Spring into the community

Are you currently getting involved with your local community? Spring is just around the corner, or so

Jason Murphy,
Director of Family Services,
Sunset Funeral Home

we hope, and it is the perfect time of year to start planning your spring and summer  events.

One great and easy way to attract people to your cemetery is to host ice cream socials. In the summer months, you can offer free ice cream, musical entertainment, friendly conversation and prizes. It provides a great social atmosphere and lifts some of the heavy hearts visiting the cemetery. This type of event also allows you to meet the members of your community, create a connection on a more informal level and add to the value your community already sees in you and your staff.

I would like to challenge you to get out of your office and be proactive in your community. Host fun events within your area and get to know the people you serve.
 
To discuss event ideas, email me at jasonm@sunsetfuneralhome.com. Or even better, I’d love to hear what you’re already doing. Email me the events you look forward to in your cemetery each 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.


Product highlight: New cremation memorials

Trigard Memorials' new 12" x 12" cremation memorials allow for in-ground interment in a footprint much smaller than traditional cremation memorials - and at a price much lower than you may be paying now. Let us show you how to expand your cremation options while putting hundreds of dollars into your pocket.
 
Come see it for yourself at the ICCFA Convention and Expo from April 8-11, 2014 in Las Vegas.
 
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
 
If there is a large amount of text on your memorial or plaque, please send us a Word document or email with the text so we may copy and paste it into the layout. It helps minimize the chance of typos during the design process.

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.

Who is doing your taxes?



Beth VadeBonCoeur,
Accountant

As an accountant, I am constantly being asked tax questions and for tax professional recommendations around this time of year. I recommend you look for three qualities in a tax professional.

1. Make sure they are knowledgeable in the type of taxes you need prepared: individual, business, trust or estate.
2. They need to be trustworthy. You need to feel confident that they will complete the required work and forms accurately and timely.
3. They need to be good communicators and capable of effectively communicating to you what they need. They need to be able to explain your tax situation so that you can understand.

Remember, tax season is a busy time of year. Be sure to start early.

 

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.


Trigard Rocks. So do the pets we honor.

Our lightweight memorial rocks provide a beautiful, lasting tribute to a family pet. Place their cremated remains inside a special compartment in the rock and create a place to share memories for years to come.

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 use our current emblem library for all your emblem needs. Remember to reference the full code (i.e. T113) 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.

Is Mother Nature affecting your sales?

Drew Edwards,
General Manager,
Sunset Funeral Homes

Trigard Memorials is located in the Midwest and our winter weather has been plentiful this year. We have had above average snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. So, for those of you experiencing warm or even mild weather, consider yourself lucky.
 
Before the snow from one wintery storm melts, the next is rolling through. Everything from clearing roads in our cemetery, to setting vaults and digging graves requires twice the effort with the same results.
 
Walking people through the cemetery to show them examples of bronze memorials isn't an option, but it doesn't stop us. At our local funeral homes and memorial park, we understand the cemetery is the last place people want to be in sub-zero temperatures, so we adapt. We have wall displays for our bronze memorials conveniently located in our cemetery offices, as well as our funeral homes. And, we give our sales team the tools they need to work around Mother Nature's plans.
 
If you are interested in helping your funeral homes sell products during inclement weather, call our Customer Service team at 800.798.4900 for pricing and details. Until then, think spring!

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: Memorial Rock

 
Our lightweight memorial rocks provide a lasting tribute to a loved one while enhancing the landscape of a home or cemetery. Cremated remains can either be placed inside a compartment in the rock or a space can be dedicated in a loved one's honor after burial or scattering.
 
Memorial rocks are crafted from molds based on natural rocks. The forms are lined with concrete and painted in one of three colors. Families can choose from six styles, then personalize the tribute with a bronze plaque in either oxide or Brilliant Impressions® full-color.
 
Call 800.798.4900 to learn how Trigard memorial rocks can provide a place to share memories for years to come.
 
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 your order form/email/document being sent to us with the text. We will put the text on the memorial/plaque exactly as it is sent to us.
 
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.
 
 
Have news to share?
 
We always enjoy hearing good news and success stories. Send your updates to marketing@trigard.com and you may find yourself in our eNewsletter!
 
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.

Ever wonder who's on the other line?

The Customer Service team;
clockwise from left:
Jennifer O'Brien, Reta Wilson
and Kelli Nesbitt, Manager

At Trigard, we work with customers all over the map, including a few just around the corner. We have had the pleasure of meeting some of our partners and love it when they stop by our offices to say hello. But, for the majority of you, stopping by is not in the cards. So, we thought we would show you who's on the other line.

With over thirty years of combined service, our customer service staff truly believes you are the most important part of our business! We strive to make the ordering process simple and pleasant. To make the process even easier, you can now email your orders to orders@trigard.com.

If you ever have any questions, we will have the answer. And, if we don't, we will find it for you. Just give us a call 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.
 
Product highlight: Take Classique® to the next level

Have you ever worked with a family who likes the traditional look of the Classique memorials, but wants options that go beyond our standard offerings of Dogwood/Roses and Tierra/Pine? Thanks to our unique manufacturing process and talented designers, memorials can be modified to include custom borders, custom emblems not found in our library, or even an oxide portrait. And it's easy to communicate exactly what you want with our interactive order forms. There are, of course, additional costs for these customizations, but they give you even more flexibility to create a memorial that honors their loved one perfectly.

Call 800.798.4900 to learn more about how to customize Classique memorials or 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
When sending us art files and text, please double check everything, including spelling. When you provide the text, we copy and paste it into the layout so it matches exactly what was sent to us.

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.

Have news to share?

We always enjoy hearing good news and success stories. Send your updates to marketing@trigard.com and you may find yourself in our eNewsletter!

 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.