REGIONALWORKSHOPS

Orde

r of the Golden Rule

2014

“Steering Funeral Homes Toward a Profitable Future”Chris Kuhnen, Funeral Profit Protectors

Hosted by George and Gregory Darte, George Darte Funeral Home—St. Catharines, Ontario

July 8, 2014

1

Table of Contents Steering Your Funeral Home toward a Profitable Future

Schedule ................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Presenter Bio ......................................................................................................................................................... 5

PowerPoint Slides .................................................................................................................................................. 6

1st Session - How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More Profitably?

Pricing Strategy ................................................................................................................................................. 72

Operational Management ................................................................................................................................. 76

Energy Management ......................................................................................................................................... 91

Building Management ....................................................................................................................................... 99

Grounds Management .................................................................................................................................... 102

Rolling Stock Management ............................................................................................................................. 106

1st Session - How Can You Gain Added Efficient Cash Management?

Accounts Receivable ........................................................................................................................................ 111

Accounts Payable ............................................................................................................................................ 121

Employee Staffing Levels ................................................................................................................................. 123

2nd Session – Action Steps for Planning and Execution

Profit Focal Point - Identification .................................................................................................................... 130

Development of Written Plan Outline and Executable Timetable ................................................................. 132

People and Processes ..................................................................................................................................... 138

3rd Session – Action Steps for Planning and Execution

Branding, Marketing, and Promotions ............................................................................................................ 171

Funeral Pre-Planning ....................................................................................................................................... 197

Supplemental Material ...................................................................................................................................... 205

OGR Regional Workshop: Steering Funeral Homes

toward a Profitable Future (5 CEU Credit Hours)

Program Date and Location

July 8, 2014 George Darte Funeral Chapel, Inc.

585 Carlton Street, St. Catharines, Ontario Canada

Program Objectives

Achieving higher business profit takes a skillful combination of improved quality sales, lower business expenses, satisfied and focused employees and a better understanding of the families you serve today. Christopher Kuhnen of Funeral Profit Protectors, LLC will share years of research and study into customer service details that make significant differences in families’ purchase decisions and satisfaction.

This program is designed to educate funeral home owners and managers how they can run a more profitable business without sacrificing quality customer service or providing inferior merchandise. Attendees will examine the following areas: How to: recruit and retain quality staff; offering memorable customer service; decease business accounts receivables and get paid sooner; develop a strategically created plan for eliminating wasteful and unnecessary business expenses and be more profitable; stop being the “best kept secret” in town and get noticed for the invaluable community resource you are.

By the end of the program, attendees will know how to become a leader in memorable customer service and be more profitable doing it.

Program Outline

10:00am to 10:05am Welcome, Introductions and General Announcements (Where are the restrooms? When are the breaks? Please don’t talk loudly, Please silent cellphones, in case of emergency, etc.)

10:05am to 12:00pm - First Session (one break)

What should a healthy business profit margin look like today? (Open group discussion with attendee thoughts and comments placed on white board for reference later in the program)

3

10:05am to 12:00pm - First Session continued…

How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More Profitably? Pricing Strategy Operational Management Energy management Building management Grounds management Rolling stock management

How Can You Gain Added Efficient Cash Management? Improved accounts receivable Improved accounts payable Employee payroll and company benefits Employee staffing levels Suppliers and Vendors

12:00pm – 1:00 pm - Lunch

1:00pm to 2:30pm - Second Session

Action Steps for Planning and Execution

Profit Focal Point - Identification Development of Written Plan Outline and Executable Timetable People and Processes

• Personal Development and Training Requirements• Employee “Buy-In” and Involvement• Employee Focus, Attitude, Ethics, and Motivation

2:30pm to 2:45pm Break

2:45pm to 4:15pm - Third Session

Action Steps for Planning and Execution (Continued)

Branding, Marketing and Promotions Funeral Pre-Planning Execution Review and Follow-Up

4:15pm to 4:30pm - Closing Announcements and Program Dismissal

4

Program Presenter Bio

Mr. Christopher Kuhnen Funeral Director Certified Funeral Celebrant Certified Marketing Specialist Certified Pre-Planning Consultant Founder – Funeral Profit Protectors, LLC

Funeral Profit Protectors, 3049 Parkdale Court, Edgewood, Kentucky 41017-9628 Phone (859) 307-7223

Mr. Christopher Kuhnen has considerable experience in the field of funeral business profitability, management, sales, family service, pre-need sales and marketing, funeral home marketing, training, recruitment and education. He provides comprehensive consultation, advice and hands-on support to leading funeral directors nationwide to help them run a more profitable operation.

Christopher has been actively involved in funeral service since 1986. Over the course of his celebrated career he has worked for, and contributed to the success of, a large, national award winning, family owned and operated funeral home in the Commonwealth of Kentucky; national, award winning independent pre-need sales and marketing company in Ohio and nationally acclaimed pre-need insurance company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kuhnen is a Kentucky Licensed Funeral Director, Life Insurance Agent and member in good standing Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky. Additionally, Chris is a recognized Certified Pre-planning Consultant (C.P.C.) as bestowed by the Funeral Service Foundation and a recognized Certified Marketing Specialist as bestowed by the National Marketing Academy.

Kuhnen writes a column on national issues surrounding and affecting the funeral profession that has been published monthly in the Funeral Home and Cemetery News newspaper since 2001. He has presented numerous continuing education, advertising, marketing and pre-need seminars to a variety of national, state and regional funeral associations including the National Funeral Directors Association, International Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association, International Order of the Golden Rule, Selected Independent Funeral Directors and numerous state associations.

5

REGIONALWORKSHOPS

Orde

r of the Golden Rule

2014

Power Point Presentation

6

Steering Funeral Homes Toward

a Profitable Future

Action Steps You Can Take Today

To Start Seeing Better Results Tomorrow!

7

Program Presenter

Christopher Kuhnen

Founder, CEO & President

Funeral Profit Protectors, LLC

3049 Parkdale Court

Edgewood, Kentucky 41017

Licensed Funeral Director

Certified Pre-Planning Consultant

Certified Funeral Celebrant

Licensed Life Insurance Agent

Certified Marketing Specialist

Nationally circulated columnist in the Funeral Home & Cemetery News

Faithful Sidekick

"WATSON"

8

Disclaimers

General & Copyright While an effort is made is made to present only the most accurate available information, Funeral Profit Protectors, LLC, (FPP) Edgewood, Kentucky U.S.A. does not guarantee that the information is always current. FPP does not warrant or make any representations as to the content, accuracy or completeness of the information, text, graphics, links and other items contained in this program.

FPP makes no warranties, express or implied as to the fitness of the information for any purpose, or to results obtained by individuals using the information and is not responsible for any action taken in reliance on the information contained herein.

The continuing education program is not intended to be a complete presentation of all problems and issues for any topic. It is also generic and may not be accurate for circumstances or equipment at an individual facility. The continuing education courses provided by FPP do not constitute legal or other professional advice or guidance. Nothing included here implies a recommendation by FPP of any course or method of action. Users who intend to take, or refrain from taking, any action based on information contained herein should first consult with their qualified legal counsel or any other appropriate professional advisor.

Copyright All material contained in FPP continuing education programs are protected by international copyright law. Course attendees agree not to copy or distribute any materials contained herein.

All comments, suggestions, ideas, notes, drawings, concepts, or other information disclosed or offered to FPP through the presentation of the program, shall remain the property of FPP. Without limitation of the foregoing, FPP shall exclusively own all now known or hereafter existing rights to the Comments of every kind and nature throughout the program and shall be entitled to unrestricted use of the Comments for any purpose whatsoever, commercial or otherwise, without compensation to the to the provider of the Comments.

Graphics, Images & Pictures

provided courtesy of:

http://www.imagesource.com/royalty-free

http://www.fotolia.com/Info/Images/FreePicsOfTheWeek

Public Domain Pictures

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net

http://www.gettyimages.com/creativeimages/royaltyfree

9

Program Objectives

At the conclusion of this program attendees will learn and understand how to better:

• Define business profitability and what it should look like for their business.

• Formulate a fair and profitable pricing policy for business goods and services.

• Manage their day-to-day business operations more efficiently and effectively without sacrificing service.

• Decease business accounts receivables and get paid sooner

• Develop a strategically created, long term plan for continued business profitability and success.

• Become a leader in memorable customer service and be more profitable doing it.

10

We will break at regular intervals.

Please turn off and/or silence your phone.

Please don’t talk or disrupt others.

Please raise your hand and ask all the questions you like.

Please feel free to offer any positive suggestions, ideas or comments.

Please take all the notes you desire.

Please don’t be afraid to ask for further clarification on anything you do not

understand.

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THOUGH NO ONE CAN GO BACK AND MAKE A BRAND NEW START, ANYONE CAN START FROM NOW AND MAKE A BRAND NEW ENDING.

Carl Bard – Writer 1907-1978

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First Session

13

Look How Far We've Come

Civil War Embalming Shed Modern Funeral Home

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Did You Know?

More than 130,000+ people work in the “American Death Care Industry”

The “American Death Care Industry” is

a $17 billion-a-year business.

15

What Should A Healthy Funeral Business Profit Be?

Your Definition?

6%

7%

8%

9%

10%

11%

12%

13%

14% How Many Franklin’s Are You Keeping In Your Bank Account?

16

The Simple Definition The Accountant’s Definition

Profitability is the measure of the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market i.e. the revenue a company derives from its operations, less all explicit costs Source: The financial dictionary

17

Let’s analyze the financial

statements of this fictitious

funeral establishment.

Ask your friends and neighbors and they’ll tell you more of our families make it to Heaven

than any other area funeral home.

FPP Memorial Funeral Home and Worldwide Cremation Center

18

FPP Memorial Funeral Home Financials

Percent Percent

2 YRS AGO Last Year

Current

Year

Up

(Down)

Up

(Down)

Gross revenues $500,000 $556,990 $599,160 11.40% 7.57%

Discounts $30,000 $40,000 $54,840 33.33% 37.10%

Net Revenues $470,000 $516,990 $544,320 10.00% 5.29%

Cost of Revenues $100,400 $113,484 $127,678 13.03% 12.51%

Gross Profit $369,600 $403,506 $416,642 9.17% 3.26%

Gross Profit Percent 78.64% 78.05% 76.54% 19

Discount Analysis

Percent Percent

2 YRS

AGO Last Year

Current

Year

Up

(Down)

Up

(Down)

Competitive Dis. $10,000 $19,500 $34,200 95.00% 75.38%

Preneed Discount $20,000 $20,500 $20,640 2.50% 0.68%

Total $30,000 $40,000 $54,840 33.33% 37.10% 20

Net Revenues Percent Percent

2 YRS

AGO Last Year

Current

Year

Up

(Down)

Up

(Down)

Full Service Burial $187,500 $169,950 $139,050 -9.36% -18.18%

Full Service Cremation $93,500 $101,970 $107,635 9.06% 5.56%

Partial Service Burial $96,000 $123,600 $142,800 28.75% 15.53%

Partial Service Cremation $67,500 $92,700 $114,000 37.33% 22.98%

Direct Cremations $16,000 $20,600 $27,750 28.75% 34.71%

Other

(Children/Pet/Monuments) $9,500 $8,170 $13,085 -14.00% 60.17%

Total Net Revenues $470,000 $516,990 $544,320 10.00% 5.29%

Number of Calls 96 106 121 10.42% 14.15%

Average per Call $4,896 $4,877 $4,499 -0.38% -7.77%

21

Net Revenues Percent Percent

2 YRS

AGO Last Year

Current

Year

Up

(Down)

Up

(Down)

Cremation Sales $177,000 $215,270 $249,385 21.62% 15.85%

Burial Sales $283,500 $293,550 $281,850 3.54% -3.99%

Other

(Children/Pet/Monuments) $9,500 $8,170 $13,085 -14.00% 60.17%

Total $470,000 $516,990 $544,320 10.00% 5.29%

22

Gross Profit % by Call Type

2 YRS AGO

Last

Year

Current

Year

Full Service Burial 80.00% 79.61% 78.59%

Full Service Cremation 78.18% 77.76% 76.65%

Partial Service Burial 76.67% 76.21% 74.06%

Partial Service Cremation 77.78% 77.35% 75.82%

Direct Cremations 80.00% 80.00% 80.00%

Other 80.00% 80.00% 80.00%

Gross Profit % by Call Type 78.64% 78.05% 76.54%

23

Did You Know?

A RECENT STUDY HAS DETERMINED THAT THE TYPICAL LENGTH OF TIME A WOMAN CAN KEEP A SECRET IS 47 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES.

Source: Redbook - 2014

24

How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More Profitably?

Pricing Strategy?

Operational Management?

Energy Management?

Building Management

Grounds Management?

Rolling Stock Management?

25

Pricing Strategy 1) Most Common is a General Inflation Pricing Strategy. 2) Market Pricing Strategy. 3) General Inflation with a Mix Pricing.

26

Let’s Take A Break!

27

Cell Phone Karma

28

What should your financials look like?

What do other funeral home financials look like?

What areas are strengths and what areas are weaknesses?

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Actual Goal % Goal $ Variance

Operating Income $499,184.19

Cost of Sales (Goods) $89,302.94 17.89% 16.00% $79,869.47 9,433.47

Gross Profit $409,881.25 82.11% 84.00% $419,314.72 9,433.47

Facilities Expense $65,385.83 13.10% 16.00% $79,869.47 14,483.64

Automotive Expense $19,250.05 3.86% 5.00% $24,959.21 5,709.16

Personnel Expense $189,102.94 37.88% 35.00% $174,714.47 14,388.47

Supplies Expense $11,054.20 2.21% 2.00% $9,983.68 1,070.52

Business Service Expense $12,041.84 2.41% 3.00% $14,975.53 2,933.69

Promotion Expense $17,489.78 3.50% 3.00% $14,975.53 2,514.25

After Sale Expense $15,756.94 3.16% 1.50% $7,487.76 8,269.18

Misc. Expense $442.37 0.09% 0.50% $2,495.92 2,053.55

Net Operating Profit $79,357.30 15.90% 18.00% $89,853.15 10,495.85

Crem Rate 23%

Total Operating Expense Crem Rev. 5.80%

$330,523.95 Casket 2.23

OBC 2.28

Cash Reserve: 3.66

AR: 12.36

Op Ex/week 5,784

As of December 31, 2013

Any Funeral Home

Anytown, USA

17.89%

13.10%

3.86%

37.88%

2.21%

2.41%

3.50%

3.16%

0.09% 15.90%

Cost of Sales (Goods)

Facilities Expense

Automotive Expense

Personnel Expense

Supplies Expense

Business Service Expense

Promotion Expense

After Sale Expense

Misc. Expense

Net Operating Profit

30

2013 Average Net Profit (before income tax):

Average Gross: $9,163.35

Less:

Average Cash Advance ($1,088.14)

Average Vault/OBC, etc. ($1,333.36)*

Average Net Operation Cost ($5,103.92)

Average Cost of Casket ($1,101.56)

Average Net Profit $ 536.37

*vaults/obc sales are taken out because in some areas they are not sold by the funeral homes (sold by cemeteries), entombment may be the preferred method of disposition or they may not be used/sold at all. Funeral homes, therefor cannot rely on these sales to remain profitable.

31

If a funeral home had an average profit of $536.37 per traditional service and wrote off one account of $8,000, the funeral home just gave away the profits for the next 14.9 services!

You still think bad debt doesn’t cost?

32

Industry needs to move to a more balance approach in its pricing

• Examine cremation rate versus cremation revenue; if there is a wide gap, pricing needs to be adjusted ASAP

• For example, if your cremation rate is 34% but that portion of your business only generates 9% of gross revenue, then you are unfairly pricing your goods/services to the majority of the families that are being served

• The average cremation selling price is $2800 +/-

• This is revenue from 1982 versus 2014 overhead

33

Average Percentage of Net Profit to Gross Revenue?

6%

Average Net Profit: $536.37

34

What do other professions/industries experience?

Broadcasting, 29.55%

Banking, 27.21%

Tobacco, 24.69%

Beverage (alcohol), 22.63%

Financial Services, 21.77%

Pharmacy, 20.31%

Railroad, 17.62%

35

Operational Management

36

Business Expense

Insurance includes liability on premises and building coverage for fire,

flood or wind damage

Insurance Costs

This is an area that the internet has brought tremendous

competition to insurance costs.

Are you shopping insurance rates on a six month basis?

Do you over insure or do you have enough coverage?

Have you reviewed claims to see if improvements can reduce or

eliminate risks?

Have you asked for discounts or given rebates for favorable claims

experience?

37

Professional Service Expense Is around 3% of sales based on Federated numbers.

Professional Service expenses include out sourced efforts including Marketing,

Planning, Tax and Accounting, Legal and Special Project work.

In professional service area ask:

Am I getting what I need or what they want me to have?

Is the price I'm paying fair to the market or am I paying for the relationship?

What measurements do I have to see that my objectives are being met?

Have I shopped the deal at least once every couple of years?

Do I have activities that I could farm out that I have someone retiring that could

save money?

38

Facilities Expense

Building and Lot maintenance includes grass mowing, snow removal, lot

and grounds pick up, facilities upkeep and cleaning.

Building and Maintenance Costs

What is available time among full time employees to absorb these

activities versus outsourcing?

Are activities being done on a daily or weekly basis or as needed?

Could part time people contract for some of these activities?

39

Energy and Internet Expense

Utilities include energy usage, internet and television costs.

Utilities

With energy management, are you using new LED bulbs in facility?

Do you use power strips and turn off when not in use?

Do you use a programmable thermostat to reduce heating & air conditioning costs?

Have you added insulation or caulking around windows and doors lately?

Have you had an energy efficiency study done on your facility?

If you replace heat look at Geo Thermal for cost reduction benefit and tax credit.

Have you shopped your internet set up with different companies?

Have you looked at computer streaming, or antenna set up versus cable contract?

Have you reviewed options on music contracts for audio background?

40

Supplies Are each around 2% of sales.

Supplies include paper, small dollar software purchases, ink, printer costs, postage, etc.

With supplies:

Purchase supplies in bulk and get discounted or favorable pricing.

Find two sided printers versus single side to reduce paper usage.

In large quantity paper operations look at imaging to reduce paper cost

and storage

Reduce postage when activities are non value added or can be

e-mailed.

41

The World’s Most Interesting Man

Says…

“I don’t always take a break when I attend

Continuing Education programs.

But when I do, people stand up and

cheer me"

42

Transportation Expenses Third Largest expense is Transportation expense.

