This Pearls Before Swine Death Cartoon has Pig announcing he’s going to donate his organs after he dies. When Rat asks him why, Pig replies, “Because if I do it before I die, it will kill me.” Ever wonder why your choice to be an organ donor is on your drivers’ license? Because if you […] via Tumblr Death Cartoon: When’s The Best Time to Donate Your Organs?
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This category had a good field of entrants this year, with 13 finalists and entries citing facilities, environmental issues, service times, fees, bereavement services, training, events and grounds maintenance. Selecting a winner from among these entries was not easy, and the judges ended up with three deserving runners up which all deserve mention. The winner was decided both on the quality of facilities and staff and the testimonials from families and funeral directors: Winner: South Oxfordshire Crematorium and Memorial Park Runners up: Kettering Crematorium, Mortlake Crematorium and Seven Hills Crematorium Category sponsor: Scattering Ashes The 2017 Good Funeral Awards were generously sponsored by Greenfield Creations Photograph by Jayne Lloyd Best Crematorium in the UK 2017 published first on YouTube via Tumblr Best Crematorium in the UK 2017 Opened in 2014, Phoenix Brewing Company was founded by local beer lovers who wanted to bring a craft beer revival to the area. Located near the original pre-prohibition brewery district, the brewery was built in the 103-year-old Schroer Mortuary and Funeral Home. Charles Schroer was a successful furniture maker in Mansfield, and, at the time, it was common for the local furniture maker to also craft caskets. Schroer then bought the building next door, and opened the mortuary and funeral home in 1914, which operated until his death in 1932. The original hand-operated elevator still exists, and has been converted into storage and HVAC equipment. The chapel is now that renovated taproom, and the embalming and prep area on the bottom floor now houses the PBC equipment and cold storage. During the renovation, as much of the original architecture that could be kept was reused or recycled. The original windows were refinished, tabletops were recycled from a local bowling alley, and bricks used in the adjoining patio were salvaged street pavers from Cleveland. The Phoenix Brewing Company embraces its past in everything they do, from taproom Throughout the years, Phoenix has developed a few series of brews that embrace the death The mortuary series includes Black Aggie, Mary Jane, and Santa Muerte, all named after female urban legends, with Sweet Lillith debuting later this year. The cemetery series includes brews named Embalming Fluid, Toe Tag, and Undertaker, with a fourth brew coming next year. When inventing a new brew, the Phoenix will have a roundtable discussion, throwing out naming options and taking outside feedback into consideration. They confirm that their nameof choice is not already registered in the state of Ohio. They use artwork and the building as inspiration, and research new urban legends and mortuary terms. The cemetery and mortuary series’ are released separately each year, and the Phoenix says they have lines out the door on release day. Public response has only been positive, and everyone seems to be comfortable and interested in the death-themed brewery. Many customers offer name suggestions for new beers. With names like Embalming Fluid and Undertaker, one may assume that a customer would be uncomfortable placing an order. Carmone Macfarlane, who oversees marketing and swag, says that new customers might giggle when ordering, but the names are a conversation starter. A conversation is then launched about the name, the history of the building, and the customer is engaged. Phoenix has a large following from funeral directors, with a few being members of their The Phoenix Brewing Company continues to embrace their building’s history, their love for craft brewing, and their passion for Mansfield, and their community seems to embrace them right back. Article and interview by: Madison Smith, DISRUPT Media Video and Photography by: Joshua Tisonyai, DISRUPT Media The Story Behind Two Craft Beer Series Inspired By a 103 Year Old Funeral Home published first on YouTube via Tumblr The Story Behind Two Craft Beer Series Inspired By a 103 Year Old Funeral Home If you’re like most people, discussing your mortality is one of the last things you want to do. We know it’s true, because despite the fact that humans have a 100% mortality rate, fewer than 30% of adults do any end-of-life planning: wills or trusts, advanced medical directives or pre-need funeral planning. But what if […] via Tumblr Before I Die Festivals Get People Talking About Mortality Originally Published on The Foresight Companies Undoubtedly, caskets and urns are elements of a funeral. But, unless there is some form of spectacular customization, both are containers for human remains. Marketing by the big casket companies shifted focus away from services to their manufactured products, thus attempting to make caskets and urns the centerpiece of a funeral. Unfortunately, while this brilliant marketing was taking place, the price of caskets skyrocketed and prices for services stagnated. The tragedy is many professionals drank the Kool-Aid. Their own service charges lagged, thus contributing to the now-lackluster funeral home profit margin of around 7 percent. For those that do not know, there was a time I worked for a big casket company. Thus, I have firsthand knowledge regarding products, contracts, marketing and training by casket manufacturers that also sell urns. To set yourself on a path toward greater profitability, you must first fully appreciate what I said earlier: Caskets and urns are both containers for human remains. That is it. I am not at all suggesting simple wood, metal, ceramic, or other material does not have some sort of meaning to grieving families; however, the emphasis is on the life lived, not the box displayed. I acknowledge that the selection of such products is an emotional event, not only for the family, but also for funeral directors. However, the bottom line is a casket or urn is a commodity that is purchased from a funeral service provider, bought online or even made by a family. Does anyone remember a presidential election slogan – “It’s about the economy, stupid?” In our profession, “It’s about the service, period!” My favorite question when I meet with funeral home owners and directors is, “Why is your firm better than the competition?” Without a doubt, I will most likely hear, “We give better service,” which is the great unquantifiable nonanswer. I usually follow up by asking how many arrangements and services they actually attended – with the only response being a blank stare. At any given funeral home, services can be a multitude of identifiable action points. I’ll share a few that I am privy to and deem giving better service:
