costly. Other funeral homes are turning to the internet to offer convenient and cost-effective aftercare services for families. These services include online classes, daily email updates, journals, and social media, and can be just as valuable for families who are in the process of grieving.
W H E R E D O E S YO U R A F T E RC A R E P R O G R A M S TA N D ?
In the coming years, aftercare is going to be a critical service for funeral homes to provide families. If it’s been a while since your funeral home looked at its aftercare program, perhaps it’s time to invest in it. It’s not just something many families want, it’s something they need. And it will help deepen your funeral home’s ties within the community it serves and provide each family with a truly valuable service. PET MEMORIAL SERVICES
As one article in Bloomberg recently put it, “there’s never been a better time to be a dead pet.” While it’s obvious that no one likes losing a pet, it’s a fact of life many pet owners will have to deal with at some point or another. And the business for it is booming. As of 2016, the pet funeral industry has made more than $100 million in profit, according to an article published in The Hustle. Just do a quick Google search for “pet funeral industry” and you’ll be sure to find article after article detailing the growing market for pet funeral and memorial services for pets.
expanding pet ownership and the humanization of their care continues to drive the pet death care industry.” For your funeral home, this opens the door to another highly-valued service you can provide families. There are ways your funeral home can start offering pet memorial services. One way is to acquire accreditation to begin offering traditional services for pets, including pet burial and cremation. You can also offer services such as ash scattering ceremonies, or a unique line of memorial products and tributes. Pet services will remain another additional revenue stream that can bolster your funeral home’s profit margins in the coming years. As one Pennsylvania funeral home owner told Bloomberg, “If you’re in this business right now, you’re just sailing with the wind right at your back.” The Pennsylvania funeral home has seen an increase of profits by 25% since beginning to offer pet services.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, nearly 65% of American households are pet owners. That’s an estimated 163.6 million cats, dogs, and other animals. And each year we spend nearly $60 billion on them. These animals become more than just a pet, they are part of the family. And when a pet passes, we mourn them. And that’s creating a bigger market to provide memorial services for our furry friends. Cremation.com wrote that “As more and more Baby Boomers become ‘empty-nesters,’ pets provide a new outlet for companionship and nurturing. A large number of millennials… are pet owners as well. The combination of
WA N T T O R E A D M O R E ?
Download the rest of our free guide about preparing your funeral home for the future!
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How to Prepare for the Rise of Alternative Funerals Funerals are evolving. Today’s funeral directors must adapt to meet the needs of today’s families, as more are looking for alternative services to the traditional funeral.
W H AT D O E S “A LT E R N AT I V E ” M E A N ?
When people talk about alternative funerals, it could mean a lot of things. Alternative is anything that’s not traditional. So, it could be something as simple as adding more personalization to a service. Or alternative could mean something completely new, like having a three-hour funeral ceremony that ends with the cast of The Lion King singing the Circle of Life (that actually happened). At the end of the day, an alternative funeral means whatever the deceased or the family wants it to mean.
profession, things are set to get even more high-tech in the coming years. Celebration Some funeral homes are distancing themselves from the idea of “traditional” altogether. You may have noticed the rise of “event centers” or “celebration centers.” These funeral homes have rebranded themselves to become the focal point of community celebrations. In addition to funerals, these event centers also celebrate baptisms, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings.
E X A M P L E S O F A LT E R N AT I V E F U N E R A L T R E N D S
H O W Y O U C A N P R E PA R E
Green
As you can see, funerals are evolving. It’s not a new notion. Funerals and how we mourn the dead have changed throughout time. We just happen to currently be in one of those societal transitions. As a funeral home, your goal should be to align your offerings to meet the preferences of not only today’s families but tomorrow’s families, too.