Federated estimates these costs at 5% of sales.

Included in this are costs for cleaning, maintenance, insurance and depreciation of

cars.

Like Building depreciation the depreciation on fleets is not a monthly decision and

not part of discussion.

Much like building maintenance, what activities can be outsourced or moved

into full time or part time positions?

Do you have an agreement with oil change companies to support all activities

at a reduced price?

Do you manage air pressure in tires as routine to get best gas mileage?

Do you have an agreement with car wash and wax companies to support all

activities at a reduced price?

Are you shopping fleet insurance with building for a bundle or looking at

individual companies?

43

Rolling Stock

When planning for Automobiles in your fleet, look at other options besides outright purchase:

1) Leasing the vehicle.

2) Co-op of vehicle with other area funeral

homes.

3) Rental of vehicle from a third party.

44

Promotion and Advertising Expense

Much like transportation expenses this category runs 3% of sales based on

Federated studies. This area includes advertising with printed materials, radio or

television campaigns, brochures in funeral home, and online advertising.

Within this category:

Are my expenditures getting results I want? How can I measure those results?

What are my competitive strengths and am I sending the correct message?

What is my branding identity and am I correctly communicating it?

Is there a more economical way to distribute the message? E-mails, printed,

radio or television

Am I using my full time and part time resources to deliver a consistent

message?

Are we proactively seeking information from customers and using it to change

behaviors, if necessary?

Are my costs aligned to my strategic and tactical plan? 45

How Can You Gain Added Efficient Cash Management?

46

Accounts Receivable

47

Implement a payment policy and stick to it! Exceptions are habit forming and counter-productive.

There is little or no recourse if you do not collect up-front.

The value of an aging account:

• 30 days, $0.97

• 90 days, $0.90

• 120 days, $0.80

• 180 days, $0.67

• One year, $0.45

• Two years, $0.23

• Three years, $0.12

S u g g e s t i o n s t o i m p r o v e c a s h f l o w

48

Accounts Payable

1) Maximize benefits on payment terms.

2) On line payments provide benefits. Look into them.

3) Pay with credit cards when incentives are available.

4) Review invoices and make sure you are properly

being charged.

5) Ask for discounts when you purchase large quantities

from suppliers.

6) Use coupons on items like office supplies or software.

49

Employees

Includes Wages, Health Insurance, Social Security, 401K, etc.

Employee Costs:

Are all full time workers necessary in current environment?

Can part time or interns support roles in current environment?

Can outsourced companies support roles in current environment?

50

Employees

Healthcare:

Do you provide healthcare costs and if so how often do you shop?

How much do employees contribute to support costs of program?

Is your program providing more than needed for the competition?

Retirement:

Do you have a 401k program?

Do you support a contribution for matching in the program?

How is your program in relation to the competition?

Could a bonus be set up to reward proper behaviors?

51

Suppliers and Vendors

Inventory in the Funeral Home is the Casket Display and/or Monument Display. In both of these areas there is a cost of keeping on hand actual units.

1) You lose interest on money paid for units being stored at

cost.

2) You lose space in the funeral home that could be utilized

for other activities.

3) You pay property tax each year on inventory.

Many funeral homes are using quarter cut displays, lithographs or computer virtual rooms and eliminating the need for on hand inventory.

52

Inventory

If you have inventory, what can be done to better manage rolling stock inventory:

1) Negotiate with casket supplier to provide incentives

to hold units in inventory.

2) Use consignment from your suppliers. This gets away from

owning the merchandise and is not taxable.

3) On units held on floor for extended period of time,

find options to move units:

Pricing

Special Needs

Package Pricing

4) Do follow up surveys with families for why they purchased the

casket they did?

53

Lunch Time!

54

55

Action Steps For Planning and Execution

56

Profit Focal Point?

57

Written Plan & Executable Timetable

58

People Required

59

Process Required

60

Plan Execution

61

Cat Herding

62

How Do You Move People Up The Ladder?

63

Promotions and Marketing

The best marketing and public relations tools you have at your

immediate disposal are the hundreds of satisfied families

you have served over the years.

Nobody can tell your story better than a completely satisfied

customer, who has actually used the services and merchandise

you offer.

Use their testimonials to help drive more business your way!

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PUBLIC RELATIONS

65

Funeral Pre-Planning

To Pre-Fund or Not Pre-Fund is not the

question!

The bigger question (and reason) to operate a vibrant pre-need

program is whether you want to serve a well educated and insightfully knowledgeable

funeral consumer (who understands the real value of

proper memorialization!) or one who “just wants to be cremated”?

66

Think Different

67

It's Your Choice!

You can take the ideas that have been shared

today and begin implementing them at

your business.

Or

You can do what you have always done and get what you have always gotten.

68

Plan Review and Follow-Up

69

Questions?

70

www.funeralprofitprotectors.com

71

REGIONALWORKSHOPS

Orde

r of the Golden Rule

2014

How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More

Profitably?: Pricing Strategy

72

Pricing Strategy How much should you charge?

By Scott Allen One of the most difficult, yet important, issues you must decide as a funeral home owner is how much to charge for your services and merchandise. While there is no one single right way to determine your pricing strategy, fortunately there are some guidelines that will help you with your decision. Before we get to the actual pricing models, here are some of the factors that you need to consider: Positioning - How are you positioning yourself in the market? Is pricing going to be a key part of that positioning? If you're running a discount funeral home, you're always going to be trying to keep your prices as low as possible (or at least lower than your competitors). On the other hand, if you're positioning your firm as “The Best in the Marketplace”, a price that's too low may actually hurt your image. The pricing has to be consistent with the positioning. People really do hold strongly to the idea that you get what you pay for. Cost - Calculate your fixed and variable costs. How much is the "cost of goods", i.e., a cost associated with each item sold or service delivered, and how much is "fixed overhead", i.e., it doesn't change unless your company changes dramatically in size? Remember that your gross margin (price minus cost of goods) has to amply cover your fixed overhead in order for you to turn a profit. The next step is to determine your pricing objectives. What are you trying to accomplish with your pricing? Short-term profit maximization - While this sounds great, it may not actually be the optimal approach for long-term profits. This approach is common in companies that are bootstrapping, as cash flow is the overriding consideration. Short-term revenue maximization - This approach seeks to maximize long-term profits by increasing market share and lowering costs through economy of scale. For a well-funded company, or a newly public company, revenues are considered more important than profits in building investor confidence. Maximize quantity - There are a couple of possible reasons to choose the strategy. It may be to focus on reducing long-term costs by achieving economies of scale. This approach might be used by a company well-funded by its founders and other "close" investors. Or it may be to maximize market penetration. Differentiation - At one extreme, being the low-cost leader is a form of differentiation from the competition. At the other end, a high price signals high quality and/or a high level of service. Some people really do order lobster just because it's the most expensive thing on the menu. Survival - In certain situations, such as a price war, market decline or market saturation, you must temporarily set a price that will cover costs and allow you to continue operations. Now that we have the information we need and are clear about what we're trying to achieve, we're ready to take a look at specific pricing methods to help us arrive at our actual numbers. As we said earlier, there is no "one right way" to calculate your pricing. Once you've considered the various factors involved and determined your objectives for your pricing strategy, now you need some way to crunch the actual numbers. Here are four ways to calculate prices:

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Cost-plus pricing - Set the price at your production cost, including both cost of goods and fixed costs at your current volume, plus a certain profit margin. For example, your widgets cost $20 in raw materials and production costs, and at current sales volume (or anticipated initial sales volume), your fixed costs come to $30 per unit. Your total cost is $50 per unit. You decide that you want to operate at a 20% markup, so you add $10 (20% x $50) to the cost and come up with a price of $60 per unit. So long as you have your costs calculated correctly and have accurately predicted your sales volume, you will always be operating at a profit. Target return pricing - Set your price to achieve a target return-on-investment (ROI). For example, let's use the same situation as above, and assume that you have $10,000 invested in the company. Your expected sales volume is 1,000 units in the first year. You want to recoup all your investment in the first year, so you need to make $10,000 profit on 1,000 units, or $10 profit per unit, giving you again a price of $60 per unit. Value-based pricing - Price your product based on the value it creates for the customer. This is usually the most profitable form of pricing, if you can achieve it. The most extreme variation on this is "pay for performance" pricing for services, in which you charge on a variable scale according to the results you achieve. Let's say that your widget above saves the typical customer $1,000 a year in, say, energy costs. In that case, $60 seems like a bargain - maybe even too cheap. If your product reliably produced that kind of cost savings, you could easily charge $200, $300 or more for it, and customers would gladly pay it, since they would get their money back in a matter of months. However, there is one more major factor that must be considered. Positioning - If you want to be the "low-cost leader", you must be priced lower than your competition. If you want to signal high quality, you should probably be priced higher than most of your competition. Popular price points - There are certain "price points" (specific prices) at which people become much more willing to buy a certain type of product. For example, "under $100" is a popular price point. "Enough under $20 to be under $20 with sales tax" is another popular price point, because it's "one bill" that people commonly carry. Meals under $5 are still a popular price point, as are entree or snack items under $1 (notice how many fast-food places have a $0.99 "value menu"). Dropping your price to a popular price point might mean a lower margin, but more than enough increase in sales to offset it. Fair pricing - Sometimes it simply doesn't matter what the value of the product is, even if you don't have any direct competition. There is simply a limit to what consumers perceive as "fair". If it's obvious that your product only cost $20 to manufacture, even if it delivered $10,000 in value, you'd have a hard time charging two or three thousand dollars for it -- people would just feel like they were being gouged. A little market testing will help you determine the maximum price consumers will perceive as fair. Now, how do you combine all of these calculations to come up with a price? Here are some basic guidelines: Your price must be enough higher than costs to cover reasonable variations in sales volume. If your sales forecast is inaccurate, how far off can you be and still be profitable? Ideally, you want to be able to be off by a factor of two or more (your sales are half of your forecast) and still be profitable.

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Your price should almost never be lower than your costs or higher than what most consumers consider "fair". This may seem obvious, but many entrepreneurs seem to miss this simple concept, either by miscalculating costs or by inadequate market research to determine fair pricing. Simply put, if people won't readily pay enough more than your cost to make you a fair profit, you need to reconsider your business model entirely. How can you cut your costs substantially? Or change your product positioning to justify higher pricing? Pricing is a tricky business. You're certainly entitled to make a fair profit on your product, and even a substantial one if you create value for your customers. But remember, something is ultimately worth only what someone is willing to pay for it.

SOURCE:

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REGIONALWORKSHOPS

Orde

r of the Golden Rule

2014

1st Session - How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More Profitably?:

Operational Management

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Why You Should Consistently Monitor Your Business Profit Margin

Profit Definition By pure definition, Profit is selling services and merchandise at higher revenue than the cost it was paid for. The reality is much more complicated. What Is Profit? Profit is one of the most important business goals. It is the motivation of profit that drives many

people towards starting out in business in the first place. Profits and losses are indications of whether your local community believes you’re doing the

right things or not. Profits and losses constitute important feedback that improves economic efficiency.

Profits enable us to grow. If what we're doing is good, then we need to grow so we can do

more good. If we don't make profits, then there's something wrong with what we're doing, and we deserve to go out of business. If you wish to expand your business in the future reinvesting profits is one way of financing it.

Most fundamentally, profit is the difference between what’s being produced and what’s being consumed — surplus production. Therefore profit is a very noble value. All our buildings, roads, communication systems, computers, and other manifestations of advanced civilization came about because some people produced more than they consumed; they made a profit. Another major implication of surplus production or profit is that the economy isn’t a zero-sum game. It’s an expanding pie. So the fact that you make a profit means you’re expanding the pie.

Profit is freedom. When you owe people money, they own you—or, at least, they own your

schedule. As long as you remain profitable, the timeline is yours to create. Profit results when intelligence, knowledge, effort, and efficiency are combined with freedom of

action. A company that makes a profit can expand research to increase knowledge, and hire more people; in general, benefiting the overall economy. Profit is growth! Growth benefits everyone.

Profit should not be the sole motive for business. When we focus purely on profit, the spirit of

the business itself suffers. The reality is everyone is worried about money. Those with money constantly worry about money. Those without money, well, they constantly worry about money. It doesn’t matter what one person has and the other doesn’t, money continues to dominate our lives.

Profit is essential for businesses to thrive and survive. They create cash to develop the product

line and remain competitive. Profits help companies expand their market reach. Profits allow companies to compensate their employees, and eventually contribute taxes to the public coffers.

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Businesses who are profitable contribute to society by creating jobs, new innovative products and services, and tax revenue for governments. Without profits, and substantial ones at that, company’s lay-off workers, stop research and development, and pour less money into government coffers. Peter Drucker said, "Profitability is the sovereign criterion of the enterprise." Yet some people see "profits" as evil. People occasionally, and mistakenly, think that profits are an unnecessary function, and are somehow sinister. Whales and sea lions store fat. Potato plants produce tubers. Grasses make rhizomes, dogs bury bones, squirrels cache nuts, and woodpeckers store seeds. Yet humans are so "smart" they make claims to the contrary. In all of life, profit yields success and failure to make a profit results in death. One thing is certain: if your funeral home doesn't make a fair and healthy profit on a sustained basis its very survival is at stake. What Profit Is Not… Making money is not the same as running a business. Most of us identify with the products we create or services we provide. But if you don't know how to make money, you're never going to have much of a business or a whole lot of autonomy. Profit is not about greed. Fair and honest profits are earned every day by small businesses. Profit is not about power. Profit should not be the sole motive for business. When we focus purely on profit, the spirit of the business itself suffers. Profit for its own sake can eventually be just as destructive if the business doesn't have a clear purpose. In business, the difference between phenomenal success and dismal failure is often tiny. As a percentage, it is almost always less than ten percent, and is regularly less than five percent.

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How Can I Run A More Profitable Business? Know and Fully Understand the Basics:

People's reasons for buying things often don't match up with the funeral homes reason for selling them. When you describe things in terms people don't understand, they tend not to trust you as much. Trust is important. Stop slinging the technical terms. When families are deciding which casket to purchase, they do three things. They consider the look (color) and style. They try to envision their loved one in the casket. And they consider the price. But the technology, the features, the special sealing and rust protection benefits—it all goes in one ear and out the other. Understanding what people really want to know—and how that differs from what you want to tell them. Provide goods and service you firmly believe in and you'd want to buy for yourself.

People are happy to pay for services and merchandise they see value in. Never be afraid to put a price on something. If you pour your heart into something and make it great, sell it. Even if there are free or low cost alternatives, even if the market is flooded with discounters. People will pay for things they love. Charging for something makes you want to make it better. After all, paying for something is one of the most intimate things that can occur between two people. One person is offering something for sale, and the other person is spending hard-earned cash to buy it. Both have worked hard to be able to offer the other something he or she wants. That's trust and intimacy. For customers, paying for something sets a high expectation. When you put a price on something, you get truly honest feedback from families. How do you get families to tell us what they really think? Charge them. They'll tell you what they think, demand excellence, and take the services and merchandise seriously in a way they never would if they were just using it for free. Don't just charge. Try as many different pricing models as you can. Package plans, etc. Remove the fear, and people will be more willing to pay you. People don't like uncertainty—especially when they have to pay for it. Anyone can spend money. Helping your families benefit from spending money with you is the key to building long term repeat business and raving fans of your business. Control your company growth. Growth is about defining and penetrating your core customer base. It's about scaling your operations profitably. It's about making the right investments.

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Things to consider when managing growth: Map your cash flow. The easiest way to fail is to run out of cash. Most businesses require

some level of cash outflow prior to cash inflows. Analyze the impact that your growth will have on your cash needs.

Understand your customer acquisition costs. What is the cost for you to acquire a new

customer? In the case of deep discount funeral home operators, the company relies on deep price discounts to acquire customers, which means they generally lost money on each new customer and would only be profitable if the customer made repeat purchases. This strategy can be especially troublesome if you acquire the wrong customers--those who won’t pay their bill – those who won't buy from you again—those who will not tell others about their experience.

Secure funding options early. Look to secure a line of credit or equity capital that matches your

growth plan. This is hard to do at the last minute. When you need the cash, you need it immediately.

Make sure you understand the specific risks that growth creates in your business and mitigate

them. It will allow you to grow at a rate that creates a sustainable business. Keep your overhead low. Overhead includes anything that does not directly relate to earning

money. Charge a reasonable rate for your services and merchandise. Start-up funeral homes tend to

underprice their services and merchandise. Review your rates and prices to ensure you are earning what you actually need to make your business profitable. Don’t just guess, rather know 100%, what it “costs you” to perform each particular type of funeral, cremation, memorial, direct burial, etc. service you offer and perform.

Take advantage of low-cost and no-cost marketing opportunities. Ask customers to spread the

word among their friends, write press releases, and network among your current contacts and vendors.

Keep a very close eye on your expenditures. Before spending money on anything, determine

whether it is necessary for the operation of your business and whether it fits in your current budget. Set up a detailed spreadsheet to track expenses and income, so you will know your financial status.

Resist sales pitches for expensive items you do not need and which will reduce your profit. Do

you really need to purchase those ball caps, ink pens, calendars, etc. as promotional giveaways? Learn and know the real differences between the “need to have” and “nice to have” everyday business items you need to run your operation.

When in doubt about a decision, do not be afraid to seek outside professional advice and

counseling. No one can possibly know everything about everything. Seek out that that can help you make the right decisions at the right time for your business.

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How to Manage Your Funeral Home Money Worries

By Adrienne Burke | Profit Minded

Money, not managing, is the biggest stressor for small business owners, according to a new study. More than 60 percent of business owners surveyed reported increasing stress levels associated with running their business, 45 percent said they spend more time than they'd like to on money management, and one in three said managing finances is the number one source of that stress. How can a small business owner minimize financial worries? We asked Jay DesMarteau, Head of Small Business and Government Banking at TD Bank, which conducted the survey. DesMarteau says creating a real-world financial plan whether you are just starting or have been in business for 20 years can help. He shares some basic tips for conquering month-to-month money management woes. Anyone can take a DIY approach to setting up a financial plan, but you should also be able to get some free advice from an expert where you do your business banking. "It's not like you have to pay for this advice," DesMarteau says. There's one financial stressor off the list! Here are some more tips and tricks DesMarteau offers: 1. Create your own financial statement. The first thing any small business owner needs to get a handle on, DesMarteau says, is how your revenues compare to your expenses. "How does your overall income statement relate to your balance sheet?" he asks. "Ask yourself, 'How much am I selling and what is my revenue compared to my expenses? How many of my expenses are variable—which ones go up with sales verses down with sales, and how many are fixed? And how much do I need to sell to be able to pay all my fixed costs?'" That information will help you to... 2. Figure out what kind of a reserve you need. On the balance sheet side ask, "When are the periods when the revenue will not cover expenses?" For those times, determine how much you need to have in cash reserves or in a line of credit. DesMarteau recommends doing that analysis on an annual basis and breaking it out by month. "Project what you want to see for the 12 months prior and 12 months going forward," he says. 3. Can you get paid faster to cover those gaps? Compare the terms of your collections versus those of your payments. DesMarteau says many businesses overlook this crucial trick for keeping enough cash on hand. Ask yourself, "How am I collecting payments from my customers?" Do customers pay you on 60-day terms while you pay employees and yourself weekly and your vendors on 30-day terms?

