Help families memorialize in the new year

Blake Swinford,
Project Manager

How often do you speak with families that have scattered a loved one in the past, and now regret it? As memorialization experts, when talking with families, we need to be sure we are educating them on the importance of having a permanent place of memorialization. It not only creates a special place to visit and share stories for future generations, but it also keeps a family’s loved one's legacy alive.

As many do, I use this time to reflect on the past and plan for the year ahead. I encourage you to take advantage of this time of year to educate families you've already served, and families you hope to serve in the future. You can take it from someone who knows the real heartache of scattering and regretting it later. I scattered my mom’s cremated remains many years ago and didn’t think twice about it. It was what she wanted. Then, I had a family of my own and didn’t have a place to bring my kids to tell "grammy stories."

As we reflect on the past and plan for the year ahead, we are presented with the perfect time to fix things we regret from our past. Whether the families you serve want a bronze memorial, memorial rock or bench, creating a permanent place of memorialization is the most important part. I had a beautiful memorial bench and decorated with a bronze memorial. It sits just outside our memorial park’s Swan Pond. Now, my boys will always have a place to visit their grandma.

If you would like to hear the whole story after scattering my mom and years later creating a place of memorialization, visit us on YouTube.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

How are you handling the holiday roller coaster?

Ethan Darby,
Director of Business
Development

While the holiday season is upon us, I would like to take the time to wish every one of you a Happy Holidays on behalf of my family and the entire Trigard Memorials staff. It's a great time of year to show your appreciation to your employees and to celebrate the holiday season. I hope you all have taken the time to acknowledge the holiday's within your own companies as well.

This time of year comes with a certain feeling in the air. For most, this is an incredibly positive and joyous feeling. For others, it can be a sad or disappointing one. As cemeterians and deathcare providers, we are responsible for helping others through some of the hardest times of their lives. This responsibility can be a gift or an incredibly heavy burden. During this time of year, the burden grows heavier, as some families must deal with loss at a time that is supposed to be filled with family and togetherness. That is why we must make an extra effort to take special care of these families. I’m not saying that we don’t ALWAYS take care of our families to the best of our abilities, but maybe during this time of year, we can be more generous, and maybe more flexible.

We all probably have a few great ideas of how to add that extra personal touch for the families we serve this time of year, but a few that I recommend are:

• Placing a nice bouquet of poinsettias at the graveside with a temporary memorial to honor the family's loved one.
• Making sure there is a clear path to the graveside service to allow for better mobility if you have already received snow this year.
• Serving hot chocolate or coffee in a thermos to keep everyone warm during the outdoor ceremony.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Don't let the holidays slow you down

Jason Murphy,
Director of
Family Services,
Sunset Memorial Park

During the holidays and into the winter months, cemeteries often see their sales take a nosedive. This happens for a number of reasons, but most often, it is because of the cold weather and the holidays leaving potential customers short on cash.

I think the most important thing to do in order to have a successful holiday season is to have a different outlook. Don’t let your sales staff convince themselves that being slow this time of year is “normal.” Remind your staff to be more proactive this time of the year. They can’t just sit back and wait for sales to walk through the door. That won't help increase your sales. Instead, I have two solutions for helping you have a successful holiday and winter cemetery sales season.

1. Hold seminars to attract new customers. Ask your sales staff to hold seminars or informational meetings to keep potential customers coming in the door throughout the colder months. These presentations not only give you more opportunity for better sales during the winter, but they also give your staff a head start going into spring.
2. Contact current customers. The holidays can be tough after losing a loved one, and many people visit the cemetery around the holiday season. This would be a great time to remind visitors to restore, refinish or even upgrade their loved one’s memorial. We constantly upgrade our cell phones, cars and appliances, so why not our loved one's marker? 

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Get personal with a memorial

As I walk through the memorials' production area in our plant, I often catch myself wondering what

Beth VadeBonCoeur,
Accountant

kind of memorial I would design for my loved ones. My family is full of different personalities, and I'm sure yours is as well. Have you ever thought about how you would tell the story of their life with a memorial?

