Thursday, January 30, 2014

What can I do with a photograph?

Sheryl Baumeister,
Human Resources
"Every time I see your face, it reminds me of the places we used to go. But all I've got is a photograph, and I realize you're not coming back anymore." - "Photograph" by Ringo Starr

As a child, I was exposed to a wide variety of music. The Grammys were a big deal in our household and we always looked forward to watching it. Continuing on that tradition, my family and I had the pleasure of watching Ringo Starr perform his song, "Photograph," this past Sunday night.

What does the Grammys have to do with memorials? For those of you who watched the performance, I'm sure you noticed the photos replaying the life of The Beatles. Every picture told a story and reminded us of our memories of their performances. Our designers at Trigard Memorials can help tell the story of a life lived by customizing a memorial any way you like, even with a photograph.

Let our staff assist you in helping your families tell the story of their loved one. Give us a call at 800.798.4900 for your next customized memorial.

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.


Product spotlight: Niche and crypt plates

Trigard Memorials' bronze or aluminum niche and crypt plates are the perfect complement to any new niche or mausoleum. Our exclusive high tech direct-to-metal machining process allows for direct photo replication, resulting in the finest detail in faces and images. Our team of experienced designers can create a collage of 3D photographs or a simpler design enhanced with a border and words of endearment.

Call 800.798.4900 to get started on your next project.

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.


Design tip of the week

Please scan images at 300dpi and save in .tif format. With these settings, our designers can produce the best quality memorial possible.

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.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Do you have that personal touch?

 
Ryan Snyder,
Plant Manager
As I walk through our manufacturing plant and glance at our products, I feel privileged to see the memorials and plaques that we are creating. It is such a blessing to be able to peek into the lives of these people through the photos that their families, friends or colleagues took the time to hand pick; giving it that extra personal touch.

What also amazes me is the personal attention our staff members put into each memorial. Every item we produce is hand finished by one of our employees, who takes great pride in what they do, treating each piece as if it is for their own loved one.

Trigard Memorials was founded on the belief that each memorial should be more than just a marker. It should tell the person's life story. Let's help our customers understand the value of the personal touch. 
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.
 

Product spotlight: Remembrance urns
 
A Trigard Memorials Remembrance Urn will enhance any glass niche front or fireplace mantle and is available in single or companion sizes.

Any of our memorial design lines can become a unique and personalized urn with traditional oxide finish or Brilliant Impressions® full-color.

Call Customer Service at 800.798.4900 for details 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.
 

Design tip of the week

Please double check all font selections being used on your order form.
 
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.


Thursday, January 16, 2014

How are we doing?

Julia Sullivan,
Creative Director
During the past year, this weekly newsletter has undergone some changes. It hasn't been drastic, but my team is always refining the messages we send you. The goal of Modern Memorialization is to keep you updated, inspired and educated - all in a short newsletter you can read in just a few minutes.
In each newsletter you'll find a:
  • Feature article: We give the metaphorical microphone to our owners and members of our management team each week to demonstrate how the team of professionals behind the scenes at Trigard Memorials works together to serve you, our customers.
  • Product spotlight: With so many innovative products and solutions, this space gives us the opportunity to focus on our products one at a time. We hope these spotlights either tell you something you don't know about a product you use regularly or entice you to expand your product offerings.
  • Design tip of the week: These small ideas from our memorials designers and customer service team can help your ordering process go even smoother.
  • Promotions and events section: These appear in the left-hand column to let you know about where we'll be exhibiting and the national campaigns, like Have the Talk of a Lifetime, that we're passionate about.
So how are we doing? I can see lots of data about the number of people who open the newsletters and which links are clicked on most often, but that's only part of the story. If you see something in the newsletter you really like, please email me at julias@trigard.com. And if you have an idea about how to make it even more useful, absolutely let me know. There's no suggestion too wacky to at least discuss.
 
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.
 
 
New year, new emblems

Trigard Memorials just added 40 new emblems, including a bicycle, a piggy bank and a pair of high heels to our library. We've organized them into categories so it's easy to help a family customize their loved one's memorial.

You can access our emblems online or we have them available on disc. Give us a call at 800.798.4900, and we will send one your way.

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.


Design tip of the week

When sending in revisions, especially when sending them on a new order form, make sure you write somewhere on it that they're revisions. Otherwise we may think it's a new order and it will create duplicate paperwork.

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.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Are you making a difference?


Stuart McDaniels,
Materials Manager
As Materials Manager, I am often approached by suppliers who want to sell me things, but many don't take the time to find out what I really need.

They make the mistake of thinking I need a part, when what I really need is a partner. They think I need a cheap price, when what I really need is the best value. They think I need a quickly produced product, when what I really need is a quality product produced in a timely manner. There is a difference, and that's what I really need. I need someone to make a difference.

Isn't that what you're really looking for, someone to make a difference? Trigard Memorials is that difference for you. We are your partner. We are your best value. We are that quality product produced in a timely manner. We believe that whom we chose to do business with can make all the difference. Let us show you how we can make a difference to the families you serve.

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.


Product highlight: Complete cast bronze recrafting

For memorials that need more than a quick buff, Trigard handle's complete cast bronze recrafting in-house. While many of you have experience using in-cemetery kits to refinish cast bronze memorials, this service requires that the memorials are shipped to Trigard for extra care and recrafting. But Trigard's program goes beyond rejuvenating memorials. Trigard Memorials has developed a toolkit to help cemeteries and funeral homes reach their customers and generate revenue. The complete program promises to help funeral professionals develop new recurring revenue streams, build deeper relationships with existing customers, rejuvenate older cemetery sections and enhance pre-need programs.

Prices start at $150 plus shipping. Call 800.798.4900 for full pricing and procedures.

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.


Design tip of the week

When ordering a scroll to match an existing memorial we produced, we can look up the dimensions, font, and color by using the original order number.

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.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Let your imagination run wild

Donna Darby-Walthall,
Chief Financial Officer
When you imagine your own memorial, what do you see? Do you want something simple or something bold and colorful? Every person has a story, and I believe everyone's story is worth telling.

I think you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their memorial. I want people to look at my memorial and instantly know what was important in my life. It will be full of color and life with pictures of my family, my dogs, my love of shoes, basketball and football, and maybe even my new enjoyment of camping. If I can imagine it, I know the Trigard Memorials design team can create it.

Make it a goal this coming year to help families think outside the box and explore the idea of a unique and customized memorial. Help them tell the story of their loved one's life. If you need help creating a memorial, give us a call at 800.798.4900 and we will design a memorial that is a work of art as unique as the life it celebrates.

From the Trigard family to yours, we wish you a prosperous and happy 2014.
 

 
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. 
 
 
 
Product highlight: Gallery memorials
 

Works of art by nationally known artists Danny Hahlbohm, Rick Kelley and Thomas Kinkade make beautiful backdrops for your families' memorials. With 30 inspirational images to choose from, our Gallery memorials can help paint an enduring picture of the memories they hold dear. They can even add emblems from our catalog of hundreds of images for another layer of personalization.

To add an artistic background to your next memorial, call Customer Service at 800.798.4900.
 
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.
 
 
Design tip of the week
Complete the entire order form to ensure the design department knows exactly what you need.
 
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.