Articles
April 18, 2023
Published by 
Nicole Vullo on April 18, 2023
Nicole Vullo on April 18, 2023Bringing your marketing blueprint to life requires a solid plan but also the flexibility to try new things and change what doesn’t work. I recently finished a book in which the main character and I shared a few things in common. We both love football and we both use algorithms in our careers. Her algorithms were focused on using data to analyze and predict game strategies and mine are focused on crafting the appropriate elements for a marketing strategy. Now, if only I could also marry the star NFL quarterback like she did… But I digress. Every marketing and social media platform uses an algorithm, and whether you like it or not, you need to understand it to be successful in marketing your funeral home or cemetery business. The algorithms determine which content people see every time they check the […]
March 20, 2023
Published by 
Dan Isard on March 20, 2023
Dan Isard on March 20, 2023What Is the Solution for the Continuity of a Perpetual Business? The age of most companies in the United States is relatively young. Even those huge companies on the Dow Jones (DJIA) are on average barely 20 years old. When we use the concept of a cemetery, they are intended to be perpetual. Perpetual is forever, which is longer than 20 years. While the anticipation of an on-going concern might be into perpetuity, no company on the DJIA can assert that they are committed to running their company in perpetuity. That is what makes a cemetery business so unique. Funeral homes are a bit different in their on-going concern mentality. Funeral home owners have a mentality of a perpetual provider. However, their historical reliance on a building makes the funeral home a business that is immobile. This means the business […]
March 20, 2023
Published by 
Chris Cruger on March 20, 2023
Chris Cruger on March 20, 2023A peacetime army often can be effectively led with good administration and management up and down the ranks, with strong leadership at the top. In wartime, leadership is required at all levels. No one has figured out how to manage people effectively in battle, they simply must be led. I am not suggesting that funeral service and wartime are one in the same. However, I do think this analogy does highlight the reality of the times we are facing in funeral service. The radical changes that have impacted our profession has often made it feel like we are in crisis mode. In general, times have been quite good for most of us in funeral service over the past few years. We have been pushed to the limits but have come out better and stronger for it. The pandemic ushered in […]
March 20, 2023
Published by 
Stephanie Ramsey on March 20, 2023
Stephanie Ramsey on March 20, 2023Scenario: David Sully has a thriving funeral business in the southern United States comprised of three locations serving more than 700 families. Recently he decided to create a multidenominational funeral home as well as building his own cemetery, crematory and pet cremation business. Given the success of his existing businesses, the current staff did not have the capacity to take on the added responsibilities that would be associated with the new development. Further, they did not have experience in the cemetery, crematory and pet crematory segments. As part of his expansion plans, David anticipated that he would be locating and hiring an entirely new staff to handle the new business enterprise. He carefully thought about the various positions and interviewed cemetery, crematory and pet crematory owners to understand the number of employees and the positions that he would need to […]
March 20, 2023
Published by Dan Isard on March 20, 2023
Dan Isard on March 20, 2023A cobbler with no shoes is just unheard of, and a funeral director without an estate plan should follow suit. How can you – someone who confronts daily the reality of death – ignore the fact that all of us are going to die at some point? If you respect the fact that you will die someday, then you have the right/obligation to plan how you want to transfer your assets to those around you. This article offers some insight into the key points of estate planning. ASSET TRANSFER METHODS There are usually a few things you’ll want to accomplish when creating your estate plan, the first of which involves determining who should be protected by the use of your assets until your death. Next, decide how to provide for the transfer of those assets to the intended parties. Lastly, […]