The look of a face plate for a niche or columbarium often complements its surroundings. That’s why many cemeteries and churches find it important that new bronze plate designs blend with old ones. Trigard Memorials can help you keep a consistent look. All you need is a camera, tape measure and these few steps:
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Showing posts with label memorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label memorial. Show all posts
Monday, December 19, 2016
How to match existing niche and columbarium cover plates
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Is your pet your child?
Ross Darby,
Director of Business Development at Trigard Memorials
I recently went to the PLPA College (Pet Loss Professionals Alliance) and I gained a new appreciation for how we memorialize pets. Memorializing pets is not new to me. My wife (pictured right) is in charge of the pet division at Sunset Memorial Park. She shares stories of families who will spend the extra dollar when it comes to memorializing their pet.
First, I needed to get a better understanding of what a “pet” is. A “pet” to me it is either a dog or a cat. Boy was I wrong! My wife helped a family who established a very high budget to celebrate a beloved rabbit. There was a full service and was no expense spared on the memorial. This caused me to re-think how I view pets and the grieving needs of the humans who love them. People all over the world have different types of furry, scaled, and feathered friends, and we in the death care profession must be able to meet all of their wants when it comes to memorialization.
Until recently, my experience in the pet market has been working with bronze memorials. I learned that pet memorials tend to be the most unique. Families love that we, at Trigard Memorials, can give them a 3D-relief bronze memorial AND add color to it. To these families, that kind of marker is a no brainer.
If you have a pet section in your cemetery, we offer beautiful pet markers that are attached to granite. We also create photo medallions in bronze that can be easily attached to existing granite or bronze memorials. (This is ideal for families who want to enhance what they already have.) If you have a niche unit for cremated animals, we provide fully customizable niche plates. We also offer personalized urns for the families that wish to take their beloved pet home with them.
If you do not have a pet section in your cemetery, it is usually easy to find unused space that you can turn into revenue for your business. If pet cremation is the only means of disposition that you offer, then Trigard’s urns or medallions are a nice personalized product to offer a family. Even if price is leading your families to choose cremation, we still find great value in the memorialization piece of the sale.
The pet market is relatively new to most of us, but I truly believe it is being under served and underutilized. There are opportunities everywhere! Families are beginning to realized that last visit to the vet office is not the last memory they want to have of their pet. That is where our industry needs to step in and use our expertise to provide healthy healing and closure our customers are seeking.
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.
Director of Business Development at Trigard Memorials
First, I needed to get a better understanding of what a “pet” is. A “pet” to me it is either a dog or a cat. Boy was I wrong! My wife helped a family who established a very high budget to celebrate a beloved rabbit. There was a full service and was no expense spared on the memorial. This caused me to re-think how I view pets and the grieving needs of the humans who love them. People all over the world have different types of furry, scaled, and feathered friends, and we in the death care profession must be able to meet all of their wants when it comes to memorialization.
Until recently, my experience in the pet market has been working with bronze memorials. I learned that pet memorials tend to be the most unique. Families love that we, at Trigard Memorials, can give them a 3D-relief bronze memorial AND add color to it. To these families, that kind of marker is a no brainer.
If you have a pet section in your cemetery, we offer beautiful pet markers that are attached to granite. We also create photo medallions in bronze that can be easily attached to existing granite or bronze memorials. (This is ideal for families who want to enhance what they already have.) If you have a niche unit for cremated animals, we provide fully customizable niche plates. We also offer personalized urns for the families that wish to take their beloved pet home with them.
If you do not have a pet section in your cemetery, it is usually easy to find unused space that you can turn into revenue for your business. If pet cremation is the only means of disposition that you offer, then Trigard’s urns or medallions are a nice personalized product to offer a family. Even if price is leading your families to choose cremation, we still find great value in the memorialization piece of the sale.
The pet market is relatively new to most of us, but I truly believe it is being under served and underutilized. There are opportunities everywhere! Families are beginning to realized that last visit to the vet office is not the last memory they want to have of their pet. That is where our industry needs to step in and use our expertise to provide healthy healing and closure our customers are seeking.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Prepare now for the dreaded winter months
By Jason Murphy,
Director of Family Services, Sunset Memorial Park
It may seem crazy, but now is the time to start preparing your sales force for the colder months of the year. In cemetery and memorial sales, we all know that the winter months can pose a challenge to have consistent sales coming in. The foot traffic through your cemetery decreases, markers can’t be installed when the ground is frozen and there is simply less people coming into your office because they are staying home where it is warm and cozy.