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Determine if you can shrink that time between billing and payment from your customers. Can you get paid faster and still be at the market level for the industry or your competitors? If your competitors have 60-day terms, 30 days might be too short. But can you get cash at point-of-sale by accepting credit cards, PayPal, or anything else? DesMarteau adds that, while it's much harder for a small business than a large one, it's worth asking whether you can take longer to pay your vendors. 4. Find out if you can get access to funds faster. When you deposit money in your bank, how quickly does that cash become available to you? Some banks will hold your money. Your $5,000 check won't clear for three days. DesMarteau says you should demand next-day availability, and even the ability to deposit a check on Saturday and have the funds on Sunday.

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How to Save Money on Employee-Related Expenses

Whenever the economy takes a turn for the worse, funeral home owners sometimes have to cut expenses, reduce or eliminate employee benefits or let employees go. This can be especially hard on small volume funeral home (under 100 calls annually), because letting an employee go from a business that only has a few employees can often feel as if you are losing one of your family members. Of course, at the end of the day, the goal is to cut costs so the entire business does not go under, but what if there were ways you could still save money without having to put an employee out? Since having employees can often come with a high price tag, knowing how to save money on your employee-related expenses can go a long way towards helping you avoid having to make that unfortunate announcement to a valuable employee. #1 – Overhaul Your Employee Benefits Some small businesses overload themselves with employee benefits because they feel they need to offer them in order to compete for the top talent in the industry. But this approach could be counterproductive, because rarely are all of the benefits used. Instead of offering so many benefits, be smarter in your approach, and only offer those that make the most sense financially for your business. Or, you can set aside a certain amount of money per employee, and then have them pick and choose the benefits they would like. This keeps your benefits on budget, and your employees can still get the benefits that mean the most to them. #2 – Evaluate the Business and Grow Only When Necessary Being in touch with what is going on in your business and your industry will help you identify when your business needs to grow, and when it should hold steady. It is important to evaluate your business needs regularly, and then find the best ways to handle its growth. Do you have existing employees who can handle additional tasks? If so, by assigning additional duties to capable employees, you may be able to reduce your need for hiring another employee. This will help you avoid having to let someone go when business slows back down again. Practice in-house promotion, and when you need to fill a temporary position that cannot be handled by your current employees, consider bringing in a temp or an intern, over outright hiring a new employee. By doing this, you can keep your employee-related costs to a minimum. #3 – Consider Joining a PEO A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) may be able to help reduce the time and money spent on administrative and human resource responsibilities, because they pool the employees of all of their clients together in order to get better prices on benefit packages from providers. A PEO also works to help ensure their clients are in full compliance with current employer laws and regulations, while minimizing HR risks, and improving employment practices. If your business needs better administrative human resources, then consider joining a PEO, and you might discover you can get a lot more for less. #4 - Flexible Spending Accounts These accounts can be used by employers to save on tax that they need to pay out. The employee who makes contributions to the fund isn’t taxed by the authorities. If the employers were to make the same contributions, then they would be taxed 7.65%, which is known as FICA on each dollar contributions. Therefore, employees should contribute the maximum amount to enable the employer to save expenses.

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#5 – Health Incentives Many health insurance companies offer a variety of incentives that can bring the overall cost of health insurance plan down. The employers who encourage their employees to use such lifestyle choices can help in getting their overall cost down. Employers should motivate their employees to participate in programs that can offer a healthier lifestyle and help the company in reducing the payout for health insurance. #6 - Direct Deposits Offering electronic paychecks--direct deposit--to your employees will save your company time and money, and give your employees a benefit that will make their lives a little bit easier. According to The Electronic Payments Association (NACHA), companies can save up to $3.15 per payment by using direct deposit instead of paper checks. That adds up to big bucks. Those savings come in the form of reduced administrative and processing costs, as you won't need to spend hours working on the books and cutting regular paychecks. You can use software payment programs, payroll processors or even your financial institution to help reduce the time your employees spend on payroll issues. Direct deposit is a win for employees, too. According to a Consumer Federation of America survey, three out of four employees who have this benefit available would use it. Plus, your employees won't have to leave work to deposit their paychecks during banking hours. Workers who deposit paper checks spend up to three work days a year at the bank, a NACHA study said. #7 - Offer a 529 Plan Saving for college is a major concern for parents. You can make the task easier for your employees by offering a direct payroll contribution program to a 529 plan. Employees like the 529 plan because contributions to this account grow tax-free. When money is withdrawn for qualified expenses, such as tuition and room and board, no tax is owed. In a recent survey by benefits consulting firm Hewitt Associates, 19 percent of employers surveyed said they planned to use payroll deduction 529 plans for their employees, and another 46 percent were considering a program. How to get started? Each of the 50 states offers a 529 plan, and some offer more than one. You don't have to use your state's plan, but some states offer tax incentives and other benefits to residents. #8 - Make Retirement Savings Easier To make your business attractive to new employees, you need a benefits package that competes with the big guys. That means you need a retirement plan. Employees will appreciate the opportunity to set some money aside for retirement, and you can save for your future, too. Depending on the size and type of business you run, you have a variety of options. Whichever plan you choose, your employees can contribute funds pre-tax (meaning before the IRS gets its hands on those dollars), and the invested funds will grow tax-deferred (no tax will be owed) until withdrawals begin. If you offer employer matching funds--a few bucks for every few bucks your employee adds to the account--you can deduct the expense. You can also deduct the expenses associated with setting up and maintaining your plan.

Sources: KARIN PRICE MUELLER and CNN Money- January 2014

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How to Save on Office Supplies Buy in bulk You can save big bucks by going bulk. Keep track of which supplies you use the most, and try to order these in large quantities. Bulk orders provide you with a double discount: you will likely benefit from lower prices and diminished shipping costs. Just make sure to order wisely, or you may find yourself with a great supply of something you do not need. Avoid ordering bulk quantities of reusable supplies, such as paper clips and binders.

Go generic To make sure you do not end up losing money on lower-quality supplies, test out a small sample of the generic brand items before making a big purchase. For example, you may find that the generic pencils keep breaking, so paying the higher premium for a trusted brand may be worth the cost.

Saddle up to your supplier Large suppliers have already designed customer loyalty programs to encourage frequent purchases. Consolidating your purchases and sticking to one supplier may add up with discounts or free rewards. You may even be able to negotiate prices for recurring orders, if the supplier knows that you will make more orders in the future.

Create stations A supply station set may encourage employees to share supplies. Designate a spot with a hole puncher, stapler and any other supplies you may wish to distribute. For example, keeping boxes of pens in the station means employees can take a pen whenever they need one, without keeping a whole box of unused pens in a desk drawer. If one station is getting congested, you can always create more.

Find free stuff Many office necessities are simply being given away. For example, a short search will usually turn up free accounting software that may fit all of your needs. You may even be able to find free antivirus software. If you keep an eye out for deals and rebates, you will likely find yourself eligible for free supplies.

You can also find free stuff right in your office. Print on the back side of old memos and paper to save trees and expenses. Reuse supplies, such as binders, folders and even boxes or bubble mailers.

Cut printing costs Between the heavy price of ink and rapid use of paper, printing costs can add up. A few smart computer settings can cut down on the costs. Printers usually have an economy setting that will print documents using less ink. Note that the image and text quality will be slightly lower, but you may not need anything fancy for most of your printing purposes. Other ways of cutting printing costs include double-sided printing, using scrap paper and focusing on electronic communication.

Source: originally published April 04, 2012, Fox Business News On-Line- Newscore

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How to Start Increasing Your Business Profit

Did you know? The average family owned and operated American funeral home profit hovers around 5.5%, according to industry experts. Are you aware there are some American funeral homes making anywhere from 14% to 17% business profit? In an ideal world, every American funeral home profit margin should be around 15%. Even in this economic recession, your funeral home overall business profit should be and can be better. What has your firm’s profit margin been the past several years? Is it meeting the needs of your business, employees and most importantly the families you serve? Surprisingly these are some of the toughest questions for funeral home owners to answer. They just don’t really know! Are you cognizant of the fact that, according to one national small business research study, nearly two-thirds of all small businesses either didn't make a profit last year or failed to increase their profit? I steadfastly believe that all funeral homes have a right to make a sound business profit. Without these fundamental profits, families are not able to be served in the manner, style and custom they deserve and desire. Profits give the business owner, more options and more choices. Let me ask you a frank question; if you selected a number of methods for increasing your net business profit and actually implemented them, would it be possible to increase your profit by $60,000 or maybe even $225,000 in the next two to three years? What would all that extra money do for you, your employees and your funeral home? Remember, it's not what you make; it's what you keep that's critical to your success. So instead of growing the top line, spend time focusing on the profit line. You can begin by questioning your employees. Trust me; they know exactly where the costly stumbling blocks and bottlenecks are hidden in your funeral home. Just ask them! The bottom line is, if you're suffering from tight cash flow, exhausted lines of credit and stagnant or non-existent business profits, then you have a frail and/or dying business. You don't have to put up with the status quo--there are steps you can take to quickly change the course of your business and your future. The first step toward increasing your profits begins with you – the business owner. You need to “resolutely believe” in your heart, mind and soul that you and your employees, deserve to make a respectable business profit. You would not believe the number of funeral home owners I know, who actually feel that “profit” is a dirty word – never to be spoken! They constantly try to convince me (and themselves) that, “Serving families to the best of my ability is all I care about. The business profit will take care of itself, if I concentrate on this one thing”. Poppycock! If you adhere to this mindset, please stop reading this article. There is no need for you to go any further; it will only be an enormous waste of your time.

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If you do not buy into this attitude and genuinely believe you deserve to make a reasonable business profit for all the time, energy, hard work and investment you’ve placed into your business, then do yourself (and your funeral home) a gigantic favor and keep reading to the very end. Here are hands-on tips you can implement today to increase your funeral home profits in short order. Learn and identify what’s working and what’s broken in your business? Wasted and unproductive time is your worst enemy. Your time is limited but you have a great deal to accomplish every day. Successful funeral home owners quickly figure out what works and what doesn’t – and focus on the things that work for them. You can easily start by making a list of all the tasks you do on a regular basis (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly). Do your best to break these tasks into logical areas, such as meeting with families, doing funeral paperwork and merchandise ordering, accounting, marketing, inventory, etc. Second, assign times to each task. How long does it take you to pay your bills every week/month? If you have to maintain inventory, how long does it take you to review your inventory and order replacement inventory? Do this for each task to begin to understand the time you are spending on each activity. Third, assess whether each activity is important. You’d be surprised how many things we all do during a normal day that adds little value to our business. Once you understand the importance of each activity, rank the activities (or logical areas) to better understand where YOU should be focusing. Determine whether those activities are sufficiently important to continue – or whether you need to find someone else (part-time or full-time) to help you with those activities. We all have areas in which we excel. We all have areas in which we don’t. Focus on the areas where you bring the most value to your business and find the right people to fill the gaps in areas you don’t. If you focus on the things that work, you’ll be more efficient and productive, and you’ll see meaningful impact to your bottom line. Study your competition. Know them better than you know yourself. Most small businesses are so focused on their own activities that they never take the time to understand and evaluate their competitors. This is a big mistake. While you no doubt are operating your business better than many of your competitors, you’ll always learn from studying your competitors. Sometimes, you’ll learn what you can do better. Other times, you’ll learn about what you should NOT do. Set meaningful and realistic business goals. Most funeral homes – even successful funeral homes – fail to grow because the owner fails to set quarterly or yearly goals for their businesses. They simply operate the business, focusing on day to day activities, without establishing what they hope to accomplish within a certain amount of time. While your overall goal can be to make a ton of money and find enough free time to enjoy other activities, you should establish reasonable and attainable operating goals for your business.

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Develop a comprehensive, written business strategy that focuses on your goals .Most successful funeral homes are successful because they develop smart strategy and daily execute on that strategy. Yet many owners often confuse decisions and strategy. Every business owner makes decisions about their business. For example, they decide where to market, how to market, how much money to spend on marketing, what types of services to market, etc. These decisions are important – but they are not strategy. These day-to-day decisions are like the moves we make in a game of chess. Knowing how to make a move lets you play the game. It takes strategy and execution to win the game. Assess your service and merchandise offerings and determine whether you need to expand and/or reduce the number offered. Once you start answering these (and other questions), you’ll begin to understand what it will take for you to achieve your goals. Get your entire (full and part time) staff involved in the planning process. Your staff members should be passionately encouraged to offer their ideas, suggestions and input. Keep it positive; this is not a grumble session. If any staff member has a criticism to share, they should do so “privately” behind closed doors. Their business is not anyone else’s business. It has been proven time and time again that staff members will actually make more effort in the right areas when they know what their target is and they have had a say in developing it. The business goals you set should be realistic. If not, then your staff will find out pretty quickly that the goal is unachievable and they will quit trying to help you reach it. Targets you give employees should also be simple to measure. Enhance Employee Efficiency. I like to refer to this as the triple “E”. Take a step back and consider whether your employees are spending time on work duties and responsibilities that add the most value to your business. Think about tasks within your funeral home that could delegated more economically to a part time employee, or outsourced in order to free up time for more profitable duties by those employees who are better suited for the job. Decrease your purchases costs. If you're sitting there with long-time agreements in place, you're overpaying. I guarantee it! Almost every vendor you deal with will cut your cost if you call them - everyone will renegotiate. There's not a line item that can't be addressed and probably reduced. .Get on the phone today and drive down the cost of the items you purchase. In this tight economy, you have all the leverage you need to strike a better deal. First try your existing supplier (if you’re happy with them and would like to continue your working relationship). See what other providers/suppliers can offer. Perhaps you buy from a range of suppliers, could you offer one supplier all your business? What could they offer you for the increase business? This could reduce your other expenses in your business through simplicity. How about your business utility bills? Check to see if your state Public Utility Commission offers a “Customer Choice” program. If it does, check it out and you could be enjoying significant energy savings. I know of funeral home bookkeepers who are still writing checks and mailing them, although electronic banking has been around for ages. Maybe there are specialized tasks you could outsource or assign to a part-timer. Even saving a few thousand dollars a month can be huge for a funeral home.

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Actively manage your account receivables. How much are you owed in accounts receivable that are more than 45 days overdue? I am willing to bet its several thousand dollars and steadily growing as the months roll by. Create a system for keeping in close contact with those who owe you money, to ensure you are paid in a timely manner. Offer a commission to your employees, who can collect bad debts over 120 days due. Why pay a collection agency, when you can accomplish the same thing for much less? Everyone works in public relations. From answering the telephone to email communication to face-to-face meetings, every employee has the opportunity to spread your company's brand message and engage in potential client-generating behavior. Everyone needs to pitch in. Get them organized, trained and motivated to spread your message. Make sure your business brand message is clearly known and understood by all employees. Everyone should be thinking and saying the same thing when interacting with the general public. Seek meaningful ways to reward employees who seek continuing education, or make an extra effort to represent the funeral home inside and outside of work. Funeral service is all about building positive, long lasting relationships. Everyone on your staff can actively participate in this initiative. Focus on your business profit margin. Don’t make the mistake of confusing a high profit margin with a high profit. Take into account the volume of burial cases you serve vs. cremation or direct disposition cases. How much and what type of merchandise are you selling? Is all pricing adequately set to allow you to make a fair and good margin over the long haul? If not, get it set right now!!! Don’t be afraid to be aggressive in your pricing margin and make the services and merchandise you’re offering extremely attractive. You can work on enhancing margins later on, but if you mismanage the margin initially, your services, your merchandise and your business fail at the start. Stay visible and connected. Accreditations, licenses, and certifications -- for your business or for individual employees -- can set you apart from your competition. Take your reputation online, using social media, your website, and a blog to connect with families and forge strategic alliances. Marketing, marketing, marketing. You’ve heard the old adage, location, location, location. Although this is inherently true, your location is set. It is what it is. Now you need to bring people to your location and that’s where your marketing efforts become crucial to your success. Give your business an instant presence through online social networks including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Set up community group presentations and enthusiastically participate in community events. Measure all of your marketing efforts to see which ones are cost effective. You can do this with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software solution linked to your accounts receivable system. Don’t just do what you have always done, because you have always done it that way. Find out what “is working” for your business and do more of that and less of the things that produce little to no tangible results.

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Keep one eye on the future. Don’t put all of your resources and best people on projects that serve the present market. Some of your brightest minds and financial investment needs to focus on the future. As the opening line in the popular 60’s television series, Star Trek says, “Boldly go where no one has gone before”. It may be human nature to stick with something that works, but developing new strategies could propel your business to new levels of efficiency. If your business is doing and offering things the exact same way a year from now, you’re in serious trouble. Funeral homes that are successful find ways to innovate and field-test new ideas at nominal to no cost. Keep in mind, while experimentation is a key component for success, successful entrepreneurs make decisions only after seriously considering how they can manage risk. Always take into account the direct and indirect costs associated with trying something new. Don’t use all of your energy and resources to fix problems at the expense of new opportunities. Problems never create cash and income and margin. Problems are yesterday’s activities. Opportunity is where you have to focus.