According to the NFDA, more than half of Americans (54%) are considering a green burial. On top of that, 72% of cemeteries are reporting an increasing demand for green burial options. At this rate, the green movement is set to make as big an impact as cremation on the future of the funeral profession. High-Tech
S TAY I N F O R M E D
While some families want simpler, greener funerals, others are opting for immersive, high-tech experiences. Some recent examples include multi-sensory video displays, virtualreality memorials, and robot priests. And with the former CEO of Epcot entering the funeral
There are new changes occurring every day in the funeral profession. Stay up-to-date by following national organizations like the NFDA, ICCFA, and CANA. Set up Google Alerts to track major stories and new trends or subscribe to a newsletter (like ours!). Enroll in continuing
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education courses or workshops to continue learning about the profession. There are several ways to stay informed, but it’s up to you to stay updated on what’s happening around the profession. NETWORK
Another way to stay prepared for the rise of alternative funerals is to network with leaders in the funeral profession. Use annual conventions and business conferences to meet with likeminded leaders and learn new skills. Follow our Events section on the Frazer website to see the most up-to-date collection of funeral-related conferences, events, and webinars.
U S E R E S O U R C E S AVA I L A B L E T O Y O U
Thanks to the internet, becoming a lifelong learner is easier than ever. And our team at Frazer Consultants is here to make it even easier. On our Resources page, you’ll find a variety of free resources to help your funeral home not only stay informed but succeed in this changing era of funeral services. Our free resources include eBooks on a variety of topics important to you, social media kits to engage with families, issues of The Meaningful Funeral, and more! T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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How to Reinvent the Funeral Experience for Today’s Families The funeral profession is changing. Between rising cremation rates, new technology, and changing trends, today’s families don’t want yesterday’s funeral traditions. They want something new. And they will choose the funeral home that can offer the experiences they want. So how can your funeral home meet a modern family’s needs and remain competitive within the community? You don’t need to provide the newest, most eye-catching service, like launching a loved one’s ashes into space or cryogenically freezing the departed. The answer, in fact, is much simpler. Roger Cusa, the author of Reinventing the Egg: To Win the Game is to Change It, wrote in his book that “The goal is not to invent or to become a pioneer, which is what people tend to associate with innovation. The goal is to take advantage of an existing technology, move it one step further, and find a new and unique solution to a problem.” There are a variety of ways your funeral home can take existing traditions and technologies and place an innovative spin on them. S TAT I O N E R Y
Personalization isn’t a trend anymore, it’s becoming a new funeral tradition. And to meet families’ needs for unique funeral tributes, your funeral home can personalize tribute products and funeral stationery. No two people are the same, so why should their memorial tributes be?
OBITUARIES
Obituaries matter. They tell a life story and they announce a loss to communities. But are the old ways of obituaries outdated? Newspaper circulation continues to decline. But that doesn’t mean we won’t continue to need obituaries. Why not offer families a more modern and immersive obituary experience? Give them a digital tribute where they can interact with friends and family and share photos, memories, and stories with each other. It’s a simple way in which your funeral home can take existing technology and use it to innovate an old tradition. AFTERCARE
Your funeral home can change the funeral experience and how families interact with their funeral home. Offer them a truly meaningful healing experience that continues after the funeral is over. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
frazerconsultants.com/meaningful
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Helping the Next Generation of Funeral Directors Succeed In the coming years, the funeral profession is going to see a lack of licensed funeral directors. As the average age of funeral directors goes up and more experienced funeral directors retire, there’s going to be a need for new talent to join the profession. But as the American Board of Funeral Service Education notes, that’s not happening. On their website, they state that “on a national basis there are generally more jobs available than there are licensed funeral directors to fill them.” A recent article in Funeral Business Advisor stated that “As the average age of a funeral home owner rises and more and more funeral directors enter retirement, our industry is experiencing a labor crunch because the number of mortuary students won’t be able to keep pace with the increased demand from a rising death rate due to the Baby Boom generation. Therefore, it’s becoming harder and harder to find and keep top quality talent in the funeral profession.” Mark Krause, President of Krause Funeral Homes in Wisconsin, wrote in an article for Director.edu that “We can no longer wait for people to stumble onto funeral service as their vocation. We must think more aggressively about how to attract bright, articulate individuals to explore our profession.” For your funeral home to ensure long-term success, you’ll need a plan in place to attract new funeral directors to your firm in the future.
