IN THE NEWS

Seriously? You just worked your tail off bending over backwards to make sure every whim of that pain-in-the-butt family was taken care of, why would you want to do anything with or for them “after” the funeral. Rumor has it, if you want to take your business to the next level you need a super…
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While outlining this article prior to attending this year’s ICCFA World Wide Sales (WWS), I had no idea that I had created the precursor to what I would experience. This was my second year at this mind-blowing conference which has given me so many ideas to share with all of you. If you have ever…
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On a recent nine-hour flight I was writing down a few ideas for future articles when the plane hit some major turbulence, triggering people to scream, curse and say a few prayers. Strangely, I giggled and thought, “Wow, what a great premise for another preneed article.” Click here to read the full article…

“I want you to take care of me when I die.” Do I consider this a compliment? Absolutely! When I first started out as a 20-year old funeral director and someone said this to me, it was usually a young man who thought I didn’t get their true meaning— wink, wink. I will never forget…
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“In the Weeds” is a common expression in the service industry. It describes a stressful time in which you have myriad tasks of equal importance that all need to be accomplished immediately. Sometimes we get that feeling in our daily jobs, when we’re putting out fires rather than focusing on tasks that provide for the…
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Everyone has to remember the mantra of my favorite character, “The Scarecrow”. “The Wizard of Oz” opened in theaters on August 25, 1939 based on the book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (1900) written by L. Frank Baum. Its classic charm and lessons learned can be shared across many industries. As funeral directors, can any of…
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Me, me, me – pick me! I want to be a funeral director! It is the world’s greatest career.  But when you stop and truly think about it, only a glutton for punishment would want to do what we do. Seriously, who in their right mind would want to be a funeral director? How many…
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As the economy continues to slog along, it’s safe to say that many cemeteries are feeling the impact the most. In an industry where money is already a scarce resource, the very long run of declining and low interest rates is felt by every cemetery. For many cemeteries, there is little to no opportunity to…
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Financial measures are a tool almost any business uses to determine how well it is doing. Whether you are a manager responsible for a part or all of the bottom line, an entrepreneur who started a business or a multigenerational owner where the business has, or will be, passed off to you, you can use financial…
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Many in funeral service see preneed sales as a way to grow business, give customers what they want and guarantee success into the future. But, just like all other aspects of the profession, the sale and management of preneed accounts is subject to changing economic conditions and customer expectations and desires. In this first part…
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