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Energy Management

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How to Start Saving On Your Energy Costs There are a number of significant steps your funeral home can take immediately to start saving on your business energy expenses and start putting more profit back in your pocket. Begin with the air you breathe inside your funeral home. Here is a simple clean-air checklist. The items on this list should be attended to on a weekly basis. Vacuum floors and furniture. The best vacuums are sealed and have HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters to trap airborne allergens. Air purifiers remove dust and pollen. A higher CADR rating means faster removal. Make sure that you change your furnace air filter every three months. Wash all funeral home related laundry in hot (130 degrees Fahrenheit) water. Damp-dust windowsills and blinds. Reusable, microfiber E-Cloths are great for clearing dirt from hard surfaces without the need for harsh or expensive cleaning products. Endust Free is the only cleaner certified by The Asthma and Allergy Foundation. Wash funeral home restroom walls and surfaces with a water/bleach solution. Keep restrooms odors in check by using lightly scented air fresheners. Nothing heavy Attain the perfect humidity level in your funeral home. Use a hygrometer to test your funeral home’s moisture content. 30% to 50% is optimal for most funeral homes. Any lower, and nasal and sinus passages can dry out, making your and your families susceptible to colds; higher moisture promotes mold and dust mites. Also dehumidify a damp basement area. Other Profit Saving Tips…

Plant a Tree. Strategically planted trees around the funeral home provide shade that reduces air-conditioning bills up to 75 percent – and can save you as much as $350 in energy costs each year.

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Use live plants wisely. Researchers have found that certain types – Boston ferns, spider and rubber plants, English ivy, azaleas – can help lessen indoor air pollution. What condition are your windows in? Thermal-pane windows let in light while blocking out the winter chill. Updating yours to newer Energy Star-qualified models can lower energy bills by 7% to 15% and qualify your business for a tax credit; see energystar.gov. Stop Sapping Energy. Funeral Home electronics and appliances can use energy even if turned off. Known as phantom power, the loss accounts for 8% or more of your businesses annual electricity bill. The fix? Plug gadgets into smart surge protectors (like the Belkin Conserve Smart AC). If you switch them off when leaving the work area, you’ll end energy leakage immediately. How’s your funeral home lighting? Did you know that if every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb (with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, that's earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to those from about 800,000 cars. Earning the ENERGY STAR means products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. CFL Frequently Asked Questions How much can I expect to save by using CFLs? CFLs last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs and use up to 75 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs. On average, each CFL will save about $30 in energy costs over the expected lifetime of the bulb. By changing out the six most used bulbs in your home to CFLs, you could save over $180 in energy costs. What are the best locations to install CFLs? You should use CFLs in high use areas, where the light will be on four hours or more a day.

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Are CFLs safe to use? CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 5 milligrams – about the amount that would cover the tip of a ballpoint pen. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury. It would take 100 CFLs to equal that amount. The mercury is held within the bulb and is not released unless the bulb is broken. Mercury currently is an essential component of CFLs and is what allows the bulb to be an efficient light source. No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or in use. Many manufacturers have taken significant steps to reduce mercury used in their fluorescent lighting products. In fact, the average amount of mercury in the new smaller styles of CFLs has dropped to around 1.5 milligrams thanks to technology advances and a commitment from members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. What precautions should I take when using CFLs in my funeral home? CFLs are made of glass and can break if dropped or roughly handled. Be careful when removing the bulb from its packaging, installing it, or replacing it. Always screw and unscrew the lamp by its base (not the glass), and never forcefully twist the CFL into a light socket. If a CFL breaks, follow the clean-up recommendations below. Used CFLs should be disposed of properly How many hours do CFL bulbs last? CFLs normally last between 6,000 and 12,000 hours, or about 10 times longer than a typical incandescent bulb. For this reason, they are perfect choices for hard-to-reach and long-burning locations. Can I put CFL bulbs inside an enclosed fixture? Yes. An increasing number of CFLs can now fit in enclosed fixtures. Be sure to look to the product packaging for an indication that the bulb is appropriate for use in enclosed fixtures.

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What about using CFLs outside? Outside light fixtures are usually ideal applications for CFLs, as they are on for long periods of time each day. While CFLs hold up just fine outside, avoid installing them in unshielded or wet applications. Also, avoid installing CFLs on exterior fixtures that have integrated motion sensors or dusk-to-dawn sensors, as their useful lives may be shortened significantly. CFLs do not turn on as quickly as my regular bulbs. While CFLs do not start at full intensity like incandescent bulbs, nearly all CFLs turn on (without flicker) instantly and reach full illumination very quickly. Implementing energy efficient measures in your facility will help reduce energy costs and lower your energy bill. It will also improve the productivity and comfort of your employees and families, as well as advance the maintenance, safety, and security of your operation. Additional Ways to Lower Your Energy Costs… Here are a variety of no-cost or low-cost ideas to help keep your energy usage in check and make your business more profitable. Heating & Cooling One of the biggest users of energy in most funeral homes is the heating and

cooling systems. Change the thermostat settings. Most people can be comfortable at temperatures below 70°F in the winter and above 75°F in the summer. A change of a few degrees can make a big difference in operating cost. Make changes gradually in one-degree increments.

Protect thermostat settings by installing tamper-proof covers.

Be sure your thermostat reading is accurate by using a thermometer to check the

temperature. Ensure thermostats are installed in areas unaffected by drafts and direct sunlight.

Place lamps far away from thermostats so the heat given off doesn't cause air-

conditioning systems to run longer than they need to.

Reduce your HVAC run time by eliminating unnecessary operation during

unoccupied hours.

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Use programmable thermostats to operate your HVAC system. Reduce or eliminate the heating and cooling of unused areas.

Maintain proper humidity control.

Clean or replace filters and clean the coil of your HVAC unit.

Install ceiling fans to reduce the need for air conditioning.

Be sure any attic areas are ventilated.

Lighting Lighting is typically the second largest consumer of energy. Remove

unnecessary lamps. Lighting levels are often higher than needed for the task being performed.

Turn off indoor lights when an area is unoccupied.

Install more efficient lamps and lower wattage lamps.

Clean dust and dirt from lamps and fixtures to ensure you are getting all of the

light output. Reduce background lighting and install task lighting. Replace incandescent exit sign lamps with compact fluorescent lamps.

Utilize light colored walls and ceilings as appropriate for a 15% to 50% increase

in light levels. Building Insulation Fix doors and windows that don't close.

Repair or replace broken windows.

Adjust automatic door closers to ensure that doors close properly.

Caulk around windows and weather strip doors.

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Check roof and wall insulation to make sure it meets current energy efficient standards and requirements.

Water Heating Reduce water heating settings to 105ºF for hand washing and showers. Check

code requirements to ensure compliance. Repair leaky hot water faucets and any other hot water leaks. Check faucet

gaskets and replace as necessary. Insulate older hot water storage tanks and insulate hot water pipes.

Install self-closing hot water faucets in public restrooms.

Install air blown hand dryers in public restrooms.

Don’t Forget!!! Shut off air conditioning to corridors, dead spaces, lobbies, storage areas,

garages, etc. Schedule casket and other deliveries and shipments for morning hours (7:30am

to 10:00am) to keep funeral home delivery doors closed during peak hours. . Recharge batteries during off-peak hours.

Recycle aluminum cans, newspapers, plastics, etc.

Make sure computers enter a low-power "sleep" mode after 15 minutes of

inactivity. Make sure copiers go into a low-power "sleep" mode after 30 minutes of

inactivity. Ask employees for help conserving energy by always being mindful of their

energy usage. Turn off lights in rooms that no one is occupying and/or install automatic turn on switches that turn the lights on when someone enters the room. Energy consumption is everyone’s responsibility.

Tips have been provided courtesy of: Good Housekeeping Magazine – 2012 Green Issue and Energy Star.

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HOW TO SAVE ON YOUR ENERGY BILLS IN WINTER

In the winter, when many funeral homes turn up the heat and put up holiday lights, gas and electric bills can be much higher than usual.

According to the Department of Energy, a small business spends more than $2,100 a year on electricity bills and other utilities. A big part of those costs come from wasted energy during those cold months.

However, you can save on winter energy costs if you make some changes in certain areas of your funeral home.

Lighting

Improve your lighting and save energy.

• Replace traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, which last between six and 12 times longer. Remember to turn off any lights that aren’t in use.

• Consider using LED lights for Christmas decorations. These use 90 percent less energy than the standard Christmas lights.

Thermostats and heating

Keep your funeral home warm and comfortable.

• Install a programmable thermostat for your heating system. • Keep the doors and windows closed while the heat is on. • Frequently change the filters in your furnace. • Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

General tips

Be energy efficient throughout your home.

• Only use the pre-room exhaust fan when necessary. • Repair any water leaks in the restrooms and other sink areas. • Use power strips to plug in portable heaters, computers and cell phone chargers.

That way, you can turn off the power switch when the devices are not in use. • If you’re thinking of replacing any equipment, make sure it has an Energy Star

logo. Energy Star products are more energy efficient.

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How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More Profitably?:

Building Management

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Tips To Conserve Water and Lower Your Funeral Home Water Bill

Upgrade old toilets with water efficient models.

Have leaky faucets repaired.

Use a broom to clean off the funeral home walks and driveways – Not the

garden hose.

Water your flowers during the coolest part of the day. Preferably 4am-7am

Landscape with low-water plants.

Make sure your in ground watering system is operating properly and the timing is set for the minimum level required.

Use any leftover drinking water for all indoor funeral home plants, instead of throwing it in the sink.

Run your funeral home vehicles through a local car wash, that recycles

water, rather than wash the vehicles yourself

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Sustainability at Your Funeral Home Next Generation of Green Building Practices

It seems like everyone is talking about “going green”. Green practices at the funeral home; green burials; green funerals; green cars, etc. But how, exactly, does one “go green,” and what specific components of a funeral home are important for energy’s sake?

Solar Panels: Solar panels are used to convert sunlight into useable power. Made with crystalline silicon, the panels sustain little wear and tear over time, thanks to PV (photovoltaic) technology. The panels, which are on average 16-18% efficient, are a very cost-effective way to add value to your funeral home.

Structural Insulated Panels: When you think of Structural Insulated Panels (known as SIP’s), think of a sandwich; they bare made out of two layers of materials. EPS (expanded polystyrene_ inserted between layers of OSB (oriented strand board. They are made out of foam, and their purpose is to replace traditional framing in funeral homes. This can save the funeral home owner 50-70% in heating and cooling costs. The payback can be as evident as soon as three years.

Geothermal Heating: Geothermal heating is a way to heat and cool your home using the earth’s constant temperature with a ground source heart pump (GSHP’s), which draws heat from the earth in winter or extracts heat from the funeral home during the summer. Typical energy analysis reveals that GSHP’s can reduce energy costs by 15%. Such a system should last for 20 years, if properly installed and maintained.

Heat Recovery Ventilators: This mechanical ventilation system allows a continuous supply of fresh air to get into the funeral home and improves climate control in the whole building. HRV’s are typically tied into existing ductwork, and installation costs vary, depending on the size of the HRV. Over their 15-20 year lifespan, their standard efficiency is approximately 70% recovery.

Tank less Water Heaters: Why should the water that you use in your funeral home be heated all the time rather than only when you need it to be heated? That is the concept behind tank less water heaters; that is, heating water only on demand. These heaters can be installed in the same place as your traditional water heater and they are typically smaller in size, resulting in a space savings. The highest rated tank less systems are 98% efficient as compared to 67% efficient for new, traditional storage hot water heaters. Like other mechanical systems, they do tend to wear out in 10-15 years.

Spray Foam Insulation: Spray foam insulation is polyurethane based spray-in-place/air sealing foam insulation. It is applied as a liquid and expands and cures in sections. Spray foam insulation does not wear out over time and while it is about twice the cost to install as conventional insulation, it can result in energy savings of up to 50%. Combined with proper mechanical ventilation, spray foam insulation is the ideal base for a health funeral home.

Source: www.housetrends.com – 2014

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How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More

Profitably?: Grounds Management

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Grounds Management

It’s human nature to make spot judgments based on first impressions. Fair or not, one of the first things

anyone will notice about your funeral home property is the lawn. You can have a gorgeous funeral home, with

all the accompaniments, but if your lawn isn’t up to par, you’re not going to make the impression you

intended.

Ideas for Adding Value with Landscaping

Planting trees is an easy way to add longstanding value. The best types of trees to plant are high-quality shade trees, including sugar maple, red maple, pine oak, white oak, and live oak. While shade trees vary in height, they all provide ample shade. Blooming trees can also increase property value by adding a splash of color to an otherwise green lawn. Redbud, magnolia, crape myrtle, cherry, and flower crab apple are some of the most popular blooming trees. When planting trees, keep in mind how it will affect views both inside and outside the funeral home. Foundation plants are ideal for landscaping. These plants include perennials, low shrubs, and flowering shrubs like azaleas, encore azaleas, and winterberry holly. Groundcover beds can be planted under trees. This is because they're shade-tolerant and require less water than other plants. Incorporating decorative structures, like boulders, arbors, and pergola with vines, can also help your lawn look more distinctive. Taking care of existing plants is just as important as planting new ones. Regardless of why you're landscaping, you need to practice good lawn care year-round. This means shearing overgrown tree limbs and shrubs, as well as mowing the lawn and removing weeds. You can also add volume to a bare lawn by over seeding it.

Choosing the Right Fertilizers

When applied at the right time and in the right amounts, fertilizer can be the secret ingredient to a healthy,

green lawn. However, fertilizer is not a miracle cure, and it cannot create a beautiful lawn on its own. When

used along with aerators, herbicides and soil amendments, fertilizer can have a profound effect.

Unfortunately, it's easy to damage your lawn by using too much fertilizer or applying it at the wrong time. You

should know always know when to fertilize. Lawn that grows on infertile soil is sparse, yellowish and prone to

invasion by weeds and pests. If clover is taking over your lawn, it's time to investigate the benefits of fertilizer.

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Types of Lawn Fertilizer

Most grass fertilizers are either quick-release or slow-release. Slow-release products are preferred by experts

and homeowners because they don't need to be applied as frequently and are less likely to cause fertilizer

burn. These products typically contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The most common nutrient ratios

for lawn fertilizer are 4-1-2 and 4-1-3. The majority of lawn fertilizers contain between 20 and 40 percent

nitrogen. Homeowners can select the appropriate fertilizer by completing a soil test every four years to detect

deficiencies. In general, nitrogen is the most important element and is delivered in the highest concentration.

Phosphorus stimulates root growth, and potassium makes other nutrients more available.

Application Schedules

Applying fertilizer too early in the season is a common mistake. At first, the lawn will be lush and green.

However, when the warm weather comes, the grass won't have the energy to cope with the heat. Warm

season turf grasses, such as Bermuda and St. Augustine, benefit from fairly early fertilizer applications

between April and July. Cool season grasses, including bluegrass, ryegrass and fescue, benefit from later

applications of fertilizer starting around June and continuing through August. Most slow-release products can

be applied at the recommended rate every eight to 10 weeks or up to four times per year.

Application Rates

With fertilizer, less is more. Over-fertilizing causes discoloration, leads to pest infestations and promotes

disease. That's why it's important to follow the application recommendations. High-maintenance lawns where

clippings are removed should receive an application of roughly 1 pound of pure nitrogen per 1,000 square

feet. Heavily shaded yards and lawns where grass clippings are not collected need about half as much

fertilizer.

For best results, apply fertilizer after all weeds are under control, and avoid products that also contain

herbicides. Always water your lawn thoroughly the day before applying fertilizer, and follow spreader setting

guidelines noted on the packaging. Your lawn will look better and be healthier if you apply appropriate

amounts of fertilizer and follow a fertilization schedule designed for the type of grass that you have.

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Earthworms Help Keep the Soil Healthy Most funeral home owners will do anything to keep pests and other insects off their lawn, but earthworms are different. Through their ability to break up soil and thatch, form nutrients, and produce organic fertilizer, earthworms are one type of insect worth keeping around for a healthy lawn. Earthworms are essential for the health of most soil types and a healthy soil is indicated by its ability to distribute water and nutrients to the roots of plants to make them grow. Because earthworms naturally tunnel through the soil to break it up; creating space for air and water to flow through, soil containing earthworms will not become compact or harden. Since earthworms also consume thatch for food, this keeps thatch problems down to a minimum. Thatch, which are rough patches of grass, make it difficult for water and fertilizer to penetrate the soil and reach the roots of plants. Insects and other lawn diseases can also establish havens around thatch, making earthworms even more vital to keep around.

They Make a Great Organic Fertilizer In addition to getting rid of thatch, earthworms also consume other organic materials, such as leaves and dead plants. This allows them to produce castings, or feces that they leave behind in the soil, creating nutrient-rich organic fertilizer that keeps the soil healthy and plants growing. It also means dead leaves on your lawn will decompose at a faster rate.

Earthworms Rid the Soil of Disease and Soil Pests Soil with high earthworm populations have been shown to have low numbers of nematodes, which are pests that live in the soil, posing harm to plants as they consume the roots. In order to maintain a steady population of earthworms, limit the amount of chemicals that are used. This means chemical-based fertilizers and weed killers will need to be kept at minimum in order for earthworms to thrive. Also, rake a thin layer of compost across the top of the soil in the spring. This gives the worms an immediate source of food to start with before burrowing into the ground. Despite their unappealing looks, earthworms should not be considered a pest! Their populations typically do not go out of control and even in large numbers they can prove highly beneficial to improving the soil quality.

Source: www.lawncare.net website

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How Can You Effectively Manage Your Business More Profitably?:

Rolling Stock Management

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How to Prolong Your Vehicle Battery Life Batteries have an average life of three to five years. Simple care and maintenance can keep your battery performing reliably throughout its life. Keep your battery case and brackets free of corrosion. If you see cracks or oozing at the

top of your battery case, replace the battery. Corrosion and deposits interfere with the flow of electric current. Have your battery

terminals and posts cleaned regularly by a trained technician. Inspect brackets. If they are heavily corroded, replace them or have them replaced.

Tighten any loose cables.

Check the tension and condition of your fan belt. A loose belt can affect the battery’s

ability to recharge. Get in the habit of turning off accessories before turning off your vehicle.

Keep your battery fully charged when your car is not in use, especially if you will not be

using your vehicle for two weeks or more. Watch and listen for warning signs. If your headlights dim when you are idling but

brighten when you rev the engine, it could signal an electrical system problem.

Source: www.aaa.com

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How to Save Money on Your Gasoline Expenses At the pump, avoid gas rated E15. The E is for Ethanol, which has about 30% less

energy than gasoline and kills mpg.

While at the service station, inflate your tires properly and check them often for uneven wear. Steer clear of those stickier wider performance tires, which increase road friction and can sap mileage per gallon. Instead, opt for eco-focused tires, which reduce rolling resistance. Poor alignment not only causes tires to wear out more quickly, but also forces your engine to work harder. Align your tires, and save up to 10%. More than one-quarter of vehicles are driving on deflated tires. The average under-inflation of 7.5 pounds causes a loss of 2.8% in fuel efficiency.

