Funeral Director Daily

On looking back. . . .and moving forward (Part 1)

By Funeral Director Daily / April 15, 2021 /

Earlier this month Carriage Services CEO and Chairman Mel Payne put out a lengthy shareholder letter.  We found it a great read, not only to catch up with what is happening with Carriage Services, but as an aspirational blueprint, that if followed could lead to success in almost all funeral homes.  Payne even points out…

The public perception. . . discretion vs. transparency

By Funeral Director Daily / April 14, 2021 /

Many times discretion is warranted.  I know that there were lots of times in my life as a funeral director where I didn’t volunteer information.  It could have been with an accident victim or some other issue where I thought that the next of kin knowing the answer was worse than them not knowing and…

Independent operators. . . . .know your value

By Funeral Director Daily / April 13, 2021 /

Back in 1990 I spent about three days north of Vancouver, British Columbia, along the Campbell River fishing for salmon with a group of funeral industry people.  One of the days was spent in a small fishing boat with a gentleman about thirty years my senior who had spent almost his entire funeral service career…

Who are your customers. . . where do you find them?

By Funeral Director Daily / April 12, 2021 /

I recently looked at two surveys of the American public, digested what I was reading, and then decided that these surveys give a great deal of information to marketing departments of death care businesses.  However, it will be in extrapolating that data and putting it to use in your marketing plan that the “artistry of…

Pure Cremation unveils new advertising spots

By Funeral Director Daily / April 9, 2021 /

Only about a week ago Funeral Director Daily brought to our readers some new promotional spots by direct cremation start-up Solace.  We told you that we liked them and then linked them for you to view.  You can see that article here. We also told you in that article that we have been big fans…

Will inflation affect your operations

By Funeral Director Daily / April 9, 2021 /

If you have followed my writings for any length of time you know that I look to emerging trends to get a “gut feel” on what is going to be happening in the business world.  Getting that gut feel doesn’t always lead to making fundamental business decisions, but it does lead me to continue watching…

Canada’s Eirene teams with Assurant for online pre-pay option. . more news to know

By Funeral Director Daily / April 8, 2021 /

Toronto based cremation provider Eirene announced last week in this announcement that they would be teaming up with Assurant Life of Canada (ALOC), an affiliate of Assurant Inc., to allow for Canadians to be able to pre-pay for cremations online as part of their estate planning.  Eirene bills itself, on their website as, “High quality,…

Security National posts 70% increase in year over year revenues

By Funeral Director Daily / April 8, 2021 /

Security National Financial Corporation (SNFC), the Utah based company with segments in the preneed insurance, funeral home assignment, mortuary, and cemetery business, released their 4th Quarter of 2020 and Year End 2020 results last week.  The first line from that press release which you can read here, states, “For the twelve months ended December 31,…

Archbishop says, “No more” referring to extreme embalmings in the church

By Funeral Director Daily / April 7, 2021 /

In 2018, when I learned about it, Funeral Director Daily introduced our readers to “Extreme Embalming” via this article about some funerals that had taken place in New Orleans.  “Extreme Embalming”, for better or worse, is the moniker that has been given to the embalming art of embalming bodies and posing them in “life-like” forms…

FEMA to begin taking applications for funeral assistance

By Funeral Director Daily / April 6, 2021 /

We started hearing in early January that the omnibus Covid relief bill passed by Congress in December 2020 would have some type of reimbursement for funeral expenses of Covid-19 victims.  It was rumored that relief would be administered out of the funding provided to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). We’ve now learned in the…