When I think about the people in my family, I think about their passions and their strengths. My father is a hardworking man who loves talking with other people. He isn’t a big fan of taking pictures, but when you do snap his photo, he usually has a goofy grin. I feel like his personality best shows with one of our Classique memorials. On the other hand, my husband has a great interest and passion for restoring and flying World War II airplanes. I think our Collage memorial would allow me to design something around this passion.  

We encourage you to get to know the families you serve and the loved ones they lost. By talking with them, we believe the style of memorial that best fits will become apparent. Let your imagination go wild and let us help create a truly “one of a kind” memorial for the families you serve.

At Trigard Memorials, we have a number of different memorials for the many different personalities of the individuals that we honor. We believe they truly capture the person’s passion and personality. Give our Customer Service team a call at 800.798.4900 for pricing and details.



This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

'Tis the season for change

Drew Edwards,
General Manager,
Sunset Funeral Home

'Tis the season for great food, family and all the things that make the holidays special. It’s also the season for vendor price increases. Yes, many companies pick this time of year to send out their dreaded new price lists, including vendors that help the success of your business.

Although many look at this time of year as a burden, in essence it is a great time for you to reevaluate your business and prepare for 2015. It’s a great time to look over your sales from 2014 and find out where the best opportunity for growth might be for next year.

The trends in the funeral and memorialization industries are changing. And, as a business owner or manager, it is essential that we’re always looking ahead and making a plan to stay ahead of these changes. Whether it is memorialization sales, casket sales, vault sales or even something as simple as your paper goods, take this opportunity to let history tell you what the future might hold. I encourage you to set goals for better sales, and be willing to make small changes in goods or services that just might impact your business in a big way. If you make the necessary changes now, you will guarantee yourself the opportunity to be ready for the next challenge our industry throws our way. Here’s to a happy and prosperous new year.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

What is your learning style?

Sheryl Baumeister,
Human Resources Manager

With the next generation of funeral professionals slowly working their way into our offices, it can be difficult to work with the many differences in age groups. In the November issue of HR Magazine, I read an interesting article by Susan Milligan, a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. called, “Wisdom of the Ages.” In this article, she asks us to acknowledge the different styles of learning to help ease tensions among different age groups in our workplace by identifying the four generations of employees.

Traditionalists (born 1922-1945) – These individuals have lived through the Great Depression and World War II. They have strong ideas about loyalty and hard work. They prefer a structured environment and dislike “being singled out.” They link learning with overall goals.

Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) – They were shaped by the Vietnam War, a time of great social change and uncertainty. Loyalty among this group is to the team, not the organization or manager. They prefer interactive and/or group learning, and need time to practice applying new skills.

Generation X (born 1965-1980) – This generation were often growing up in homes where both parents worked or were divorced. They fended for themselves, which made them used to working independently. They prefer just-in-time learning using technology and learn by doing or getting involved.

Millennials (born 1981-2000) – These individuals were lavishly praised. Parents went from “my children are the most important thing in my life” to “my children are the only thing in my life.” As a result, many have their first job ever right out of college. They prefer teamwork and technology with “edutainment” or any content designed to educate as well as entertain.

Even though these are generalizations, they can help us tailor our way of understanding our differences, and ways of learning. Perhaps if we have a better understanding of each other, we will be able to better tolerate each other and possibly defuse conflicts in the future.
 

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Create a roadmap to success

Ryan Snyder,
Plant Manager

For many businesses, the concept of strategic planning often raises concern over how it might limit their flexibility. However, I would argue that having a well-defined strategic plan can actually make a company more flexible.

Without a defined plan, you stretch your resources so thin that when an important issue does come up, you have a hard time fitting it in - making you less flexible.

A well-defined strategic plan is like a road map. When planning a trip somewhere you have never been, you begin with the end in mind. This determines where you want to go. Then, you map out your route to get there. Along the way, you check off the mile markers of success as you get closer to your destination.