Keep cool by opening the vehicle windows, enjoying the breeze and turning off the gas draining air-conditioning. Do this on your local roadways only. At highway speeds, driving with the windows down creates drag and will lower your gas mileage. At 40 mph or higher, roll up the windows and put on the air conditioning.

Use steel-belted radial tires. They increase gas mileage up to 10%.

Don't use high octane gas unless your car is pinging and knocking or you have a high-performance engine and the manufacturer recommends premium gas.

Check your tire pressure weekly. For every pound of under inflation, you can lose up to six percent in gas mileage, so if your tires are five pounds underinflated, you'll use up to 30% more gas.

Don't top off your tank when pumping gas. On a warm day, gasoline expands and can overflow.

Don't warm your car up by letting it idle. The engine warms up faster when driving than it does when idling, and idling wastes about a quart of gas every 15 minutes.

Save fuel by combining errands into one trip and avoid backtracking whenever possible. Wasteful driving habits can double your fuel consumption. Develop gas-saving habits, such as: 1. Always accelerate gently. Lousy driving on the highway can add as much as one-

third to your gas bill. 2. Watch traffic ahead of you so you can anticipate slow-downs and avoid stops. 3. Coast up to traffic jams by lifting your foot off the gas pedal instead of approaching

at full speed and slamming on the brakes. It takes 20% more gas to accelerate to normal speed from a full stop than it does from four or five miles per hour.

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4. Don't drive too fast or too slow. It takes 20% to 30% more gas to drive at 70 mph than 50 mph.

5. Maintain a steady speed on the highway. Avoid getting stuck behind slow cars where you have to slow down to their pace and then speed up to pass. For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7%.

Check Your Air Filter- Nearly one in four cars needs an air filter replacement. A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%. Tune Up - When was your last tune up? Keep your car properly maintained and tuned. A poorly tuned car can use more than 25% more gas. A properly maintained engine can improve mileage by up to 4%. Check Your Gas Cap - Believe it or not, it's been estimated that nearly 17% of cars on the road have broken or missing gas caps. What's the big deal? Escaping fumes not only hurt fuel economy but release smog-causing compounds into the air. Avoid air pollution and improving fuel mileage is as easy as replacing a bad gas cap. Lay Off The Brakes - Riding with your foot on the brake pedal will not only wear out brake pads (which will cost you at the maintenance shop) but can also increase gas consumption by as much as 35%. Lighten Up - For every 100 extra pounds carried around, your vehicle loses 1 to 2% in fuel efficiency. Don't drive around with too much junk in the trunk. Don't Idle - Besides causing pollution, idling wastes gas. If stopped for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine, and don't bother to "warm up" your car before driving -- it is not necessary. Change the way in which you drive - Many people burn much more gas than they have to. By making a few small adjustments in the way that you drive, you can see considerable fuel savings. Most vehicles today are set to achieve optimal fuel economy around 55mph. If you drive too fast or too slow, you won't be able to maximize your fuel savings. Learn where to find the cheap gas - In most regions, you will find the cheapest gas prices in the same areas. In major metro areas, this seems to be outlying suburbs. It is best to avoid affluent areas when looking for a cheap fill. People in these areas are less price sensitive, and the gas stations realize this fact. Not only that, the gas stations are located on more valuable land, and land taxes will be higher. They pass on these higher costs to customers. Gas stations, near major freeway exits, can be more expensive that stations further away. It can pay to drive a few blocks from the freeway to find a deal.

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Find the right type of station - Some stations are always the price leaders in the area. Often times wholesale clubs, grocery stores or department stores with gas stations will sell gas close to cost or at a loss (loss leader), in order to get people into the stores where they may buy other, higher margin items. Some of these places require memberships. The cost of the membership must be factored into the price. Some of these stations also give you a credit for in store purchases when you fill up with gas. This can result in considerable indirect savings. Service stations, with an auto repair shop on site, often have more expensive gas. Take advantage of discounts available - Many stations have coupons available for discounts on gas purchases. These coupons can be found in various places, like the back side of grocery store receipts, in the mail coupons, internet coupons. Many stations will give you a discount on gas with the purchase of a car wash, or vice versa. A great way to save money on gas is by using a gas rebate credit card. Purchase a more fuel efficient vehicle - Many vehicles are getting worse fuel economy than vehicles of the past. Auto manufacturers are putting larger engines in bigger vehicles, which results in unsatisfactory fuel economy. Many SUV's get 15-20 MPG (some even worse). A new wave of hybrid gas/electric vehicles are on the market, and some of them get 45+ MPG. Although their manufacturers say that they get nearly 60MPG, the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius actually get around 48MPG in real world tests. This is still 3 times the fuel economy on some of the big SUV's and can lead to huge savings. Keep in mind that unless you do a lot of driving, it may be difficult to save enough money to justify paying the premiums that these vehicles command at the dealership. There are a number of other non-hybrid vehicles available that can save you a lot of money at the pump.

Sources: Reader’s Digest, The Daily Green, About.com, Gas Buddy.com

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CONSUMER MENTALITY How People Prioritize Who to Pay

Food Shelter Utilties

Recurring Credit Transportation

Ego Reinforcing Gifts Recurring Professionals Emergency Purchases

NON RECURRING PROFESSIONALS Social Service Facilities

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DID YOU KNOW? IN A SURVEY ON CONSUMER ATTITUDES TOWARDS FUNERALS, 78% OF CONSUMERS INDICATE THEY BELIEVE THE PURPOSE OF THE FUNERAL IS TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE THAT WAS LIVED. IN THAT SAME SURVEY 68% AGREE THAT FUNERAL DIRECTORS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PLANNING A FUNERAL AND 78% STATED THEY USED/WOULD USE THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS TO HELP SELECT FUNERAL PRODUCTS.

OF THE 2.4 MILLION DEATHS ANNUALLY, APPROXIMATELY 75% RESULT IN EARTH BURIAL OR ENTOMBMENT AND 25% RESULT IN CREMATION.

3 OUT OF 4 WIVES BECOME WIDOWS AND 1 OUT OF 2 WOMEN BECOME A WIDOW BEFORE AGE 55. 1 OF 4 WIDOWS IS UNDER AGE 45. THE AVERAGE AMERICAN WIFE SPENDS 18 YEARS AS A WIDOW. 73% OF WOMEN AND 60% OF MEN LIVE TO AT LEAST AGE 75. 60% OF WOMEN ARE STILL ALIVE AT AGE 80, WHILE THE PERCENTAGE OF MEN STILL ALIVE DROPS BELOW HALF AFTER AGE 78. MORE THAN HALF OF WOMEN ARE STILL ALIVE AT AGE 83.

MEN ARE TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN WOMEN TO DIE FROM ACCIDENTAL DEATHS. COMPARED TO WOMEN, MEN HAVE HIGHER DEATH RATES FOR ALL 15 LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AND DIE SIX YEARS YOUNGER ON AVERAGE. WIVES MAKE 82% OF FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS. ACCORDING TO DATE COMPILED BY THE U.S. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: A man reaching age 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 84. A woman turning age 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 86. About one out of four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, and one out of 10 will live past age 95.

WOMEN ARE MOST LIKELY TO REPORT STRESS RELATED TO DEBT, FAMILY FINANCES AND THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE. MARRED WOMEN GENERALLY PREFER THAT ALL FINANCIAL DEALINGS BE HANDLED BY THEIR HUSBANDS, INCLUDING FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT.

Sources: Wilbert Funeral Services; U.S. Census Bureau, Hartford Financial Services, The Disaster Center, Lancet, a British health publication n; Men’s Health Consulting, Women’s Heart Foundation and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Health Statistics. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, University of Washington lead study published in PLoS Medicine, an open-access journal of the Public Library of Science, American Psychological Association’s - Stress in America Survey, Social Security Administration (2014).

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KNOW THE FACTS!

FACT: One of your loved ones (survivors) will someday have to write a sizeable check for your funeral and other final expenses. Funds must be promptly available on the day of your funeral to pay these expenses. FACT: 33% of the American adult population has no life insurance. (1) FACT: 30% of those with life insurance have an amount that is less than their annual income. (1) FACT: 80% of US employees have no life insurance other than what their company provides. (2) FACT: Most group or term insurance expires prior to death resulting in benefits never paid to survivors. FACT: 84% of the adult population over the age of 20 thinks that pre-funding and planning for this inevitable event is a good idea. (3) FACT: Not all deaths are from the senior population. Over 19% of US mortality is under the age of 59 – this is the working population. (4) FACT: When pre-arranging, women (57%) are more likely than men (41%) to make “funeral services”, the first priority. A strong majority of adults (50+) agree that it is better to pre-arrange for themselves (72%) (5) FACT: Individuals who are worried about death are more likely to purchase expensive funeral merchandise according to researchers from the University of Arkansas in a recent “death anxiety” study they conducted. Individuals who pre-plan ahead of time are relatively less anxious about death and therefore are less likely to purchase high-end caskets and services. (6) FACT: On average, a female retiring at age 55 can expect to live another 27 years, four years longer than a male retiring at the same age, and needs to adequately save and prepare for those extra years. Studies indicate that women tend to invest more conservatively than men, receiving lower rates of return from their investments over time, thus reducing the amount of savings they have at retirement. (7) Sources:

(1) Life Post 9/11 Life Ins. Study – October 2002 (2) Bardes Consulting, Inc. – Charleston, SC – Article February 2003 (3) Study of American Attitudes Toward Ritualization and Memorialization – April 2000, Study by Wirthlin Worldwide (4) US Mortality Statistics – 1999 (5) Study of American Attitudes Toward Ritualization and Memorialization, January 2005, Study by Wirthlin

Worldwide (6) University of Arkansas study conducted by Steve Kopp, associate professor of marketing at the UA’s Sam M. Walton College of Business (7) Women and Retirement Savings, U.S. Department of Labor-Employee Benefits Security Administration from the internet site www.pueblo.gsa.gov. May, 2014.

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Weddings – Funerals

Did you know that American couples spend, on average, $31,000 for their wedding? This figure does not include the additional cost of a honeymoon, engagement ring, bridal consultant or wedding planner. Here are some of the other 2013 averages: Spent on wedding dress: $1,211 Marrying age: Bride 29; Groom 30 Number of guests: 141 Number of bridesmaids: 4-5 Number of groomsmen: 4-5 Length of engagement: 14 months Most popular month to get engaged: December (16%) Most popular month to get married: September (15%) Most popular wedding colors: Blue (30%), Purple ($25%), Green (24%)

The overall cost of a wedding has shown roughly a 73% increase over the past 15 years. Wedding costs could reach $35,000 by 2016. By contrast the average cost of a funeral has only increased 52% over roughly the same time period. The national median cost of a funeral for calendar year 2012 was $7,045.00. If a burial vault is included the median cost is $8,343.00. These figures are according to the results of the 2013 Member General Price List Study conducted by The National Funeral Directors Association, Brookfield, Wisconsin. Sources: The Wedding Group and 2011 Real Wedding Survey by XO Group, creator of TheKnow.com and WeddingChannel.com, CNNMoney, The Fairchild Bridal Group, National Funeral Directors Association-2013 Member General Price List Study.

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Most Americans Can't Afford a $1,000.00 Emergency Expense

When unexpected financial expenses strike, most Americans are not the least bit prepared to pay for it. A majority, or 64%, of Americans don't have enough cash on hand to handle a $1,000.00 emergency expense, according to a survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, or NFCC. People need personal finance to prepare for contingencies such as a death within the family, which are usually unforeseen. Death is a certainty. What is not certain is when, and who is going to pay for all the final expenses. Only 36% said they would tap their rainy day funds for an emergency. The rest of the 2,700 people polled said that they would have to go to other extremes to cover an unexpected expense, such as borrowing money or taking out a cash advance on a credit card. Twenty-six percent of Americans – just over one in four – have no emergency savings, according to a 2014 Bankrate.com Many respondents, 17%, said they would borrow money from friends or family. Another 17% said they would neglect other financial obligations -- like a credit card bill or mortgage payment -- in order to free up some funds. Alternatively, 12% of the respondents said they would have to sell or pawn some assets to come up with $1,000 and 9% said they would need to take out a loan. Another 9% said they would get a cash advance from a credit card, according to the NFCC.

Sources: Bankrate.com – 2014 report, 2013 survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, or NFCC. 116

People do business with those they know and trust; are passionate about what they do and are not afraid to show it!

How Consumers Buy…

5% are seeking to pay the highest price possible

20% are seeking to pay the lowest price possible

75% are Value Minded Consumers and will purchase any goods or services that offer them the most value for the money they pay.

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Payment Policy and Guidelines XYZ Funeral Home and Crematory To lose someone you love is a devastating experience. It can be traumatic and seriously affect one’s judgment. A death may sometimes come unannounced, when you are least prepared to deal with it emotionally, financially or otherwise. Selecting funeral arrangements involves many, many decisions. Not only are you accepting the moral responsibility of planning the final arrangements, you are also accepting the financial obligation of paying the expenses associated with those arrangements. It is our sincere desire to serve you and your family in every respect with care, dignity and respect during your time of need. Therefore, it is vitally important to be realistic with respect to funeral expenses. We do not want any family to spend more than they are comfortably able, nor less than they would like to arrange. At ________________Funeral Home and Crematory we are not meant to become a financial burden on anyone. What is important is that the arrangements made are in complete keeping with the family’s wishes and budget. We believe in the special recognition and meaningful celebration of a life that has been lived and will assist you in every way possible in arranging an appropriate service to meet your individual needs. We have found that funeral bills are often shared by different individuals and frequently divided between certain family members, thus financial arrangements must be resolved prior to the funeral service. In this way, the possibility for any embarrassing misunderstanding between family members or any family member and the funeral home is avoided. Due to the fact that we are not able to finance funerals, you will find listed below the acceptable methods of payment we are able to accept for the arrangements you select. The financial obligation needs to be decided in the funeral arrangement conference and must be finalized before the time of the service.

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To assist you in making a decision of how best to satisfy those expenses, and to keep things as easy as possible, our funeral director will provide you with a General Price List and an itemized statement of Goods and Services, which you have chosen. He/she will also offer you convenient options for payment of these Goods and Services from the list below that are available for your convenience. Please initial the payment option that is best for you.

1. ___ Accounts paid in advanced through a prearranged and prepaid funeral plan. (any unpaid balance is due at the time of funeral arrangements.) 2. ___ Payment, in full, by cash or check on/or before the day of service. 3. ___ Assignment of verifiable and assignable life insurance and/or burial policies

which are in good standing to cover all and/or part of the total expense with any outstanding balance due within 30 days from the date of the arrangement conference. All insurance policies must be assigned directly to ______________ Funeral Home and Crematory, subject to verification by the insurance company home office. As a value added service our administrative service team will be glad to file all policies for you at no charge. Please bring the original policy to the funeral home the day of the funeral arrangement conference for processing. If the insurance policy(s) is not enough to pay the complete funeral changes, you will be wholly responsible for any outstanding balance.

4. ___ We honor, Debit Cards, VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club, American Express

and Discover Card for payment of funeral services and merchandise; however, due to fees incurred we are not able to offer a discount for this type of payment. Name on Card____________ Card Number___________ Expiration Date______

5. ___ Special financing is available, for those who qualify, and if payments are necessary, through a loan program we are connected with. Please ask your funeral director for complete details. Bank financing through your local bank is also an option.

6. ___ We Do Not Invoice Estates. If an estate is established, you are still wholly

responsible for the funeral changes within thirty (30) days from the date of the arrangement conference. You are entitled to petition the estate for reimbursement for the funeral charges.

7. ___ Advance Payment by a forwarding or receiving funeral home.

8. ___ Cash Advance Items. If we have assisted you with any cash advanced items

(i.e.: Cemetery Charges, Newspapers, Hairdresser, Vault company charges, Out of town arrangements, air transportation, Flowers, Honorariums, etc.) payment of such is to be made before the day of funeral services.

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Payment is due when services are rendered. Credit will not be extended by __________________ Funeral Home and Crematory. Above types of payment allow funeral expenses to be paid without penalty. Should you have any difficulty meeting these expenses, please discuss your situation in confidence with your funeral director. We intend to build our business by providing the kind of service that meets the need of each family we are privileged to serve. If there is anything more that you can think of that would better our service to you, please do not hesitate to mention it to our staff. I/We have read and accept the above-initialed option as the method of payment I will use. Signed: __________________________ Printed Name: _______________________ Signed: __________________________ Printed Name: _______________________ Signed: __________________________ Printed Name: _______________________ Date: _________ Social Security Number: ________________ DOB: ____________ Funeral Director/Arranger: _____________________ Printed Name______________

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Stop Wasting Your Business Cash

You can meaningfully increase your business profits by not wasting money on things that really don’t matter or you really don’t need. Here are some tips that will have you paying less; while achieving the same or better value. Buy Generics. While it’s true that some generics don’t measure up in quality, it’s also true that other generics are literally identical. Take for example, Generic buffered aspirin. It isn’t almost like Bayer aspirin; it’s identical except for packaging and price. The same is true of hundreds of items. If you ever buy a name brand when there’s a cheaper and identical generic substitute available, you’re wasting your money. Purchase Your Insurance Wisely. Shop around for the best deals. Raising your car, home, business – even health insurance deductibles (to $1,000) can reduce premiums and save you 10-20%, which can add up to hundreds of dollars a year. Stop Buying Bottled Water. Why pay a dollar or more for bottled water and/or a water cooler when you can get it out of your water faucet? You are already paying a water bill. Why pay twice for the same liquid refreshment? If you’re concerned about the water taste or quality, buy a water filter. Use Internet Coupons. Whatever you purchase for the funeral home, search the internet for discount coupons and use them. It only takes a minute to save a lot of money. Negotiate Everything. It’s amazing what your vendors will do (and say), if you tell them you are considering switching to another vendor. All of a sudden, the deal they offer you, to stay with them, gets sweeter by the minute. Get in the routine of asking for a better price on virtually everything you buy. It takes seconds and saves you a lot of money. Stop Thinking You Need To Be An Industry Trendsetter. From fashion to electronics, being on the leading edge is both expensive and unnecessary. Yesterday’s computer technology is half the price and will more than do what you need it to do. Same goes for mobile phones, copiers, tablets, e-readers, etc. When it comes to clothing (especially for men) classic fashion can literally last decades. Believe it or not, it is possible to dress too extravagantly for your profession. People will think they are paying elevated prices for your services, so that you can wear the latest and most expensive fashion and/or drive around town in a flashy new car. Do not live above or below the lifestyle of your typical clientele.

