October 11, 2016
Published by 
Stephanie Ramsey on October 11, 2016
Stephanie Ramsey on October 11, 2016HR-Quarterly September 2016 – SR
October 5, 2016
Published by 
Dan Isard on October 5, 2016
Dan Isard on October 5, 2016Selling memorialization to cremation families involves not only implementing a “good, better, best” pricing strategy but also learning how to reach people who, unlike traditional burial families, do not automatically choose final disposition as part of the process. How to increase yourniche and inurnment sales If you have not updated your cemetery master plan in the last 10 years, you are making a grave mistake (pun intended). The cemetery of the 19th century was a simple land-use master plan. You had an acre of land with between 1,000 and 1,200 graves. Each grave equaled one interment. However the master plan of today should focus on inurnment rather than interment. If you want to increase your number of urn placements you have to change your master plan. We have learned so much about the mind of the cremation-choosing consumer in the […]
October 5, 2016
Published by Dan Isard on October 5, 2016
Dan Isard on October 5, 2016Figuring out what your cemetery could be worth on the open market is a good idea if you plan to retire in a few years. But your local commercial real estate appraiser might never have valued a cemetery in his life. Cemetery Impossible Figuring out what your cemetery is worth and how its sale can fund your retirement Dear Cemetery Impossible, I own a 60-year-old cemetery started by my parents. It was a farm before we established the cemetery. I have about 100 acres, of which 10 are fully sold out. Within the remaining 90 acres, six are plotted and the balance remain undeveloped. I do about 200 sales a year with 150 interments. The cemetery is all ground interment with no above-ground options. I am reaching retirement age and thinking about selling. I had it valued by a local […]
September 1, 2016
Published by Dan Isard on September 1, 2016
Dan Isard on September 1, 2016Dear Dan, I have an iPhone, an iPad and a Facebook page for my funeral home and myself. I’ve even read a tweet or two. Today, however, I’m feeling old and out of touch. I am in service to a family that asked me to set up a crowdfunding account. They said this fund will pay all of the funeral expenses. The death was of a teen, so they asked that I cash-advance the cemetery. They bought a nice casket and vault, but I have no idea what I am doing with crowdfunding. Signed, I Am Definitely Not Hep Dear Definitely Not Hep, Let’s start with an explanation of crowdfunding. Then, if you decide to move forward with this fundraising arrangement, I will move for your commitment and the removal of all power to make independent financial decisions. Crowdfunding is […]
August 17, 2016
Published by Stephanie Ramsey on August 17, 2016
Stephanie Ramsey on August 17, 2016What You Need to Know About the New Overtime Rules Do you know what is important about Dec. 1, 2016? The recently released overtime rule changes to the Fair Labor Standards Acts released by the U.S. Department of Labor become effective. Cemetery and funeral business managers and owners will need to be in compliance with the new requirements by that date. The last time revisions were made to the FLSA was 2004. On the surface, it may seem that there are really not that many changes to the FLSA after 12 years; however, the impact to funeral and cemetery business owners may be significant. To grasp the possible implications to business owners, it is necessary to clearly understand exactly what rules the DOL altered or expanded. The FLSA previously established three tests that must be met for an employee to […]