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.