So, the question is, do you accept lower sales during this season or do you do something about it? We have a strong philosophy – we don’t buy into the idea that just because it’s cold out it means that sales decrease. In fact, we challenge ourselves to have our biggest sales months during this time of year. Here are some things that may help your team counter the lack of walk-in or call-in business during this period.
First, have your sales reps follow up on all the leads that they haven’t closed from the previous couple of years. Develop a list of these leads and come up with a way to contact them all during the winter. You could develop a direct mail letter touching base with these families or maybe even give them a call to check in and see how they are doing.
Finding any way that you can have contact with them during this time is critical. One of the major reasons is that the colder months mean that the holidays are near. For these families, this will be the first holiday season without their loved one. So, this is a great time to reach out and let them know that you are thinking about them. Even if you don’t turn the conversation into an appointment, you are at least strengthening your relationship with the family, so that when they are ready to choose a memorial, the process will be much smoother for everyone involved.
Another idea is to hold a lunch and learn seminar either at your facility or at a local restaurant. Everyone appreciates a warm meal on the house. This can give you an opportunity to promote the importance of permanent memorialization and discuss details of your memorials in a group setting, where everyone has a common interest. Many people become more relaxed with a group and the ideas and questions seem to flow better.
A final idea that could correlate with both of the previous thoughts would be to develop a promotion or discount for these families based around the holiday season. You could offer a certain percentage off or maybe give a free grave blanket or holiday floral arrangement with a purchase of a permanent memorial. Make sure to remind these families that if they purchase during the winter, that their memorials will be the first ones to be installed once the ground thaws in the spring. This will also help develop a sense of urgency for them to act, along with the expiration date of the discount.
The main concept is to not let yourself, or your team, begin to accept the fact of lower sales during this time of year. Stay positive and begin game planning now, so that your sales stay consistent throughout the entire year. If you plan well enough, you could even see an increase in sales during the dreaded cold months of the 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.
Director of Family Services, Sunset Memorial Park
So, the question is, do you accept lower sales during this season or do you do something about it? We have a strong philosophy – we don’t buy into the idea that just because it’s cold out it means that sales decrease. In fact, we challenge ourselves to have our biggest sales months during this time of year. Here are some things that may help your team counter the lack of walk-in or call-in business during this period.
First, have your sales reps follow up on all the leads that they haven’t closed from the previous couple of years. Develop a list of these leads and come up with a way to contact them all during the winter. You could develop a direct mail letter touching base with these families or maybe even give them a call to check in and see how they are doing.
Finding any way that you can have contact with them during this time is critical. One of the major reasons is that the colder months mean that the holidays are near. For these families, this will be the first holiday season without their loved one. So, this is a great time to reach out and let them know that you are thinking about them. Even if you don’t turn the conversation into an appointment, you are at least strengthening your relationship with the family, so that when they are ready to choose a memorial, the process will be much smoother for everyone involved.
Another idea is to hold a lunch and learn seminar either at your facility or at a local restaurant. Everyone appreciates a warm meal on the house. This can give you an opportunity to promote the importance of permanent memorialization and discuss details of your memorials in a group setting, where everyone has a common interest. Many people become more relaxed with a group and the ideas and questions seem to flow better.
A final idea that could correlate with both of the previous thoughts would be to develop a promotion or discount for these families based around the holiday season. You could offer a certain percentage off or maybe give a free grave blanket or holiday floral arrangement with a purchase of a permanent memorial. Make sure to remind these families that if they purchase during the winter, that their memorials will be the first ones to be installed once the ground thaws in the spring. This will also help develop a sense of urgency for them to act, along with the expiration date of the discount.
The main concept is to not let yourself, or your team, begin to accept the fact of lower sales during this time of year. Stay positive and begin game planning now, so that your sales stay consistent throughout the entire year. If you plan well enough, you could even see an increase in sales during the dreaded cold months of the year.