Occasionally, you may hit a detour that requires you to be flexible and modify the existing plan. But, you always know where you are going and how to get back to the original route because you have a well-defined plan.

The same is true for your business. To be sure it is successful, this plan needs to be communicated clearly to your employees. If you don't, you will be dealing with the proverbial "are we there yet?"

One of my favorite quotes is from Stephen Covey, author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." Covey said, "I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a 'transformer' in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage, and faith to be a transforming leader."

I encourage you to be a transforming leader for your company. Lay out the road map for your organization, and see how flexible you can become.


This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Do morals and values still exist?

Donna Darby-Walthall,
Chief Financial Officer

I don’t know that I should admit this, but I am a huge reality TV fan. I loyally watch The Bachelor, The Voice and American Idol, but my favorite is Dancing with the Stars. This year, Sadie Robertson, member of the Duck Dynasty family, is a participant. I found it very interesting to learn that her father, Willie Robertson, approves her wardrobe before she performs, to make sure they are not too revealing. He even approves her dances beforehand to make sure they are appropriate for a teenage girl.

I am extremely impressed that he takes that strong of a role in his daughter’s life, and lets it be known openly on national TV. What impresses me the most is that Sadie also cares about what her dad thinks and sticks to his rules.

Often times, I worry about what the world will be like when my grand kids are grown. I hope they have role models like Willie and Sadie Robertson to help guide them along the way. I encourage you to all be good role models for the next generation coming into our industry.
 

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Cremation rates are rising. What do we do?

Rich Darby,
Chief Operating Officer

Lately, I have seen a lot of cremation studies that have extremely vital information and data that helps in assessing a road map for a funeral business’s future. The big number that is always discussed is the one that is predicting what the funeral industry will be like fifteen to twenty years down the road. According to a few recent studies I have read, cremation will be 70 to 75% of our business. YIKES!!! That makes you want to close up shop and run for the hills, doesn’t it?
 
How do we prepare for an industry that is overwhelmingly controlled by cremation? We start by educating ourselves and coming up with tools to show the consumer that every life lived deserves to be memorialized.

My sister, Linda, is the current President at FAMIC and they head the “Have the Talk of a Lifetime.” The goal of this campaign is to get consumers talking about what matters most in their lives and how they want to be remembered. I love this campaign and I believe our industry needs to continue to embrace and support it, but I also believe it’s just the beginning. I truly believe there is a lot of good funeral service ahead of us. The definition of traditional may change, but I truly feel that the one common denominator in most families is the person that has passed was deeply loved.

Don’t be afraid of the numbers. Let’s embrace them. Let’s understand them. Let’s digest them. Let’s come together as an industry and build an educational system that works.
 

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Cremation memorials gain momentum at NFDA

Julia Sullivan,
Creative Director

Our team was in Nashville last week, excited to talk with funeral professionals from across the country during the 2014 NFDA Convention and Expo. We go to national conventions to connect with existing customers, attract new customers and get feedback about our products and services. The single and companion Cremation Memorials attracted a lot of interest. Funeral directors and cemeterians were impressed by the detailed design, small footprint and rubberized gasket that helps seal the memorial. Many said that it would help demonstrate the value of memorialization to the families they serve who choose cremation.

It’s only been a week since we packed up and left Nashville, so now is the perfect time to reach out to your customers and the families you serve about Cremation Memorials. Build on the momentum created at the national convention by taking them to your local market. Download the literature or place an order for a sample. If you haven’t seen the Cremation Memorials in person, give our Customer Service team a call at 800.798.4900. They will walk you through how it works, all of the design options and pricing.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Happy fall to you all

Linda Darby,
Chief Executive Officer

Isn't fall one of the best seasons of the year? I love the colorful hues in the trees, the different shapes and sizes of all the pumpkins and the beautiful cloud free skies. There are so many things to enjoy during the fall, such as apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin rolls. In my opinion, there is absolutely nothing better than the smell of the seasoned wood burning while sitting outside around a fire.

