A digital way to "unstick" your to-do list

Brodie Krause,
IT Manager

As an IT professional, I've sat at a lot of computer stations occupied by my co-workers. Often their monitors will have a halo of sticky notes placed all around the border, including notes, reminders and to-do lists.

Is this how you track your projects and things-to-do? Did you know there are a number of more efficient ways to track your tasks using software, rather than the old sticky note method?

I'd like to introduce you to Trello by Fog Creek Software. Trello takes the idea of sticky notes on a whiteboard and translates it beautifully to the digital world. Here you can create and customize lists for your home or office environment and store them in a central location. Each list can include due dates, checklists, comments and attachments.

Do you need to collaborate? Trello allows you to send invites via email for other individuals to have access to your organization board. And, when you are done with a list or project, Trello will archive it for you in case you need to refer back to it in the future - as opposed to the sticky note method. When you toss it, it's gone. But, best of all, it is absolutely free.

So clean up your monitor, save some trees and try a new way to keep track of your work!

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.

Your last minute Memorial Day grounds checklist

Patrick Lewis,
Grounds Manager,
Sunset Memorial Park

Memorial Day visitors will be here before you know it. Although the official holiday is a little over a week away, we all know that families will start visiting our cemeteries and memorial parks early next week. I’m sure your grounds crew has been hard at work for weeks in preparation for the busiest weekend of the year. But what details have they saved for the last minute?

Here’s what’s on our list at Sunset Memorial Park for the next week:

Trimming and mowing: We continue to mow all week, especially if we get some rain. More rain means more mowing.

Raising markers: Did you have a hard winter? Are your grounds wet? We’ve identified and raised many markers and repaired areas of the park that have been impacted by severe and wet weather. In the next week, we’ll continue this process.

Flower regulations: Be sure you have clear flower regulations and share them with your visitors. Information about clean up after the holiday is vital. Remember to use a warm tone when you share your regulations. While you certainly need rules, you need to make sure your visitors feel welcomed.

Post-holiday priorities: We’re already thinking about the work planned for after the holiday weekend. We’ve partnered with our cemetery sales staff, who will greet visitors all weekend. They’ll get us a list of vases that need attention, refinish requests and markers that need to be raised.

Could your grounds superintendent use a checklist like this? Use the forward email icon below (it looks like an envelope with an arrow) to forward this post to your grounds crew.

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 memorialization?

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

Memorialization has many definitions, but according to Merriam-Webster, it is “to do or create something that causes people to remember a person, thing or event.”

As you know, families choose to memorialize their loved ones in many different ways. For example, recently in New York, an infamous party boy was memorialized by turning his viewing room into a replica of Bungalow 8. It was decked out with palm trees, a DJ played music, and everyone wore Snoopy t-shirts. His family and friends honored him the best way they knew how, in true party style. Another example is the recent memorial service for a millionaire car collector. He sat upright in his favorite Ferrari during his visitation.

There are those who enjoy the flair of an extravagant memorial service, and then there are those who don't want to "make a fuss." They don’t want a viewing, a service or a party for friends. Which style is correct?

The answer is simple. There is no right or wrong way for a family to honor their loved one's life, as long as they do some form of memorialization. A memorial can be as simple as a picture on a bronze memorial or as extravagant as a black tie and ball gown styled party with all their friends and family in attendance.

Our job as memorialization experts is to educate the families we serve about the importance of memorialization and to honor the life of their loved one. Their options are limited only by their own imagination.


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 offer more than a price?

Ross Darby,
Director of Business
Development

Have you ever been so impressed with a company’s products or services that money is not an issue? In my opinion, there is more than one way of selling people on your product before even mentioning the price. By excelling and perfecting all the “little” things that you do, you are setting yourself apart from the competition.

Today, many companies are so worried about battling the price war that they forget about everything else. You’ve worked hard to create a business built on value, don’t sacrifice that and devalue your products and services. Show potential customers your worth by:

• Offering great customer service
•  Providing high-quality products or services
• Establishing good payment terms
• Offering a better warranty than your competitor

When you begin slashing prices to compete with the companies who are low balling their value, you end up sacrificing revenue. Stick to your guns, and stay true to your brand. Believing in what you do is the first step. And, when you believe in your company, your true value will shine through.

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.