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Why Engaged Employees Can Make or Break Your Business

Is there anything more important to your company’s success than engaged employees? A committed and enthusiastic team has no limits on its potential for success, but trying to rally a group of unengaged employees all but ensures failure. Whereas investments in things like a new building or updated computer systems can produce short term gains, putting time and money into employee engagement will give your company a boost over the long haul. Here’s why: High Cost of Employee Turnover 69% of disengaged employees said they’d hand in their resignation to their current company if another organization offered them just 5 percent more money, according to a Dale Carnegie Training survey of 1500 employees nationwide. Engaged employees? It would take a 20 percent raise to get them to hang their hat elsewhere. The Institute for Research on Labor and Employment says it take 150 percent of a person’s salary to replace him or her; engagement is a clear-cut money-saver for any company. Turnover Has Non-Measurable Costs The cost of employee turnover is not simply a nominal price to pay. Turnover is stressful for bosses and human resource managers, but most especially for co-workers who have to pick up the slack left in the ex-employee’s wake. In addition, new hires may make mistakes when they’re learning the ins and outs of the position. And employees who defect could tarnish your brand if they leave on bad terms. Disengaged Employees Can Be Dangerous According to a recent Dale Carnegie Training white paper, employees who are disengaged don’t just cost your company money over time. They can actually be dangerous to those around them due to workplace accidents. Also, chronic absenteeism due to unengagement can put a serious strain on co-workers who do show up regularly to work. Eventually, these employees may start to suffer from unengagement as well. Engaged Employees are Better Employees Satisfied, committed and engaged employees are the only employees worth having. They will not only go the extra mile for you, but they’ll go above and beyond for customers, their co-workers and your organization.

Source: Dale Carnegie Training Institute-2013

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The Main Costs of Landing a Bad Hire

As a business owner, you know how important it is to balance the budget and plug any holes that are causing your business to leak money where it shouldn't. But have you considered the impact on your business if you mistakenly hire the wrong person? A recent survey by The Australian estimated that a bad hire will cost you two and a half times the employee's salary, a figure which goes up even more for high level positions. To put that in perspective, if you pay a new employee $70,000 a year and they turn out to be a bad fit for the role, you could find yourself out of pocket by $175,000. New Employees Cost Money Put simply, employees cost money. In the long run, they also bring you money, and a good employee is worth investing in, but what about the bad hires? First you have the outlay of running recruitment ads, preparing the interview, and the time taken out of your schedule in chasing references and performing the interview itself. Once your employee is appointed you will have to meet both the time and monetary costs of training, and the outlay for any new equipment, business cards and so on. For a good employee this will turn out to be a valuable investment; for a bad one, a drain on your precious resources. Increased Supervision and Reduced Productivity Under-performing employees typically need more in the way of your time and effort to supervise their work and try to keep them up to speed with their tasks and working practices. An employee who is lazy, procrastinates, or quite simply doesn't grasp their responsibilities will unfortunately keep you on your toes. A bad hire can also drain time from other members of their team, by holding up work, making mistakes, or with frequent demands for assistance. There is a real risk of reduced productivity, which in turn costs you more in terms of both time and money. Risk to Your Reputation A bad hire poses a serious risk of damaging your reputation, and that of your company. Your employees are the public face of your company, so if a hire lets a customer down with substandard service, it reflects badly on your business. As the owner, you're seen as ultimately accountable for your company as a whole, including a team member who doesn't deliver good service to your customers. Employees who don't deal directly with customers can also damage your reputation with costly mistakes that can lead to a loss of time, money, and a dent in your reputation with both your customers and your competitors.

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Morale Costs A bad hire can have a devastating impact on the morale and cohesion of the rest of your team. Whether due to slacking, incompetence, or having an unpleasant manner with their colleagues, the wrong hire can sap the energy and positivity out of a team faster than you can say "you're fired". Unfortunately, you might also find yourself dealing with some resentment among your existing team, for hiring someone who is rapidly becoming a thorn in their side. However you look at it, a bad hire can cost your company a lot of time, money, and even your reputation. To save yourself the stress, check your hiring process and make sure it's thorough and designed to give you an insight into the whole person, from skills to interpersonal manners. It's worth the time and monetary investment early in the process, in return for a recruitment process that works for you and will help you find employees who are worth investing in.

Source: The Australian - 2013

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How to Calculate the Cost of Employee Turnover By Scott Allen

No matter how great your company is, it's likely that some of your employees will eventually move on to other opportunities. That may be costing you more than you realize, once you consider both the direct and indirect costs. Investing a little more into hiring and retaining the right people can pay out big in the long run. Just how much employee turnovers cost varies widely by industry and job type. Studies by American Management Association and others report a range between 25 percent and 250 percent of annual salary per exiting employee. Entry-level, unskilled positions are at the lower end of the cost range, while executive, managerial and sales positions are at the higher end. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average non-farm monthly turnover rate is 3.3 percent. A web search will turn up several online turnover cost calculators, but if you want to get an accurate picture, it's best to set up your own spreadsheet that incorporates all of the factors relevant to your business. Calculate Profit per Day (PPD) For each affected position — the vacated position, HR staff, managers, etc. — calculate an approximate cost per day for lost productivity. For sales staff, start with the individual sales quota less the cost of sales; for non-sales staff, calculate with the gross income (revenue less cost of sales) per employee. Then subtract the employee's salary and benefits and divide as needed to calculate the daily profitability per employee. You'll need to tweak it intelligently according to the person's position — clearly the CEO has greater potential impact on the company's profits than an entry-level unskilled worker. You'll end up with a number for each affected employee that will give you an approximation of the value of their lost productivity Exit Costs 1. Human Resources There's potentially a lot of paperwork when an employee leaves. Calculate the cost of your HR staff's time to conduct an exit interview (and the time of the exiting employee), stop payroll, change benefit enrollments, COBRA health insurance notification, and any other administrative activities. 2. Managerial Handoff Calculate the cost of the manager who will conduct their own exit interview, review the exiting employee's work-in-progress, and determine how to cover that work until a replacement is hired. 3. Involuntary Termination If the employee was terminated involuntarily, calculate the costs of any severance package, benefits continuation and unemployment insurance premiums, if eligible. 4. Lost Customers and Contacts Non-compete agreements are extremely difficult to enforce in practice. Particularly if the employee is in a sales or customer service position, consider the potential cost of customers the employee may be taking with them to their new position. For any position, consider the value of the contacts they have developed (of course, a new person may bring in their own contacts that offset this).

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5. Lost Knowledge During their time at your company, the exiting employee may have developed specialized knowledge and skills about your business. You may have even invested in training for them. (Note: You should only count training costs on either the exiting employee or the new employee, not both.) Absence Costs 1. Coverage The exiting employee's essential responsibilities are going to be taken up by other employees, which mean that some portion of their own current workload will typically be given up and their productivity reduced. Or, you may have increased overtime costs to cover the work. Be sure to include the additional management costs to re-delegate the work. 2. Direct Productivity Loss The rest of the tasks performed by the exiting employee simply won't be done in their absence. Estimate that portion and multiply it by their PPD. 3. Disruption While it may be difficult to put an exact number on this, an exiting employee may be disruptive to essential business processes in a way that goes beyond simple coverage issues. What's the cost if a customer gets upset because something didn't get handed off properly? Also, consider the effect on the morale of other employees when a respected peer leaves. Recruitment Costs 1. Advertisements Where and how will you advertise the available position? Classified ads and internet job postings typically cost several hundred dollars per listing. Employee referral costs typically run from a few hundred to $2,000 or more. External recruiter fees can run as high as 1/3 of the salary for the position. 2. Internal Recruitment Calculate the time cost for the internal recruiter to understand the position requirements, develop a sourcing strategy, review resumes, prepare for and conduct interviews, conduct reference checks, make the offer to the selected candidate, and notify unsuccessful candidates. 3. Hiring Manager Calculate the cost for the hiring manager(s) and other key stakeholders to review resumes, conduct interviews and make their selection. 4. Internal Candidates Calculate the lost productivity for any internal candidates who may apply for the position. 5. Screening Calculate the costs of drug screens, background checks, skills assessment, personality profile testing, and any other tasks (especially outsourced ones) used to screen candidates.

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Onboarding Costs 1. Onboarding Calculate the cost of both the new employee and HR staff for orientation and onboarding paperwork, including business cards, ID badge, credit card, mobile phone and so on. Also consider the costs for IT staff to set up user accounts, telephone access, etc. 2. Training Calculate the cost of both structured training (including materials) and the time of managers and key coworkers to train the new employee to the point of 100 percent productivity. 3. Productivity Ramp-up Depending on the position, it may take anywhere from a few days to a few months for the new employee to be at 100 percent productivity. For a simple calculation, take the number of days to 100 percent productivity and divide it in half. Multiply that by the PPD for this position. Once you look at just how widespread the impact of employee turnover is, it's easy to see how associated costs and productivity losses could run as high as 200 percent or more. Once you've done your own calculations, it may give you some food for thought: Relative to the cost of the churn, investing in simple things that make your company a more comfortable and rewarding place to work could yield big dividends, even if they're hidden.

Source: Scott “Social Media” Allen is a 25-year veteran technology entrepreneur, executive and consultant. He’s coauthor of The Virtual Handshake:

Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online, the first book on the business use of social media, and The Emergence of The Relationship Economy.

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2nd Session Action Steps for Planning

and Execution: Profit Focal Point - Identification

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How to Figure Out Profit Margins

Profit margin is a ratio that will aid you in comparing the profitability of different companies, no matter how much money they make. Using profit margins, you can even compare your funeral home profit to a multi-million dollar corporation's profit. This step-by-step guide will show you how to determine your profit margin.

The Process Determine the revenue. This is the total amount of money made by a company

by their goods and services. Simply, this would be the number of goods multiplied by the price of the good. For example, John Doe Funeral Home sells only caskets and they sold 18,000 caskets to a certain multi-national corporation (their best customer) for $50 each. To determine the revenue, you would multiply 18,000 by $50, which is $900,000.

Determine the net income. This is the revenue minus the cost of producing the

good. For example, if it costs $50,000 for the John Doe Funeral Home to produce 18,000 caskets (this covers the cost of materials and paying for labor and other associated costs), then to determine the net income, subtract $50,000 from the revenue of $900,000, ($900,000 - $50,000 = $850,00)

Divide the net income by the revenue. In the example this would be $850,000 by

$900,000, ($850,000 / $900,000 = 0.944). The result is a ratio, 0.944 is the profit margin.

Profit Margin can also be given in percentage by multiplying the profit

margin ratio by 100 you get a percentage profit margin of 94.4%.

Source: www.ehow.com

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Development of Written Plan Outline and Executable Timetable

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How to Grow Your Business BY BERNY DOHRMANN

As the chairman of one of the world’s largest business support organizations, I’ve encountered countless prospective entrepreneurs trying to put their ideas into action by launching a business. My experiences have given me a unique insight into what makes and breaks a business in today’s market. Here are four essential tips for shaping a good idea into a great business: 1. You can’t build a business as if it were a hobby project. Entrepreneurship should never be a casual endeavor. Building a thriving business in today’s market means devoting yourself fully to your company’s mission. Setting your business aside for any length of time can lead it down a slippery slope and you may not be able to crawl back up. Keep yourself organized, set clear goals you can accomplish and dedicate yourself to making sure your ideas come to fruition. 2. Wrong sequence ends in business failure. One of the biggest hurdles to business growth is the lack of a detailed planning system. No matter how big your idea is, expecting overnight success can blind you to practical considerations which can quickly outpace your ability to deal with them. Move your business forward one step at a time, and more important, know where you’re going before you try to get there. 3. Advertising is naked without PR. Flashy ads are no substitute for a well-thought-out communications strategy. In the age of information, every business needs a sensible way to communicate its ideas and brand to clients and consumers ready to buy. An idea is useless without a suitable voice to present it to the world. Build your advertising strategy around the people best suited to get you to the next step of your objective. 4. Never say no to growth. In today’s market, you can’t afford to miss the opportunities that can get you from one step to the next. While a defined plan for growth and future investment is necessary to guide your business decisions, nothing should ever be set in stone. Running a business is a challenge at the best of times. Remember these rules on your way to the top.

Berny Dohrmann is the founder of CEO Space International, one of the world’s largest support organizations for business owners.

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Money Saving Tips for Funeral Home Owners I've spent the better part of 2013 gathered money-saving tips from small town funeral homes owners that are operating highly profitable businesses in this tough economy. These tips are proven to help you cut costs, lower your overhead and be more profitable. Cut back on paid advertising in favor of no cost or low-cost options. Public relations are a much cheaper and more effective form of advertising. Search out ways and means to be featured as credible sources in publications and media outlets. Focus on getting results by using SEO techniques within the funeral home website and creating YouTube videos. Better utilize your social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, etc. Don’t go it alone. Secure sponsors for your funeral home events. Events can be huge draws for both old and new customers, and many businesses rely on regular events, from open houses to seminars, to expand their customer base. Secure sponsors who will help carry the expense in exchange for some form of advertising within the event. It's usually a good trade for both the small business hosting the event and the sponsor paying for expenses, if the two are in related areas. Farm out some of your work load Employees are essential to getting work done, but employee costs—from salaries to office space to insurance—can be the biggest chunk of a small business's budget. Keep your full-time staff to a minimum and outsources work to independent contractors or less expensive part time employees for the work that your full time staff cannot cover as needed. Negotiate with all your vendors. What you've been paying your vendors does not have to be the final word on what you continue paying. Ultimately, vendors want to stay in business too, and they're dealing with a tough economy just as you are. Many are often willing to negotiate lower prices rather than lose a regular customer. You will be able to negotiate better prices on everything from office supplies to the phone bill. You certainly won't lose anything by trying, and you may find yourself able to shave several hundred dollars off your monthly operating costs. Cut extraneous employee expenses, not employees. Offer your employees free soft drinks; occasional free lunches or other goodies? Rethink those types of expenditures. Though neither the company nor the employees want to give up the free perks, it was a better choice to be able to keep your employees working rather than laying them off.

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Go green and save green. Going green is not only a great PR move; it's also a smart financial move. FPP recommends simple moves such as keeping equipment on a power strip and turning it off when not in use, or replacing your existing printer with one that prints on both sides of the paper, thus reducing paper waste and cost. Since the object of many environmentally friendly changes is to save energy, and you have to pay for the energy your business uses, if you can reduce energy use you will also be reducing your costs. Clarify your policy on giving. Rather than cutting out all charitable contributions, spend 20 minutes putting together a policy that will clarify your procedures and limits. Created a very specific policy, made it available via e-mail or as a physical document, and hand it out to anyone seeking donations. You don’t need to always sponsor every church calendar in town! Save on shipping. Constantly check and compare prices on shipping, negotiates better terms, and makes sure that you save every penny you can. The same goes for U.S. Mail Postage. Do you really need to send that funeral invoice? Can it be e-mailed instead? How much mail can you cut down on by using other ways and means? If you save a few pennies in shipping and postage each time the savings falls to the bottom line and can add up to become big money." Cut down on maintenance. Do you really need a cleaning service at the funeral home? How about grass cutting or window washing. Review these and other ongoing costs and cut back wherever possible. Employees can empty their own trash. Employees can clean the funeral home; cut the grass, plant flowers, shovel the snow, wash the windows, etc. Reduce the frequency of maintenance costs, and you can save money without reducing the maintenance or necessary service items completely. Get and utilize interns and apprentices Marketing interns from local schools can help with building the funeral homes’ social media program and overall presence, Using interns, rather than full-time employees, cuts way back on expenses, from salaries to benefits to office space. Review all expenses, even the little ones. It's just smart business practice, but it's often overlooked until tough economic times force you into it. Small cuts in ongoing expenses can add up to large savings over the long-term. Review everything that isn't providing a ROI, cut back to the bare minimum, and completely eliminate anything extraneous. Find a cheaper way. You can often find a cheaper way to provide the same employee perks. As an example you could cut out the $900-per-year water cooler expense and replaced it with a filtered water pitcher. From $900 to $30 is a significant savings, and if you can accomplish that sort of financial savvy in more than one area, you can turn your funeral home into a lean, profit-generating machine.

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Buy in bulk. Switch to purchasing from bulk warehouses or online suppliers to save money on both product and shipping costs. Analyze your ongoing expenses and pinpoint the ones that are purchased randomly or at middle-man suppliers. Check into bulk buying and see if you can't save a significant amount on those frequent-use items. Use open source software. Software, from the basic to the complex, is essential on some level in every business. Before you spend hundreds on software purchases or updates, check into the free open source alternatives. You can find open source software for everything from photo editing to invoicing to accounting, project management, and document creation. Do some old-school marketing. The simple, old-fashioned practice of sending a hand-written thank you note to customers can have a huge return. This practice alone can bring you more business (at-need or pre-need) making it a definite worthwhile investment of five minutes of time and the cost of a stamp. Think about it. Who sends hand written Thank You notes anymore?? Precious few individuals or businesses I dare say! Reward your profit-makers. It may seem a little backwards, but spending to save does make sense in some cases. Taking the proactive approach of rewarding profitable behavior from your employees. and your customers. What does that look like? It means making little gestures, like an occasional free lunch or treat, to boost employee morale and keep the work environment positive. It could also mean offering bonuses to employees who meet certain requirements. If you're spending a little money on the people who do the best work for you you're simply investing in a relationship that will ultimately bring more profit to your business.

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Records and Information Authorization and Release Form

NAME__________________________________________________________ ADDRESS______________________________________________________ CITY__________________________STATE___________ ZIP_____________ TELEPHONE____________________________________________________ DATE OF BIRTH_________________________________________________ SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER_______________________________________ To whom it may concern: You are hereby advised that_________________________________________ represent my legal interests and is hereby authorized to obtain from you any and all records, reports, documents, images, recordings or the like which pertain to me which are requested by them. I hereby specifically authorize the use of a copy of this document to serve in lieu of the original. This authorization shall remain in full force and affect during the duration of my representation by: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Signed: ______________________________ Print: _______________________________ Date: _______________________________

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REGIONALWORKSHOPS

Orde

r of the Golden Rule

2014

Action Steps for Planning and Execution:

People and Processes

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Remember, It’s The Little Things________

Great Service isn’t the product of doing anything

a thousand percent better. It comes from doing thousands of things one percent better. It’s the follow-up phone call, the sincere compliment, the personal thank-you note, the quick resolution of a customer’s complaint, and doing something special for the customer that lets him know he’s number one. It’s a day-in, day-out, on-going, never-ending pursuit. But it’s the sum total of the little things that have such a huge impact on the bottom line.