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EMBRACE CHANGE IN THE FUNERAL HOME
The funeral profession is changing. According to the NFDA, the top trends impacting the profession include personalization, cremation, and the green funeral movement. Even if these trends aren’t directly impacting your funeral home right now, they will in the future. How is your funeral home prepared to adapt to these changes? Remember, sticking to the status quo is the surest way to business stagnation. By embracing these new trends now, your funeral home is better prepared for the future. And that makes it a more attractive landing spot for the future generations of funeral directors. E M B R AC E T E C H N O LO G Y I N T H E FUNERAL HOME
Imagine this scenario. A skilled landscaper has two job offers from competing companies
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in town. Both are offering around the same compensation and benefits. The first company, however, still uses a push reel mower and hand-held hedge trimmers. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that. Except that the second company has state-of-the-art riding mowers and commercial gas-powered hedge trimmers available for their landscapers. What company do you think the landscaper is going to choose? It’s likely the modern company, with newer technology. The same rule applies to funeral homes. Newer technology will help attract new talent. Ask yourself, does your funeral home: Have a modern website with the latest features? Have a mobile-friendly website? Actively engage with families on social media? Have computers less than five years old? Integrate technology and software to cut back on paperwork?
Use cloud-based technology so your staff can access important documents from anywhere at any time? If you can’t answer yes to all or even some of the above, you’ll need to start thinking about updating your funeral home’s technology. Embracing modern technology now not only streamlines everyday tasks for your staff, it also helps set you apart from competitors when looking to hire new talent. E M B R A C E E D U C AT I O N I N T H E F U N E R A L H O M E
Finally, in order to better understand the next generation of funeral directors, you should commit to learning the challenges, trends, and new ideas that will impact the funeral profession in the next 15-30 years. These are all ways you can make sure the next generation of funeral professionals succeeds at your funeral home. But what about in the funeral profession in general? INSPIRING OTHERS IN THE PROFESSION
There are many ways that you can help encourage and inspire the next generation of funeral directors. Donate to a scholarship
Become a mentor Becoming a mentor can help strengthen your connection to the community. It’s also an opportunity to generate interest in a career in funeral service and be there to support younger funeral directors during tough times. Contribute to Director.edu Another option is to share your insight and experience by contributing to publications like Director.edu — an electronic news publication for mortuary science students. Sponsor NFDA memberships Give access to hundreds of funeral profession resources by sponsoring an NFDA membership for a local mortuary student. Support the Funeral Service Foundation The Funeral Service Foundation offers several ways for funeral directors to give back. From their Fund ’45 scholarship program, to their endowment support, to their sponsorship and In-Kind support program; there are a number of ways your funeral home can help give back to the next generation of funeral directors. T O R E A D M O R E , V I S I T:
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There are plenty of scholarship opportunities available. Help make a difference by donating to state funeral director associations, mortuary college scholarships, or any other funeral service organization.
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FRAZER WEBSITES
Our websites work hard so you don’t have to. Frazer-powered websites are more than just beautifully designed — we put thought into every aspect of your site so that your families get the features they need, and we’re constantly adding features at no additional cost to your funeral home. C A L L T O R E Q U E S T A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N T O D AY !
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2 5 0 1 PA R M E N T E R S T R E E T SUITE 300A M I D D L E TO N , W I 5 3 5 6 2
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T R I B U T E PAY
Make it easier to get paid up front. Tribute Pay puts your funeral home back in control of your accounts receivable. Offer credit card payments, financing, insurance assignments, crowdfunding, and electronic checks all in one place — and get paid up front no matter what option families choose. C A L L T O R E Q U E S T A F R E E D E M O N S T R AT I O N T O D AY !
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