Monday, January 11, 2016
Create a lasting impression
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| Jeff Miller, Vice President of Business Development |
All aspects of remembering a family's loved one are important and contribute to the journey to healthy healing. This includes the visitation, the funeral and the graveside ceremony. They are all extremely important in celebrating a life well lived. They begin the healing process and allow friends and family to say goodbye. However, when a family chooses to memorialize their loved one with a uniquely designed piece of bronze or finely etched granite headstone, they will keep their loved ones memory alive for generations. For example, 20 years from now when our great-great-grandchildren ask about their heritage, their parents can bring them to the cemetery and show them our memorials. By creating a permanent memorial, we are creating a special place for future generations to gather, share and create memories for years to come.
The permanent memorial is usually the last component a family receives after losing a loved one. Let’s all do our part in helping families understand the importance of memorializing and creating a legacy for future generations.
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.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Photo booth pictures become timeless memorial
Do you remember when Donna Darby-Walthall put out a call for great stories about memorial designs? We have our winner! It's Missy West, West Memorials in Memphis. She shared a very personal story about the memorial she created for her dad and brother:
"My brother, Brad, died in a motorcycle accident when we were teenagers. In 1986, his marker was chosen from a catalog. It was 'pine cones,' the most 'masculine' border suggestion the funeral home could offer. Interestingly, my brother and I kept up the yard at our dad's house. We would fight about whose turn it was to do the part of the yard where all the pine trees grew.
"When my dad died, he wanted to be buried with my brother. I knew exactly the picture I wanted to use for the marker. The picture was taken in a photo booth, in an arcade, on the boardwalk in Myrtle Beach, SC. It was a fabulous vacation. The photo strip was a family treasure. It hung on several refrigerators or kitchen cabinets over the years. I submitted the very simple design to Trigard.
"I was with a client and my graphics department sent a text asking me to come back to the office - there was a surprise from Trigard. I could not get things wrapped up fast enough. I tore open the box and the marker was exactly the way I envisioned. I cried and laughed.
"My husband, Paul, and I were in SC to arrange the inurnment of my dad's ashes. While in the funeral home, Paul took my brother's old marker from the granite base and replaced it with the new marker for my dad and brother. I was so thrilled to see it in place - I laughed and cried.
"I have a very strict rule for myself, as a memorialist - I never say 'I understand' to a family. It lessens the story being told. You truly do not understand how they feel, their love for a person, the sadness in their heart, the hope that they have for the future. No one could have understood the happiness I had the day I stood at my brother's and dad's grave. The piece of art I designed for these two guys from the picture that made us all giggle was right at my feet, just as I understood it should be."
Missy, we are so pleased to help you and your family celebrate their lives and transform those cherished family photographs into a timeless marker. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story!
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.
"I have been a memorialist for 14 years and by far the most satisfying and happiest marker I have ever designed was for my brother and my dad.
"My brother, Brad, died in a motorcycle accident when we were teenagers. In 1986, his marker was chosen from a catalog. It was 'pine cones,' the most 'masculine' border suggestion the funeral home could offer. Interestingly, my brother and I kept up the yard at our dad's house. We would fight about whose turn it was to do the part of the yard where all the pine trees grew.
"I was with a client and my graphics department sent a text asking me to come back to the office - there was a surprise from Trigard. I could not get things wrapped up fast enough. I tore open the box and the marker was exactly the way I envisioned. I cried and laughed.
"My husband, Paul, and I were in SC to arrange the inurnment of my dad's ashes. While in the funeral home, Paul took my brother's old marker from the granite base and replaced it with the new marker for my dad and brother. I was so thrilled to see it in place - I laughed and cried."I have a very strict rule for myself, as a memorialist - I never say 'I understand' to a family. It lessens the story being told. You truly do not understand how they feel, their love for a person, the sadness in their heart, the hope that they have for the future. No one could have understood the happiness I had the day I stood at my brother's and dad's grave. The piece of art I designed for these two guys from the picture that made us all giggle was right at my feet, just as I understood it should be."
Missy, we are so pleased to help you and your family celebrate their lives and transform those cherished family photographs into a timeless marker. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story!
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.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Can your memorial design win you $150?
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| Donna Darby-Walthall, Chief Financial Officer |
In years past, many memorials didn't have a lot of intricate designs and they especially didn't have colorful images. Typically, the only kind of grave memorials you saw were simple with names and dates. While there is nothing wrong with simplicity, today we have so many more options. Today, you can tell a person’s life story by looking at their memorial. It’s so amazing how far we have come. It makes me think about what to put on my memorial. I know it will need to be big, because I have a lot to tell the people strolling through the cemetery. It’s also important that my great-grandkids know about my life.
