First, it is important to say that ignoring the current social media trend is akin to ignoring the increasingly vital need to have a viable website. Second, one of my concerns (but not the subject of this article) is that being active in social media like Facebook and Twitter has the potential to mislead many [...]
I consider Frank Dawson of Dawson Funeral Homes in E. Liverpool, Oh. to be the "Grand Master" of social media. With it he has not only built his business but created a veritable competitive "fortress." He has done this by applying a simple axiomatic human principle. Watch this video to learn more about that principle [...]
Two key social media levers that have nothing to do with technology With all the recent buzz about social media, I think it is important to remember that social media is not new. In fact, there are a few practitioners who mastered social media decades ago and built veritable "competitive fortresses" on the concept. There [...]
We have now learned about 3 key variables in arriving at a value for your funeral home: What a multiple is and where it comes from What is EBITDA and why do we use it How to "normalize" your financial statement presentation Now we will pull all this together so you can begin to play [...]
Get your crying towel out. This is a great video and I hope you will help make it viral. click below to see someone making a difference one life at a time.
Many years ago I observed that funeral directors were spending a lot of energy, time, and resources (like money) to improve their casket merchandising. With a consistent year-over-year growth trend in cremation I found this odd. Especially in light of the complete absence of effort to do the same thing with service charges. So, I [...]
A satisfied customer is no guarantee of a repeat customer. So say a growing number of marketing strategists including some of the most prestigious among the marketing professors at harvard, Stanford and Wharton. Today businesses must go beyond satisfying customers to ENGAGING customers. Here is a great example of encouraging participation, customer engagement and a [...]
My friend Frank Dawson in E. Liverpool, OH has created a veritable competitive fortress by leveraging a simple principle: It was Mary Kay Ash who, when asked the key to her success, said, "I reminded myself every day that EVERYONE wants to feel important." Frank sends personal notes, often with a photograph enclosed, on average [...]
It is accepted wisdom that companies should have a mission statement. In most cases this exercise produces a plain vanilla restatement of something that sounded good. Effective mission statements connect with personal values...for both the members of the organization and those they serve. Some are bold others are just simple statements of commitment. But the [...]
Cremation has been growing at the rate of 1% a year for more than 30 years. Many areas are now at greater than 50% cremation. Without the sale of a casket this imposes very strong economic pressure to continue operations. Basil Forsberg of Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Canada shared with me a way he has found to [...]