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Success is Failure Misspelled

"Success is a fantastic journey towards the fulfillment of your dreams.

You take this journey one day at a time

encountering success and failure along the way.

Failure is simply success misspelled.

Therefore, embrace each failure as if it were your first love, because without failure there is no success.

Your failures are the learning blocks

and the stepping stones towards your success in life."

-- Gloria Pierce-Montoya

Is this not true? How do you spell success? Your setbacks are only setups for your comebacks. You cannot determine your future potential by temporary circumstances. Failure is your friend when you use it for feedback instead of just drawing back. Sure we all encounter challenges and reversals of fortune at sundry points along our life's journey. But is that not the challenge?! To overcome and to not be denied our right to abundance? To finish strong should be the goal of everyone. You should desire to arrive at the end of our life having used life up as much you possibly could have! To be able to say that you simply could not squeeze anything else out of your life regarding what you wanted to do, what you wanted to become and what you wanted to have is to have lived life well. You can look back in great satisfaction while hearing others say to you "well done". Live life to the fullest and love hard! Serve others well and always believe in your dreams. "You don't have to get it right; you just have to get it going!"

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TEN SELF-MOTIVATING THINGS What can you do “right now” to turn things around? The key is to have fun!

1. Know yourself well. 2. Learn from other top professionals. 3. Refresh yourself often. 4. Embrace experiences. 5. Attend to details. 6. Develop a peer group of excellence. 7. Study your craft continuously. 8. Keep a journal of insights. 9. Celebrate success – even small victories 10. Learn from failure – Fail Forward!

The next time you feel sluggish, tired and just in a rut, try this approach. Most people prepare for work every morning in the same way – eat the same breakfast cereal – listen to the same radio station on the way to work and so on. By doing so, they put themselves on autopilot. For those days when you need to be especially focused, fresh and ready for work, change your routine. Get out of bed a half hour earlier than normal: eat out at a restaurant; exercise; clean your desk. Do something that you wouldn’t normally do to jar yourself out of the same old routine and break out of autopilot. You’ll find that breaking your routine helps you stay focused on the special tasks you have ahead of you.

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Principles of Business Success BY BRIAN TRACY

All great businesses start small. They become great based on certain vital principles that can be studied and mastered by business owners and entrepreneurs. Here are the 10 principles of business greatness:

1. Become a great leader. All business success begins with a great leader who has the vision and courage to imagine a new product, service or enterprise and then to pull together the people and resources to make it a reality.

2. Develop a successful business plan. Successful businesses develop and work from written business plans. They carefully analyze every detail in advance. They do not rely on luck or chance. They plan their work and then work their plan.

3. Offer a great product or service. The excellence, appropriateness and price of your product/service account for 90 percent of business success. This is the key focus of businesses that thrive and grow in any market.

4. Surround yourself with great people. The best businesses have the best people at every level. Your ability to attract, recruit, manage and motivate top people is the key to making your business successful.

5. Create a great marketing plan. Learn how to differentiate your product and service from competitors, attract more qualified prospects, emphasize your “unique selling proposition” and grow your market share faster than your competitors.

6. Generate great numbers. Select the key numbers that best measure the success of each part of your business — number of sales, size of sales, frequency of sales, profitability of sales, costs of sales, growth of sales — and focus continually on improving those numbers.

7. Staff your company with great managers. The best companies have the best managers. Learn how to interview, select, assign, manage and monitor the key people who make the day-to-day decisions that will determine the fate of your business.

8. Perfect a great sales process. Learn how to consistently convert prospects into customers. Select from and manage excellent salespeople at every level who can convince skeptical prospects to buy your product/service.

9. Create a great customer experience. Develop a customer service strategy that is so effective that people buy from you and tell their friends about you. Differentiate yourself from your competitors by taking better care of your customers than your competitor does.

10. Live a great life. Keep your life in balance by taking time for your family, physical fitness and personal activities. Set clear goals for each part of your life and then work on these goals. Nurture the person in charge of your success: you.

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SMART Method

Effective goals & objectives should be written to be:

Specific Measureable Action-Oriented Realistic Timeline

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RESPECT - Code of Conduct Responsibility

Experimentation

Sensitivity

Participation

Enthusiasm

Courtesy

Time Conscious

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Responsibility: is taking Action • Responsibility involves taking care of yourself not others • Ask questions when something isn’t clear • Arrive well rested-Be prepared to Participate • Set aside distractions- Be there in the moment • Remember-IT’S ALL OVER HERE WITH YOU!

Experimentation: is Being Open • Bring an open mind • Try new behavior-Ask for feedback • Failure is fine, provided we learn from it • Take risks- you’re among friends • MAKE IT FUN!

Sensitivity: is Attitude • Foster a culture that allows everyone to share openly • Take care of yourself AND others • Be aware of your needs AND others • Gauge your impact on others • CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE!

Participation: is Your Investment • You’ll get what you give • Immerse yourself in the discovery process • Do-Don’t just watch • Take massive action • BE AUDACIOUS!

Enthusiasm: is Your Spirit • You are in control • If it isn’t genuine it isn’t enthusiasm • Your will affect others • Enthusiasm is for sharing and is highly contagious

Courtesy: is Simply Good Manners • Always Be Gracious • Always Be Polite • Always Be Considerate/Respectful • Always apply the golden rule • Always MAKE SOMEONE’S DAY!

Time Conscious: is Being Aware • Value your own time • RESPECT others time and stay on track • Note topics where you need additional time • Time and Relationships are the most precious commodities

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The Enemies Inside You Right now, your worst enemies are conspiring against you. They’re out to get you. Worse still, there are more of them than there are of you. You’re outnumbered, outgunned. But you can defeat your worst enemies. Here’s how: Fear The leader of the all of the enemies you face is fear. He’s a terrible foe, too. He can steal your breath and paralyze you where you stand. He can frighten you with the unknown and the uncertain. He can plant disempowering thoughts and beliefs so deeply in your mind that they grow roots that hold for a lifetime. But fear isn’t real. It’s only a small (albeit powerful) part of your imagination. You can beat fear by taking action in spite of being afraid. Once you’ve taken action in the face of fear, you’ve beaten it. Procrastination Fear doesn’t come alone. He almost always brings his partner, procrastination. Procrastination builds on fear. Since you’re afraid of being judged, afraid of being hurt, afraid of failing, procrastination lulls you into the false comfort of inaction. She whispers in your ear that there will be timelater, even though she knows damn well that time lost can never be regained. Procrastination is a sweet-sounding but merciless adversary. You can beat procrastination by pursuing meaningful, dream-fulfilling goals. The passion you have for your goals can sweep aside procrastination in an instant. Apathy If procrastination doesn’t get you, her brother apathy will try to soften you up. Apathy goes to work sapping you of energy and enthusiasm. You can’t be passionate if you’re tired, cynical or pessimistic. These are the weapons apathy uses to steal your goals and dreams. You can beat apathy by keeping your energy high. A positive attitude protects you from apathy’s worst influence. Distraction While you’re busy looking at distraction’s fancy moves, he blindsides you with a knockout punch. It’s a pleasure to watch distraction work. You can’t take your eyes off him. As soon as you think you’ve got him figured out, he brings out something new to drag away your attention and destroy your focus. And, when you realize you’re bored, he’s ready with novelties and trivialities. You can beat distraction by giving yourself over to your work and ignoring the pleasant and interesting things he waves in front of you.

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TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

“One thing you can’t recycle is wasted time.” Spend time planning and organizing. Using time to think and plan is time well spent. In fact, if you fail to take time for planning, you are, in effect, planning to fail. Organize in a way that makes sense to you. Set goals. Goals give your life and the way you spend your time, clear direction. Set goals that are specific, measurable, realistic and achievable. Your optimum goals are those, which cause you to “stretch” but not “break” as you strive for achievement. Prioritize. Use the 80-20 Rule originally stated by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who noted that 80 percent of the reward comes from 20 percent of the effort. The trick to prioritizing is to isolate and identify that valuable 20 percent. Once identified, prioritize time to concentrate your work on those items with the greatest reward. Flagging items with a deadline is an idea for helping you stick to your promises. Use a To Do list. Some people thrive using a daily To Do list which they construct either the last thing the previous day or first thing in the morning, immediately after they arrive at work. Some people may combine a To Do list with a calendar or schedule. Others prefer a “running” To Do list, which is continuously being updated. Or, you may prefer a combination of the two previously described To Do lists. Whatever method works is best for you. Don’t be afraid to try a new system – you just might find one that works even better than your present one. Be flexible. Allow time for interruptions and distractions. Time management experts often suggest planning for just 50 percent or less of one’s time. With only 50 percent of your time planned, you will have the flexibility to handle interruptions and unplanned “emergencies”. When you expect to be interrupted, schedule routine tasks. Save (or make) larger blocks of time for your priorities. When interrupted, ask yourself, “What is the most important thing I can be doing with my time right now?” to help you get back on track fast. Consider your biological prime time. That’s the time of day when you are at your very best. Are you a “morning” person? Are you a “night” owl or a late afternoon “whiz”? Knowing when your best time is and planning to use that time of day for your priorities (if possible) is effective time management. Do the right thing right. Doing the right thing is effectiveness; doing things right is efficiency. Focus first on effectiveness (identifying what is the right thing to do), then concentrate on efficiency (doing it right). Eliminate the urgent. Urgent tasks have short-term consequences while important tasks are those with long-term, goal-related implications. Work towards reducing the urgent things you must do so you’ll have time for your important priorities. Flagging or highlighting items on your To Do list or attaching a deadline to each item may help keep important items from becoming urgent emergencies. Practice the art of intelligent neglect. Eliminate from your life trivial tasks or those tasks, which do not have long-term consequences for you. Can you delegate or eliminate any of your To Do list? Work on those tasks, which you alone can do.

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Avoid being a perfectionist. Yes, some things need to be closer to perfect than others, however, perfectionism, paying unnecessary attention to detail, can be a form of procrastination. Conquer Procrastination. One technique to try is the “Swiss cheese” method. When you are avoiding something, break it into smaller tasks and do just one of the smaller tasks or set a timer and work on the big task for just 15 minutes. By doing a little at a time, eventually you’ll reach a point where you’ll want to finish. Learn to say “no”. Such a small word – and so hard to say. Focusing on your goals may help. Blocking time for important, but often not scheduled, priorities such as family and friends can also help. But first you must be convinced that you and your priorities are important – that seems to be the hardest part in learning to say “no”. Once convinced of their importance, saying “no” to the unimportant in life gets easier. Reward yourself. Even for small successes, celebrate achievement of goals. Promise yourself a reward for completing each task, or finishing the total job. Then keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward. Doing so well help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play. Set aside quite time for yourself. A time management tool that helps a lot of busy people is to set aside about half and hour a day as quiet time, during which you cannot be disturbed. This can be a great time to plan and do other “thought intensive” tasks.

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Ten Quick Tips for Beating Procrastination Source: Anne Bachrach

A.M. Enterprises (The Accountability Coach)

Procrastination is no joke. Putting things off until later can spell ruin for even the most successful businessperson, which is exactly why it is a problem that you should make an effort to continually deal. If you suffer from procrastination, then you undoubtedly know that it can be extremely troublesome. You no doubt want to work hard and get things done, but some people find this more difficult to do than others. If you are one of those people, then this article is for you. Here are 10 quick and easy tips for beating procrastination. Sometimes, finding a little bit of help (like these tips) is all that you need to tip the scales back in your favor. 1. Get up and get going If you feel the urge to procrastinate coming upon you, then sometimes the best thing to do is to get up and get moving — don’t let yourself put off what you need to do. The minute you start to deviate from what you know you need to be doing is exactly when you need to take a deep breath, and just do it. Stop letting those excuses stop you from getting going! Changing scenery can often change your frame of mind, and you might find that going for a walk, taking a jog, or even grabbing a cup of coffee can help you to clear your mind and get you back on track. (Just don’t do it too often, as doing this every time you get the urge to procrastinate can actually become just another form of procrastination.) 2. Wake up earlier Waking up earlier can often improve your odds of getting things accomplished. More productive people are generally out and about during the early morning hours, and you will likely find the atmosphere a lot more conducive to productivity compared with later in the day. Get up earlier to exercise, stretch, meditate and get those juices flowing so you can tackle your highest payoff activities the moment you arrive at work. 3. Clean and organize as you go Sometimes, we get so surrounded by clutter and chaos that we end up feeling defeated before we begin. Looking around you and seeing a mess is rarely conducive to productivity, which is why it can really pay to keep things clean and tidy as your day progresses. Five or 10 minutes spent prioritizing your activities can pay big dividends as the day goes on. 4. Get away from the TV Did you know that TV is one of the biggest causes for procrastination among entrepreneurs who often work from home? Having a lot of channels and a list of favorite shows is nice, but not if it distracts you from getting everything done that you need to do. Record your favorite shows and only allow yourself to watch them after you have your most critical activities done for the day.

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5. Schedule specific blocks of time Setting up a daily schedule can be a great way to stop procrastination before it starts. Having a plan in place will not only give you a sense of direction, but will make your day seem more achievable, as well. Performing the activities that bring you the best results first is a great way to start the day. Brian Tracy has a great analogy for this: "Eat that frog." Think about this: What if the first thing that you did every day was to eat a live frog? It sounds gross. In fact, it would probably be the worst thing that you have to do all day. But, if you ate the frog first thing in the morning, you could say that the worst part of your day was behind you. The point is that if you do the worst things first, you will find that your day will get easier and less distracting as you go. 6. Avoid checking email first thing in the morning As a successful business owner; this might be a difficult thing to do. But it can help you to focus on tasks with high payoff first thing in the morning. Checking email puts your brain into a sort of non-action mode. Instead of checking it first thing in the morning, pull out your prioritized action/task-list and get a few things accomplished first. Email will not only get you behind schedule, it can also negatively affect your emotional state of mind for the rest of the day. 7. Avoid social networks This might seem like a bit of a no-brainer, but you would be amazed at the number of people who get derailed each morning by checking Facebook or Twitter before getting started. This can completely switch your brain from a productive mode to a fun mode, which does not bode very well for getting things accomplished. 8. Listen to the right music Are there certain types of music that just put you in the mood to get things done? If so, then jamming out to a playlist of productive tunes can be a great way to get your mind focused on the job at hand. For me, listening to dance beats is a great way to get me pumped about starting my day. It can also be a great way to get me moving when I feel a slump coming on. 9. Don't let perfectionism derail you Nothing is perfect. If this is a thought that upsets you or causes you to get discouraged, then you should try to remember that doing your best is all that you can do. Do all that you can, and call it good enough. Don’t let being a perfectionist keep you from checking things off of your to-do list. You can procrastinate for a long time if you are trying to make things perfect — and they may never be perfect. Don’t let this be your excuse. It doesn’t have to be flawless to be successful. 10. Refuse to settle for less While some people may be more prone to procrastination than others, putting things off does not have to define you. Regardless of what it takes, find a way to beat your procrastination problems so that you can get on with your life and live with the confidence that comes from knowing that you have the talent and focus to do what it takes to be even more successful. Think how good you will feel when you beat the procrastination bug that plagues many people and keeps them from realizing their true potential.

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ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

When in doubt, throw it out. Throw out unimportant letters, memos, reports and other papers. Clean out each desk drawer to free up even more valuable storage space.

Clear off the top of your desk, and then wipe off the surface of the desktop.

Keep essential items on your desktop (computer, phone, fax, card file, etc.).

If you work with more than one person create an “in box” for each person.

Have a master to-do-list for each day at your desk.

Pre-sort the mail. To-File; To-Read; To-Contact: To-Write; To-Call; To-Fax; To-E-Mail.

Use a variety of containers to organize office supplies, paper clips and pens.

Use a variety of desktop organizers or trays to organize papers that come across your desk.

Create a separate drawer for personal paperwork, items, etc.

Use storage boxes to store dated files.

Purchase Magazine boxes to store booklets, magazines, catalogs you want to keep.

Create a file for magazine articles or scan them into your computer.

Filing system should be simple, easy and manageable.

Color-coding your files makes it faster to find information.

Do not over stuff folders. Never overload filing drawers.

Use telephone discipline. Do not shoot the breeze. Get to the point. Return telephone calls in batches. Leave specific messages and the time you called if the person you’re trying to reach isn’t available.

Respond to e-mail messages twice at day. At the beginning and end of each workday.

Empty workspace of everything but the project you’re working on to cut down on distractions. Keep an assortment of all-occasion cards and stamps in your desk for writing those “personal notes”. Keep takeout menus from all your favorite area restaurants in your desk drawer so you can order ahead and pick up to bring back to the office and eat. Eating out of the office generally wastes 30 minutes more than eating at your desk while continuing to do work. At the end of each project or event, organize all paperwork and file or store it immediately. Get it out of sight and off your mind.

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Straighten your desk at the end of each day and especially at the end of each week so that you can start each morning with a clear desk. Replace meetings with conference calls whenever possible. More work is accomplished and less time wasted. Also it could save you a trip across town or across the country. Abstain from being the cause of an interruption. Understand that the main reason people cause an interruption is so they won't forget! If you are late to a meeting do not silently chat with the person next to you inquiring on what you missed. Ask a colleague for a re-cap during a break or after the meeting. Never ask the facilitator. It is your responsibility to acquire the missed information from another attendee. Respect your peers' time and space. Socialize only when and where it is conducive to all involved. Invest in your own supplies to avoid interrupting others for this request. You may be the one interrupted at an inopportune time when the item borrowed is needed by the owner. At some point in time we all require slots of uninterrupted time. What do you do if you don't have an office door? Create a sign: "Genius at Work - Please Do Not Disturb." Place the sign on your desk denoting your return time too. Pay attention to your body language when at your desk. Sometimes our body language may be communicating, "We are available" when we really have important business to attend to. Situate your desk in a position that won't tempt you to "look-up” at everyone that passes by. This invites an interruption. If you see someone is busily working, always ask: "is this a good time for you?" Never assume they are available just because you are. If you are interrupted, feel free to let someone know that you need time to finish what you are working on. Let them know when it is a good time to get together and no one will be offended. Honor and respect each other’s need for quiet time, especially if there is no door/office to keep visitors out. An interruption is just the development of a bad habit. Communication in this area is vital. The situation can be adjusted to create a positive affect for all involved. Continuing to tolerate interruptions in your work environment is a one of the main causes for people working longer hours, taking unnecessary work home, coming in weekends to complete assignments and losing time to spend with their own immediate families. 80% of our interruptions will be generated repetitively from only 20% of the people we work with. Become consciously aware of not being part of the 20%! Avoid enabling people to continue operating out of an "urgent" mode with their constant interruptions. It is unhealthy for them and all those they absorb with this disruptive habit. Understand that we cannot change the way people operate by always lecturing them. We can be a positive force in this change by modeling the way we respond.