When you live in a world that is constantly in a whirlwind, you have to take the time to stop and enjoy your surroundings. You have to enjoy the changing of the seasons and all the beauty that comes with it. If anyone knows how short life truly is, it's those who work in the funeral industry. Take a time out to enjoy your family and the falling leaves before the winter months blanket us with snow. Enjoy the here and now with the ones you love the most. Create fond memories and take them with you into the winter months. I wish you all a happy fall.


This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Do you know the ROI of a memorial?

Stuart McDaniels,
Materials Manager

In the business world, and often in our personal lives as well, we are programmed to think in terms of ROI or “return on investment." Every investment we make should be weighed against the possible return. If we spend money on a new piece of equipment, we should have an expectation of what the return of that investment will be back to our business. If we invest time in a project, we should expect a return on the time spent. It’s a data driven process to help us make important decisions.

How does ROI factor into the families choosing a memorial?  Memorialization is typically an emotional decision, not driven by data. I would argue, however, that families can apply ROI to memorialization and that a memorial done well will have an infinite return. An investment in a memorial will pay back in ways that are not measureable in terms of dollars and cents. Psychologically speaking, memorialization is for the living. Memorialization helps families move forward beyond a difficult time and brings great comfort. It assures the living that a life will never be forgotten.

How do you put a price tag on that? The benefits of memorialization are worth any amount of investment and the return is immeasurable - infinite ROI. That’s something I can believe in. 
 

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Let planning ahead pay off for you

Jeff Miller,
Vice President of
Business Development

Fully preparing yourself for a meeting with a family is one of the most important things you can do. The more information you know about their loved one, the better you can assist the family in creating a truly unique memorial.

This may include gathering basic background information on the family and their loved one. It might also help to find out what the person’s passions, interests and hobbies were while they were alive. And, if at all possible, visit the grave site to look over existing memorials created for family members who have died to help find inspiration. Designing a memorial for a loved one can be a very personal experience for a family, so be careful not to judge a family based solely on history. You may be working with a new generation of the family.

Also, prepare yourself for comments such as, “just show us the cheapest” or “we don’t want to spend a lot of money.” Overcoming these obstacles to give families the best service possible can be one the hardest jobs we have as funeral professionals.

Remember, you are the experts and we help families create unique memorials every day. It is important to use your knowledge and passion to empower families to understand the importance of permanent memorialization. It’s our job to help them see the value in creating a place for future generations to share stories and create new ones. You will be surprised how your knowledge of memorialization and your passion will translate into better sales for you, more value for the family and lasting relationships.


This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Why should funeral directors value memorialization

This article originally appeared in American Funeral Director.

As funeral directors, we help families during some of the hardest days of their lives. We do everything we can to make the funeral services as unique and special as the lives they are celebrating. We help them plan every detail of the service from the casket and burial vault to the flowers and music.

But you and I know that our job is so much more than keeping track of the details. Our real job is to help lead families down the path of healthy healing. We provide families with the tools necessary to help them grieve. And permanent memorialization is a vital part of the healing process. Even if your funeral home isn’t part of a combo, it’s still imperative to encourage families to memorialize.

I’d imagine your funeral home offers online tributes for the families you serve. It is a great tool for people locally and across the country to interact with the grieving family and feel connected. But is that really memorialization? Leaving kind, caring words on a website can be comforting at the time of need, but the online tribute page is temporary. Even a stack of print outs from the website will eventually fade, be stored in a closet or even accidentally be thrown away. Only a permanent memorial preserves a legacy for generations to come and marks a special place for friends and family to continue to gather to share special memories.

Most of the time, when a family thinks about places to leave a loved one’s legacy, they start with the cemetery. But, the cemetery isn’t the only place families can memorialize a loved one, especially for those who chose cremation. For instance, a loved one’s cremated remains can be placed in a memorial rock and displayed in a beautiful garden in the family’s backyard. A family could also have a memorial cremation bench designed to be placed under a tree in a local park.

