Don’t limit your customers’ colorful legacies

By Drew Edwards, General Manager, Sunset Funeral Homes 

Recently, a gentleman stopped in our funeral home and ask if he could talk to someone about a columbarium. I happened to be in the foyer, so I introduced myself and offered to answer any questions.

At first, I thought he was a client looking to purchase a niche in our cemetery located across the street. Upon further conversation, I learned that he was actually a board member for a nearby cemetery. He wanted to build a columbarium to drive new revenue to his cemetery. With the rise in cremations, he realized that even in his small town, the number of burials was decreasing each year. The cemetery was losing customers with every family that chose cremation.

Before entering our funeral home, this gentleman drove through our cemetery and found a columbarium that he liked.  It was one of our basic units. Each niche has a simple bronze nameplate on front.

It’s a nice columbarium, but I asked him if he had time to look at other options. After all, we have new choices that appeal to today’s families. He was hesitant. Without question, he was sold on the basic niche. But after a little discussion, he agreed to take a second look.

I showed him our “Storybook” glass front niche unit. This columbarium has bronze plates with photo-realistic portraits of the deceased, in brilliant full color. Each niche tells a unique story. It didn’t take long before this gentleman realized how many members of our community are looking for more than just the “basic bronze” nameplate.

The moral of the story is simple.

Each of us is unique and we like to memorialize our loved ones in different ways. Every life creates a wonderful legacy and we should never limit the consumer to a “basic” legacy. Give your families all the options, educate them and then support them in their decision. We were all given the precious gift of life. The question is, how do you want to be remembered? Basic or full of color?

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 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.

The writing is on the wall

                                                         
It's no secret. Trigard Memorials' bronze and aluminum crypt and niche plates are the perfect fit for any vertical application. Our unique direct-to-metal machining process gives our memorials a slimmer profile, allowing them to sit flush against the wall. Additionally, our exclusive direct-to-metal process makes our memorials look outstanding - even close up.     

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.