The most important aspect of transferring emphasis from caskets and urns to services provided is appropriate pricing. Pricing for services is essential to funeral home profit. Unfortunately, many funeral service providers do not use successful pricing formulas. I know that some funeral home owners make pricing decisions based on their competitors’ pricing. As my cohort Dan Isard says, “Why are you basing your prices on the competitor you otherwise call the town idiot during the rest of the year?” I also cannot understand why a vast majority of funeral home owners only change prices once a year, usually around the time that casket prices go up (they never come down). Monitoring profitability is a function of fiducial responsibility by the advisers to funeral home owners, especially accountants. The truth is most accountants, especially local accountants, haven’t a clue about funeral home operations and cannot identify trends that may necessitate pricing changes. If your accountant doesn’t know the difference between a rough box and an alternative container, most likely you’re not getting the benefits of good advice. Pricing begins with knowing your true operating overhead. Dividing your overhead by your number of calls will give you an approximation of the prices you need to charge to make profit. The services provided, not the type of casket sold, generates recovery of overheads for funeral homes. The most important formula to know is GPL + P&L = EBITDA. Your General Price List pricing has a direct correlation to your profit and loss statement and ultimately the value of your business. The consideration for pricing of caskets and urns is a relatively simple exercise. I do remember a very successful and wealthy businessman, Thurston Howell III, who said, “Buy low and sell high.” This is applicable to pricing of funeral-related products. Consumers have exhibited a downward shift of purchasing expensive caskets. There will always be a slim few that buy upper-end caskets for various reasons. However, reality demonstrates that the days of regularly selling at-need bronze, copper and mahogany caskets are a thing of the past. Relying on a high-end casket sale is like playing the lottery: Your number may never come up and you’ve wasted dollars on hope rather than corrective behavior or effort. If you want to know what your average casket sale is, add up the total number of casket sales. Then add up the total retail cost of those sales. Divide the cost by the number of sales. That’s your average retail sale. Do the same with your total casket sales and your total wholesale cost, and voila …. that’s your average wholesale (or what you paid) for the caskets. Now, subtract the total of how much you received in revenue from sales by the wholesale cost you paid for the caskets, and that’s your profit per sale. The net profit from each sale is the beef on the bun. How can you make more money from your casket sales? If consumer spending on caskets is trending down, do you think just charging more makes a difference? The fact is that the casket and urn market is oversaturated in the United States meaning more product is available for purchase than need. There are warehouses full of caskets and urns all over America, including caskets from smaller and foreign companies. Interestingly, some large U.S. manufacturers are making low-cost caskets and distributing them through a network of local distributors as well as operating facilities in foreign countries. In addition to offshore or south-of-the-border manufacturing of caskets, the majority of cloth interiors and practically all hardware for caskets are produced outside of the U.S. Certainly, doing so by casket companies makes tremendous sense for cost savings and profit, so why are you paying so much and making so little on your casket sales? What if you considered purchasing a casket at a lesser wholesale cost? In fact, the “bigs” make “off-brand” caskets that are sold through distributers. Interesting, but the same big casket company that you paid all that money to for a display room may be offering “knockoffs” that are just as good in quality, but at a lower cost and distributed through local casket companies. So in many cases, you could charge the family less for the “other casket” and still net more profit from each sale. Who loses in such a transaction? The pricing of a range of urns works with the same theory. Have you ever noticed from catalog to catalog or at trade shows that the same urns are sold by different vendors? Incidentally, consumers find exactly the same ones available to purchase direct from various websites. Urns selected for display should never have any engraving (of course, I’m certain you know that). Conduct an inventory of your offerings and assess which urns sell the most frequently (if not more than four times per year, get rid of them) and broaden the range with pricing that is attainable for families and profitable for the firm. I am passionate about the funeral profession and believe the future is extremely bright for those of us who understand this is a business first. There are very few comparable industries from the perspective of relationships because that’s what we believe. From the families that we serve and the people that work alongside us, to the vendors that sell us products and those that serve us as consultants, it is personal. Generating enough profit to continue serving and fulfilling our community missions is becoming increasingly more difficult. This should challenge us to focus on our business. In doing so, nothing is wrong with examining every aspect of what we buy and whom we rely on for counsel. Relationships in business must be mutually beneficial, if not, it’s time to step back and evaluate. Are you paying a cost with little return and appreciation? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts – let’s chat and I’ll listen. • What’s more important: Products or Service? published first on YouTube via Tumblr What’s more important: Products or Service? KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die has just been named as a finalist for recognition by the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards. The book by Gail Rubin, CT, is published by Rio Grande Books. The five categories in which the book is a finalist are: Crafts/Hobby/How-To Book eBook Nonfiction […] via Tumblr Five Book Award Nominations for Kicking the Bucket List This Pearls Before Swine Death Cartoon has Pig announcing he’s going to donate his organs after he dies. When Rat asks him why, Pig replies, “Because if I do it before I die, it will kill me.” Ever wonder why your choice to be an organ donor is on your drivers’ license? Because if you […] via Tumblr Death Cartoon: When’s The Best Time to Donate Your Organs? This category could so easily be about the best kept lawn cemetery, or the most attractive natural burial ground, but this year the judges were unanimously persuaded by the passion of the manager who entered for the award in choosing the winner. Ultimately, it is the care and dedication of the people involved with a burial ground which gives it its character, and this entry demonstrates that even a small and relatively new site can shine when it is loved and cared for by someone who believes in it completely. Here are the words that made this decision easy: ‘We are not the busiest of places yet, but our park is a reaching out to those made vulnerable through grief. I came here because I know the difference we can make, I know we can show the community here that you can have a good funeral, you can find a place that welcomes you back, that listens to you. We are not just about the funeral, we are about next week, next month, next year. Caring and supporting. When we lose that we become a cemetery.’ Winner: Heatherley Wood, Greenacres Runner Up: Eden Valley Woodland Burial Ground Award photograph by Jayne Lloyd The 2017 Good Funeral Awards were generously sponsored by Greenfield Creations Best Burial Ground in the UK 2017 published first on YouTube via Tumblr Best Burial Ground in the UK 2017 FN 88 is FN GOOD! We talk Jamie Lee Curtis and her new CBS funeral sitcom, our pal from South Carolina, Mark Smith makes a guest appearance and how do you feel about Water Cremation? California lacks water but they are signing it into law! WE GETTIN’ POLITICAL | FUNERAL nation 088 published first on YouTube via Tumblr WE GETTIN’ POLITICAL | FUNERAL nation 088 Brookfield, Wis. – The Funeral Service Foundation is now accepting online academic scholarship applications and Career Development Award submissions at FuneralServiceFoundation.org. The scholarships and awards are part of the Foundation ’45 Awards, which are transformative academic and professional development scholarships and programs that make education accessible and help funeral directors unlock their potential and take their careers to the next level. Since 1945, the Funeral Service Foundation has fueled the careers of more than 6,000 funeral service professionals in alignment with its mission to support funeral service in building meaningful relationships with the families and the communities it serves. “Students and seasoned professionals alike value continuing education, but often lack the financial means to access the opportunities,” said Foundation Executive Director Danelle O’Neill. “The Foundation ’45 Awards help us carry forward the profession’s next generation of leaders, thinkers and doers.” Academic Scholarships Available scholarships include the Foundation ’45 Academic Scholarship; the Shipley Rose Buckner, Joseph E. Hagan and Dennis Schoepp Memorial Scholarships; and the Memorial Classic Golf Tournament Scholarship. The Foundation also promotes the Brenda Renee Horn and Steve Mack Memorial Scholarships in partnership with the SCI National Scholarship Program. Career Development Awards “As a Career Development Award recipient, I’m grateful for everything the Foundation has been doing for average, hardworking funeral directors across the nation and beyond,” said Anne Cotter, a funeral director at Welch & Cornett Funeral Home in Linton, Ind. “Sometimes it’s that little recognition that pushes that person to excel.” The Foundation accepts names for Career Development Awards throughout the year. Submissions are good for three selection cycles. Those interested may submit their names online at FuneralServiceFoundation.org. Information about each of these innovative training programs is available on the NFDA website, NFDA.org. Additional Opportunities About the Funeral Service Foundation – FuneralServiceFoundation.org Since 1945, the Funeral Service Foundation has served as the profession’s philanthropic voice. As the charitable arm of the National Funeral Directors Association since 1997, the Foundation receives operational support from NFDA and donors across the profession to help advance its mission to support funeral service in building meaningful relationships with the families and the communities it serves. Funeral Service Foundation Accepting Academic Scholarship Applications and Career Development Award Submissions published first on YouTube via Tumblr Funeral Service Foundation Accepting Academic Scholarship Applications and Career Development Award Submissions |
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