What if the family insists on scattering? I won’t spend time explaining why scattering is less than ideal. If they can’t be swayed, it’s our job, as funeral professionals, to strongly encourage them to include a place of memorialization. It could be an engraved brick on a path at a local school, a bird bath in a community garden or a plaque on a memorial wall in a cemetery. What’s most important is that there is a permanent, public place for people to gather to remember.

When a family is grieving, the last thing on their mind is genealogical research. But it’s up to us to remind them that their loved one’s memorial will have an important impact on future generations. By creating a permanent memorial in a cemetery or a special place of the family’s choosing, they help future family members learn about and honor their ancestors.

Cemeteries are a snapshot of the community’s historical timeline. They are a proud and permanent museum for those who came before us. Much like public records, memorials in a cemetery serve as an important way to track the life of a family, or many families across an entire generation.

If I still have your attention and you are still reading, then you must somewhat agree with me. As a funeral professional, emphasizing permanent memorialization is another component in the way we care for the families we serve. It not only helps the healing process, but it also provides families a place to visit and to share memories for years to come. So add one more thing to the list of details and help the families you serve tell the story of their loved ones’ lives.

Rich Darby is Chief Operating Officer for Trigard and Trigard Memorials. He earned his funeral director license from Southern Illinois University in 1987, and is licensed in Illinois, Indiana and Arizona. His family owns and operates Trigard, Trigard Memorials, Hall of Fame Plaques and Signs, a memorial park and seven funeral homes across Illinois, Indiana and Arizona. Email him at RichD@trigard.com.

It all began when two people fell in love

This article originally appeared in Catholic Cemetery magazine.

As the fourth generation of a family in funeral service, I started thinking about my final wishes at an earlier age than most people. As my fiancé and I get ready to be married this summer, I especially appreciate the need to make these plans as a couple. When you find that special someone to spend your life with, it is magical. You do everything together, from getting married and buying a house to having children and traveling the world. You experience the important things together and you make the important decisions together.

As cremation trends rise, so do the number of married couples who choose cremation. When they come to you asking questions, do you have the answers? Unless you educate the couples you serve about their memorialization options, many may choose lower-end products that don’t provide lasting value and won’t help their families begin to heal. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding companion cremation memorialization – and strategies for responding.

I want a traditional burial and my wife wants to be cremated. To be together, do we have to choose the same thing?

Many married couples have different desires for their final disposition, but they still want to be interred near their spouse. Most cemeteries can accommodate this request by placing the cremated remains in an urn vault. Be sure to double check with your state laws and acquire the proper documentation to place their cremated remains in a grave with another individual. Educate couples about the options in their cemetery of choice, and make sure to provide urn vault options with dimensions that will fit in the space available. 

Do we have to put our remains in a cemetery?

A memorial marks a place for family and friends to share memories and honor the life of their loved one. Where that memorial is placed is the family’s choice. You can explain to a couple that when you memorialize your loved one in a cemetery, you mark a public place for people to come and visit. It also helps record your loved one’s history for years to come. However, if you’d also like a private place to share memories and keep a portion of the cremated remains, many companies have created cremation alternatives that can be placed in a garden or in a beautifully landscaped yard, including memorial rocks, memorial benches or bird baths.

If we don’t want to be buried, our family needs to take the urn home or scatter our remains, right?

Scattering seems like a simple solution, but what is a beautiful field now could easily become a supermarket or gas station tomorrow. Many couples simply don’t know their options beyond scattering.

Maybe they have never seen a memorial bench or memorial rock. Take them on a tour of their cemetery of choice to see their options in person. It’s one thing to look at a picture of a memorial rock in a booklet, but another thing to touch and feel one nestled under a tree in a beautifully landscaped cemetery.

All of the bronze memorials I have seen are brown and generic. Do you have anything more personal?

As technology has evolved, the options for bronze memorial personalization have skyrocketed. Many companies are still using the traditional bronze casting to create traditional memorials, but there are an increasing number of more detailed options, including direct-to-metal technology. With this technology, memorial craftsmen can create exact replicas of images in solid bronze, capturing every important detail.