It’s so important to remember our loved ones, and to make sure future generations have a way to remember them, too. My sister, Linda, always talks about lost generations. I think it could be true if we don’t take the time to tell the stories and pass on our legacies to our future generations.
At Trigard, we are always interested in hearing your stories, and we would like to hear about some of the unique memorials you have helped design. All you have to do is write down a story about the design of a memorial, and how it affected the family you served. Email it to me at DonnaW@trigard.com by April 1 to enter for a chance to win a $150 Visa gift card. If you would like to include a photo with the story, please be sure you have the family’s permission beforehand. Good luck and I can’t wait to read all of your stories.
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, February 27, 2014
Spring into the community
Are you currently getting involved with your local community? Spring is just around the corner, or so
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.
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| Jason Murphy, Director of Family Services, Sunset Funeral Home |
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
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.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Lean on us
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| Drew Edwards, General Manager, Sunset Funeral Homes |
At Sunset, our funeral directors focus all their attention on what they do best. We allow our designers to create printed materials and videos. We trust our after-care team to keep in contact with the families we serve. Although many times the family never meets the entire team, the end result is they are extremely satisfied with their overall experience.
It's the same for memorials. Our staff translates the family's ideas to order forms, but then we trust the graphic artists at Trigard Memorials to create something special.
Trust our memorials artists to do the same for you. This group of dedicated professionals strive to deliver unique products that are precise and beautiful. And, that's what our families we serve deserve.
Call Customer Service at 800.637.1992 to get started on your unique 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: Veteran Companion
Did you know that we offer veteran companion memorials in cast bronze?
Although Trigard Memorials has become synonymous with our precise direct-to-metal process, we are proud to offer cast memorials as well. Our cast memorials give you the same quality you can count on from Trigard, but with the look and feel of traditional government-issued veteran memorials.
Although Trigard Memorials has become synonymous with our precise direct-to-metal process, we are proud to offer cast memorials as well. Our cast memorials give you the same quality you can count on from Trigard, but with the look and feel of traditional government-issued veteran memorials.
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 you email photos for a memorial, please don't insert them into the email message. Doing so will lower the quality of the images significantly. Instead, attach the images or upload them at http://trigard.leapfile.com.
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, October 17, 2013
Are you leaving money on the table?
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| Beth Vadeboncoeur, Accountant |
For your customers who have prearranged and prepaid for memorials, how do you ensure money isn't left on the table at the time of need? When a family comes to you, ready to order their prearranged memorial, they may request special characters or more words or photos than their prepaid marker includes. Instead of just explaining the allowances to them and helping them edit away the extras, explain to them the small, additional charges required to make the memorial look exactly as they'd like it. Just as you would for an upgrade to a casket, burial vault or print package, use this opportunity to help the family celebrate their loved one's life just the way they want.
Having trouble calculating the difference? Call our customer service team at 800.798.4900. They'd be happy to help you work out the details or talk through design options.
Product spotlight: 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.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Don't settle for the basics
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| Drew Edwards, Sunset Funeral Homes General Manager |
Today's consumer demands value for every dollar they spend. As a funeral director, it is my job to offer a family an experience that exceeds their expectations. That experience doesn't stop after the funeral. For me, it begins the moment they first contact to us and extends to placing the final memorial. To exceed expectations, everything must showcase the unique personality of the loved one, and tell a story the whole world can share.
There are so many great products and ideas to help create something meaningful and memorable. That's exactly what Trigard Memorials does with bronze memorials. Don't settle for the basics. Make sure that every funeral home and family you serve has a memorial that is as unique as the life it represents.
Product spotlight: Pet memorial
You already know that we offer beautiful memorial rocks and estate boulders to add beauty to the landscape of the cemetery while honoring a life well-lived. But did you know that we also have lightweight memorial rocks designed specifically for our furred and feathered friends? Our pet memorial rocks are the perfect tribute to cherished companions. They look great in a pet cemetery or in a home garden. Come see all of our pet products in Austin at the 2013 NFDA Convention and Expo beginning October 20.
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.
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