And to add another dimension, families can add color to their bronze memorials. Companies are using state-of-the-art color imaging equipment capable of capturing the exact color of their loved one’s hair or their perfect shade of lipstick.

If we both choose to be cremated, will our remains be together or separate?

Do you explain to couples about comingling remains? Some companion memorialization products include separate chambers for each person, while others have a single chamber. This can be an important distinction for a couple.

Much like a book, a memorial can tell a story of someone’s life. When it is shared with someone you love, it makes it even more special. I encourage you to be a resource for families looking into cremation. Educate yourself about the newest companion cremation options. Go to conventions, read industry publications and ask your suppliers for more ideas. And the next time you’re with a couple interested in cremation, be bold enough to tell them what they need to know.

Ethan Darby is the Director of Business Development for Trigard Memorials and is a member of the Darby family’s fourth generation. His family owns Trigard, Trigard Memorials, a memorial park and seven funeral homes across Illinois, Indiana and Arizona.

Top questions to get more from your supplier

This article originally appeared in Catholic Cemetery magazine.

Are you overwhelmed by the ever changing bronze memorial options that you see in magazines and at conventions? Does it feel easier to stick with what you’ve always done? It is important to stay informed about what is happening in the industry and adapt to the changes, but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Your first step is to start asking more from your supplier. To help deepen your relationship, we have compiled a list of the top questions we think every supplier partner should be able to answer and why you should be asking them.

How are you adapting to the needs and wants of consumers?

With today’s technology, bronze memorial suppliers are constantly coming up with new, innovative ways to tell the story of a life well lived. From adding color to interactive elements and tribute sites, memorialization is continuously changing. Ask your supplier how they can satisfy the needs of today’s consumer. 

What are your most popular cremation memorial products?

Cremation has skyrocketed in popularity. And with this rise in popularity, so has the need to educate our families on cremation memorialization. Memorial companies should be changing and adapting their cremation product selection. It is important to ask your supplier partners about these products so you can offer the best to the families you serve.

How much can families be involved in the design process?

Thanks to computers and smartphones, consumers are used to creating full-color images on their own electronic devices. They expect to be able to have that type of hands on experience with memorials as well. Today, families want even more control and input in the design of bronze memorials. Each family wants their loved one’s memorial to have character, passion and personality.

While interactive design software can be exciting for families to use, I think it’s even more important that the actual layout of the memorial is flexible. If a family can only choose from a library of emblems and borders, how much personalization are you really offering? 

What are you plans for the future?

While many suppliers are great order-takers, to continue to grow, you want a partner focused on the future as well. A great supplier wants to see our industry grow and adapt. The best supplier partners understand your need to grow as well - and are ready to help.

If I have a special rush order, can you handle that?

Your supplier’s answer to this question should be yes. You can learn a lot about a company when they are put into a high pressure, fast turn-around situation. If they are still able to do their best work, you know you are working with a good partner.

Are any members of your company involved with any industry organizations? If so, which ones?

It’s easy to work in a silo, only focused on your own business. Great supplier partners are connected to many organizations in our industry and connect you to the resources and expertise available.

If I have a problem, can I talk to an owner?

In the corporate atmosphere, it can be impossible to talk to an actual owner on the telephone. Some companies have a board of directors and are owned by stockholders. Others have layers of bureaucracy. A smaller company is often more nimble and more focused on your success as a customer. And the owners are often more involved in the day-to-day operations.

What experience do you have beyond memorials?

Of course you want your supplier to be an expert in manufacturing processes and efficiencies. Most suppliers will also give you supplemental information about sales strategies or memorial maintenance. But how much do they really understand about what you do every day? If you can find a supplier who has direct experience serving families, you can feel confident that the tools they share will work for you. If a supplier has experience on the same level as you, you know they are knowledgeable about the cemetery grounds that you work in every day. 

If your current supplier is continuously educating you and supplying you with new information, you are in a great position. But, if you think you need to start asking more questions, give them a call today. If they are hesitant to learning new things or about giving you what you need, I encourage you to go to conventions to meet other companies that might be great additions to your existing products. There are businesses that thrive on what technology can bring the bronze memorial industry and would love to teach you more about how you can help families bring personalization to their memorials.  

­Ethan Darby is the Director of Business Development for Trigard Memorials and is a member of the Darby family’s fourth generation. His family owns Trigard, Trigard Memorials, a memorial park and seven funeral homes across Illinois, Indiana and Arizona.

Top 3 most requested resources

We often receive requests from our dealers for different resources, so we decided to compile a list of the "Top 3 most requested resources."

Order forms are a big part of the communication process between you and our graphic designers. Every year, we update our order forms to enhance your ordering experience. You can find the most recent version of our order forms in the dealer resources section of our website.

How do you explain the options and styles of memorials you offer the families you serve? Our product literature clearly spells out options, styles, fonts and so much more. Call to request copies of our product literature. Or if you can't wait, you can download a PDF preview straight from our website.

Are you designing a new website? Call Customer Service at 800.798.4900 to order a printed CD of images to help enhance the look of your website.


This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Protect yourself from identity theft

Brodie Krause,
IT Manager

Another day, another data breach. News broke earlier this month of a data breach at Home Depot, resulting in stolen credit card information and personal data. In response, Home Depot has begun offering a year of free identity protection and insurance through AllClear ID.

Services like AllClear ID  and ProtectMyID.com actively scan for threats to your identity's security.  As a member, you receive:

• Monthly reports of the status of your identity
• Immediate alerts if any questionable activity shows up
• Assessment tools to help to determine your level of risk
• “Lost Wallet” services to help in the event your wallet is lost or stolen

Beyond this, make sure you are following extra measures to keep your online footprint secure. Utilize a password manager program to break the habit of using the same password at every site. I prefer a program called KeePass, which is free and installs on your computer. Most email and social network sites now offer two-factor authentication, which is currently the best way to prevent a hacker from getting into your accounts should they acquire your password.

Take the security of your identity seriously. At this point it isn’t a question of "if" your identity will be compromised, it’s “when.” So make use of all the tools available and educate yourself on how to stay secure.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

3 things every new grounds crew member should know

Patrick Lewis,
Grounds Maintenance,
Sunset Memorial Park

When you add a new person to your cemetery grounds crew, there's a lot to teach. Most of the time they will be coming from another industry. So, where do you start?

I always start training by walking them around the cemetery to allow them to get a feel for where they will be spending most of their work days. It is important that every grounds crew member knows their way around the cemetery and can find the lots and sections.

Obviously, we discuss cemetery maintenance and what to look out for when mowing. I train my team to keep their eyes open for markers that are too high or too low. If the marker is too high and we run it over with the mower, it can damage the marker and our mower. If the marker is too low, the mower wheel can sink down with the marker and scalp the grass.

Lastly, I teach about our culture, insisting that we are always friendly and respectful. We help cemetery visitors who look lost to find their way around. And, when we see someone grieving, we give them their privacy.

What else is on your new staff training list? Email your ideas to marketing@trigard.com. You may see them in a future newsletter.  


This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Help overwhelmed families find value

Karen Darby-Ritz,
Advance Planning Manager,
Camino del Sol Funeral Chapel &
Cremation Center

Our industry is constantly changing, and while some say, "it's about time," others are worried about the direction the change might go.
  The first step in accepting the challenge of our ever-changing industry is education. The families we serve are constantly being overwhelmed with information given to them. Today, the tendency to compare apples to oranges is so prevalent, that many families might overlook a great value when sifting through their information overload. It's our job to break it down for them so they understand the value they are receiving.

Memorialization has so many facets, no matter if it's a traditional burial or a cremation. The choices families have are only limited by their imaginations. It is important they are aware of their choices and the value they each bring. And, by educating them, we can help increase awareness of the importance of memorialization.

Be the change that you'd like to see in our industry. 



This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.