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Use a "People Page" to contain your thoughts, ideas, conversations and questions. Create a list of items you need to discuss with people rather than calling them or going into their office with every single item. Learn to intervene for a fellow worker who may need some "quiet time". Take their calls and messages for 1 hour to avoid interruptions for them. Reciprocate for each other on an "as needed basis".

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How to Make Your Workday More Productive

Tips for Funeral Home Owners

John Wilson, Funeral Home Owner couldn't get through the workday without constant interruptions. Employees at his Louisville, Kentucky Funeral Home would ask him to sign checks, approve funeral arrangements, check obit notices before being sent to the newspaper or placed on the funeral home website and field questions whenever they wanted. Realizing that routine tasks were taking over his day, he started signing checks once a day, checking his voicemail and e-mail two times a day (at the beginning and ending of his day) and addressing staff questions at weekly staff meetings. Those changes have helped John Doe grow the business by empowering his employees to make decisions on their own and allowing him more time for Public Relations within the community to help bring more families to the funeral home for their funeral and/or cremation service needs. According to Doe, "In a small company, there's this tendency to think … if anybody needs something, they can come and find me," he says. "You really have to carve out those hours of uninterrupted work time." But that means something's got to give. Here are nine daily tasks you most likely can eliminate from your workday to help you stay focused and be more productive. 1. Stop overloading your to-do list. You might feel the need to write down everything you need to accomplish each day, but resist making an impossible list of daily tasks, says Peter Turla, a time-management consultant in Dallas. Compiling a lengthy list of things you need to accomplish might seem productive, but you could be doing more harm than good. "It results in too many items at the end of the day that are not completed," says Turla. "That will make you feel stressed out, inadequate and unfocused." Instead, create a manageable list of essential tasks that should be finished on a given day--and save the rest for later. 2. Stop allowing your employees to interrupt your workday, with matters that are not urgent to the moment. Conduct weekly staff meetings and encourage employees to bring their questions, comments, thoughts and ideas to the meeting to share with everyone. Make a written meeting agenda for each hour long staff meeting and put three priority topics at the top of your agenda to avoid getting sidetracked by other issues. 3. Stop answering repetitive questions. If you find yourself answering the same question from clients or employees frequently, you're wasting time. Here’s a suggestion. Put together an FAQ on your website or create instructional videos that people can access via links at the bottom of your emails. Figure out better ways to answer [questions] without your having to be constantly involved. 4. Stop taking the same follow-up approach if people ignore you. If you've sent someone an email and the recipient hasn't responded, don't keep firing off more emails. Try communicating in another way--calling, sending a text or visiting in person if it's appropriate. Too many business owners get bogged down communicating with people inefficiently.

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5. Stop eating lunch at your desk or on the run. Tempting as it might be to scarf down a sandwich between emails at your computer, don't make it a daily routine. A short break will help you make clearer decisions and become unwired for a few minutes. You get your best ideas when you get up and walk away from your desk. 6. Stop making regular visits to the post office or bank. Instead of going to the post office, schedule mail pickups from your business. Buy envelopes with pre-paid postage or invest in an inexpensive scale and postage printer. Try on-line banking to pay bills, check account balances, etc. 7. Stop making piles. Eliminating clutter can boost efficiency. Rather than organize papers in piles whose logic is known only to you, stick to a systematic filing system and eliminate any pieces of paper you no longer need. 8. Stop scheduling appointments by phone or email. You can waste a lot of time just trying to find a time that works for a meeting. Instead, try using an automated system that does the work for you. Software, such as Schedulicity or Appointment Quest can let people schedule appointments with you online. 9. Stop signing checks at the drop of a hat. Designate a specific day and/or time of day for certain tasks, such as signing checks, rather than allow them to randomly interrupt your workflow. Better yet, you can have your signature printed on checks to avoid signing each one. Programs such as QuickBooks let you use preprinted checks and keep track of transactions.

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How to Be More Productive At Work Eat a Healthy Breakfast!

“The breakfast table is not a bulletin board for the curing of horrible dreams and

depressing symptoms, but rather the place where a bright keynote for the day is struck” Prof. B.G. Jeffries, M.D.

Have you ever worried about the grumbling of your stomach in the morning? Have you ever thought about getting snacks or lunch in the morning because of intense hunger? If you skip breakfast, it not only makes you have less concentration, but it actually reduces your thinking ability and overall job performance. Breakfasts play a very important role for our health, but a lot of people neglect breakfast or simply settle for a cup of coffee and donut/muffin or sweet roll. If this describes your morning behavior, you are already starting your day off with a handicap. Your brain (and central nervous system) runs on glucose -- that's the fuel you need to think, walk, talk, concentrate and carry on any and all activities. Let's say that the last time you eat something at night is at 10 or 11 PM (not optimal, just an example). The following day, you don't eat breakfast but wait until about noon or so to eat -- you've gone thirteen or fourteen hours with nothing in your system. Your poor brain is surely deprived -- and your body has to work extra hard to break down any stored carbohydrate or turn fat or protein into a usable form for your brain to function. That's a lot to ask for when you're trying to concentrate and do your best work. Numerous studying have been made by nutrition scientists on the great value of eating a good breakfast. They all agree there are significant advantages from eating a well-balanced breakfast. Eating a good breakfast supplies food, this is transformed into glucose energy for body’s work. Eating a good, healthy breakfast affects brain, memory, attention span and concentration. Eating a good breakfast helps decrease mental fatigue and depression. According to Prevention: Automatic Weight Loss, Bonnie Spring PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Health Science says people who skip breakfast get tired and irritable easily. Also, Dr. Spring pointed out that this result tends to make people grab something sugary to boost their mood. However, over sugar taking only make energy increase and drop rapidly and doesn’t really help. The results of a ten (10) year study indicate that – all things being equal – daily breakfast eaters are up to 50% less likely to become obese or develop diabetes – causing insulin resistance syndrome. In short, your morning meal could seriously improve your cardiovascular health. The best breakfast for heart health? Few foods can top the benefits of whole-grain cereals and breads, which are a great source of dietary fiber, heart healthy B vitamins and other nutrients according to researcher Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., R.D., of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.

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Eating breakfast has been proven (many times) to improve concentration, problem solving ability, mental performance, memory, and mood. You will certainly be at a disadvantage when interacting with families if you've gone without. On average, those you serve will think faster and clearer, and will have better recall than you. Funeral Directing can be hard enough without this added pressure. Breakfast skippers also have a harder time fitting important nutrients into their diet. Many foods eaten at breakfast contain significant amounts of vitamins C and D, calcium, iron, and fiber. Some people believe that skipping breakfast may help them lose weight. Not so! Skipping meals often leads to overeating later in the day. Becoming over hungry often leads to a lack of control and distorted satiety signals (meaning it's hard to determine when you're full). This can result in taking in more calories than if one had an appropriate breakfast. As a matter of fact, it's easier to control one's weight by eating smaller meals and snacks more frequently. How soon after you wake up should you eat breakfast? And if you work out in the A.M., should you eat before or after? Having a morning meal helps kick start your metabolism, provides fuel for your brain and body, and controls your appetite so you’re less likely to overeat later in the day. Generally speaking it is best to eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking up. If you exercise first thing in the morning, you can split your breakfast. Have a light snack (a piece of fruit or handful of dry cereal) before you work out, and a bowl of cereal or veggie omelet after. What if there's just no time in the morning to eat breakfast? There are plenty of items you can bring along with you to work. Carry a reseal able bag of easy-to-eat whole grain cereal, or bring a yogurt or small box of skim milk, juice, or fruit. If you just can't stomach food in the morning, try to have a little something – such as some juice -- and bring along a mid-morning snack. Other good portable items include: whole grain crackers, a hard-boiled egg, cottage cheese, low-fat granola bars, or even a peanut butter sandwich. Single serving hot cereals, such as oatmeal, are handy -- all you have to do is add hot water, available at most cafeterias or delis. Whatever your choice, eat something. If you think you're doing fine with no breakfast, just try changing your tune for a week – you'll notice a difference. You will undoubtedly perform better with some fuel in your system.

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How to Dress Professionally and Make a Good Appearance

”Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain

It goes without saying that, in funeral service, relationships are everything. First impressions, those first ten to fifteen seconds between funeral professional and consumer, are critical to starting to build a successful, long term relationship. It’s a cliché’ but true: You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. First impressions are also lasting impressions. Studies have shown that critical judgments are made about us within the first three and a half minutes after we say “Hello.” The consumers will size up your image, credibility and trust factor. You must obtain their trust and respect from the start. Do you know what kind of first impression you make in work situations? Like it or not, the moment we meet someone we judge them and more importantly, we are being judged. Someone we meet makes profound assumptions about us based on the way we look, and it only takes two to ten seconds to make these profound judgments. They evaluate us on our attractiveness, our social and intellectual status in relation to them, our value to their time and our abilities and skills. How do you capitalize on those first few seconds? One of the very best ways is by portraying a positive professional image. Image is the sum total of all the little things you do, say and wear that when put together give people a picture of who you are and what your values are likely to be. People like to do business with people “of like mind” and they will more often than not purchase from those who mirror their characteristics. Perception is reality, so make it count. There are many elements involved in building a positive image. Because such profound judgments are made on such superficial information, it is important, especially in the corporate world to choose your attire carefully. Looking good is important for your success. Looking good gives you self confidence and when you’re confident, you’re better prepared to handle a variety of situations. Dress does make a difference. When you are dressed professionally, people treat you with respect.

People are very visual and they take in everything before you say a single word. Research clearly shows that over 85 percent of the decisions we make every day are first made with our eyes. Sixty-five percent of what a person recalls is conveyed visually, not orally. Therefore, to present an image that is professional and credible, you must dress accordingly. We quickly scan a person and decide if we want to do business with them of not or even if we will like or trust them.

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In a Yahoo Hot Jobs survey, 82% of consumers surveyed said that how a professional dresses greatly influences whether they will do business with that person or not. As a result, the importance of your appearance is critical. The relationship between business success and personal appearance is well documented. How many of you have ever lost a job or been passed over for a promotion because someone else had “the right look?” First impressions help build relationships.

The following are some tips on how men and ladies can make an impressive and lasting first impression through the way they dress that will make a positive difference in their career. This advice is offered courtesy of ETICON, Inc., Etiquette Consultants for Business, Columbia, SC and Jill Haney, CEO and President of JH Image Consulting, Cincinnati, Ohio. Jill is a certified image consultant with the Association of Image Consultants International.

How you look is a reflection of not only how you feel and act but also how you will serve the consumer. Ask yourself these questions. Do your clothes fit? Do they fit you physically? Do they fit the occasion and setting? What are the most important articles of clothing a professional man should own? According to Jill Haney, always start with the suit and sport coat, because it is the foundation of any man’s business wardrobe. The well-dressed man understands that his wardrobe, and the messages that the wardrobe send, can be used as a powerful marketing tool. Without a doubt the first suit every man should buy is navy blue. The navy blue suit is classic, elegant and appropriate for all business situations. The navy suit is the most versatile and a universally flattering color on men. Color can be a strong visual communicator and can make a powerful statement. A classic navy suit conveys trust, reliability, loyalty and dependability. The second suit every man should own is a gray suit – not just any gray suit, but a mid-gray, also known as banker’s gray, not too light and not too dark. It is important that this suit be mid-weight or light-weight worsted wool instead of a heavy winter flannel. This suit should be worn year round. A gray suit sends the message that the man is professional, conservative and intelligent. Rounding out the successful wardrobe for any man is the pin stripe suit. The pinstripe can be in a gray or a blue. The pinstripe is the most popular and conservative of patterned suits and is a great way to introduce a pattern into the wardrobe. For the man who would like to be taller and thinner, the vertical stripes are very flattering. Pinstripes are set one-sixth of an inch apart and traditionally come in soft white, blue or burgundy. What about the black suit? The black suit should be worn only in the evening. Resist the urge to purchase a black suit unless you are the company CEO or Chairman of the Board.

Men should allow no more than two patterns in the visual field during sales presentations. This means that if you have a solid suit, you can have a patterned tie and shirt. If you have a patterned suit, you should have either a solid shirt or a solid tie. If both your suit and shirt are patterned or pin-striped, you should wear a solid tie. Think twice before breaking out a brown suit – studies have shown that they inspire distrust.

Suits usually show professionalism without individuality, or individuality without professionalism. To strike a distinguished balance, add individual flair through your accessories, but maintaining a suit that connotes respectability and stability. Men can wear vibrant ties with red, cobalt blue, and burgundy. Regimentally striped ties convey the most powerful image, followed by "neat" ties with small repeating designs. Avoid ties that have a lot of green, yellow or orange; they’re too lively.

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When it comes to more casual attire, every well dressed man should have a navy blue blazer hanging in his closet. The navy blazer is often the perfect piece. It’s more casual than a suit but much more professional than the ubiquitous Khakis and polo short ensemble. The navy blazer truly is one of the most versatile articles of clothing a man can own. The most classic and elegant look is to pair the blazer with gray trousers, a button down or dress short and brown loafers. Black loafers work equally well, but brown send a more contemporary message. A more casual and modern look can be had by pairing the navy blazer with denim, preferably in a dark wash, worn with a t-short or button down shirt and loafers. Traditional navy blazers come with gilt or brass buttons, a look that’s always appropriate on a man of any age. The well dressed man understands the role the navy blazer plays in his wardrobe. If you do not currently own one, do yourself and your professional image a favor and add one. Speaking of suits, consider the suit you’re wearing. Is it the same one you’re worn the past five years? Is it worn out or simply out of style? Invest in yourself by annually purchasing several new suits, in the latest fashion style from a reputable clothier or specialized tailor. Your investment in your wardrobe will pay you back handsomely in the months ahead.

Button your jacket properly, especially during meetings and presentations. For a four-button jacket, button only the top three buttons; for a three-button jacket, button the top two or the middle button only (never the third button); for a two-button jacket, button the top button only; and for double breasted styles, button all the buttons, all the time.

Men should keep pant cuffs between 1.25” to 1.5”. Anything wider than 1.75” is too wide. More on cuffs: flat-front pants should not be cuffed, while pleated trousers should always be cuffed. Make sure your pants are long enough with at least a medium break, covering the point where the heel joins the upper shoe. Men’s pants should touch the top front of the shoes.

Dressing properly for our body shape is a way for men and women to shave pounds off their look. For some reason, men carry a few extra pounds around the mid section and tend to wear their pants so low (below the bulge) in the front it does not look good. Most tailors will recommend that men wear their pants close to their natural waistline. This does not mean that men’s pants must go up to their belly button, as this can create a bit of a Humpty Dumpty look, which is not a good thing. However, raising the waistline to cover some of the bulge will actually help these men to look thinner and in many cases give the illusion of height. Dressing in this manner will often require that a man go up a pant size, and this will work best when worn with braces or suspenders (non-slip on only please!). The key is to find the right balance where the body looks in proportion. For some men that will mean wearing the pants at the natural waist and for others a bit below the natural waist. A quick check in a full length mirror will tell you if the look is proportionate. If the pants always need to be pulled up or the shirt has a tendency to blouse out, you can be sure that your pants need to be pulled up.

Always wear clean and pressed dress shirts. You should always be thinking about how you portray professionalism and a polished image and a long sleeve dress shirt is just the ticket. Even though dress shirts require a higher up-front investment, when maintained properly they should last longer and therefore cost less per wear. Men should have no fewer than 10 dress shirts. Straight-point collared dress shirts are the only way to go with suits. They make a more professional statement than do button down collars, especially with collar stays, which are worth the extra effort to keep your shirt crisp throughout the day.

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During the summer months men should continue to wear long-sleeved shirts along with an undershirt to wick away perspiration. Men’s chest and arm hair should always be covered. When it comes to dress short colors white and blue are standard. Many shades or blue dress shirts are available: light blue, French blue and banker’s blue are the best colors for most men.

A crisp clean white dress shirt is a classic look that will never go out of style. In addition to solid shirts, try Tattersall plaids, a plaid that consists of different colored lines of a plain, light colored background. This plaid is a wonderful addition to a man’s wardrobe because it looks great with or without a tie. The life expectancy of a dress short, when professionally laundered is three years. Use light starch when laundering to obtain that crisp clean well press image. 100 percent cotton shirts are more breathable and have a higher quality look to them. Although cotton-polyester blends will last longer, they will not have as crisp of a finish and do not generally iron as well.

A man’s tie should graze the top of his belt buckle. Ties come in two tie lengths: regular, which is 56-57 inches long, and tall, which is 60-61 inches long, on average. For men who could use a shorter tie length, find a skilled tailor who can shorten the back blade of the tie. The width of the tie should also be taken into consideration. Although thinner ties are in fashion now, the proportion of the tie in relation to the suit is more important than the “in” style.

As a general rule of thumb, the tie should be the same width as the lapel, which on average is three and a half to three and three quarter inches. A shorter man will look more proportionate in a narrower toe because the tie will match his narrower shoulders. By having a tie width that follows the natural proportions of the man’s body and the suit itself, the shorter man looks taller and more powerful.

Wear thin dress socks only with suits. Your socks must be long enough so that when you cross your legs, no skin is showing. Avoid patterned socks completely. Always wear black shoes, even when wearing navy suits. Avoid brown shoes completely.

Keep your hair neatly trimmed and groomed. A study by Yale University shows that men with long hair are generally perceived as being less intelligent than those with short hair. It’s the same for both genders: women with short hairstyles (shoulder length and above) are also seen as smarter and more capable. Heavy streaking, split ends and frizzy styles can convey instability. Always shave. Any facial hair places you at risk. Goatees in particular make you look untrustworthy and too “Hollywood.” Mustaches and beards must be closely cropped and well groomed at all times. Avoid heavy fragrances and make sure your breath is always fresh; carry breath mints with you at all times. Your shoes should be shined so glossy you can see your reflection in them. Men’s clothing should include a white button down dress shirt neatly starched, conservative necktie, matched socks and shoes and crisply pressed suit. Are there areas of the United States where you can get away with one dress standard that you could not get away with in another area? How do regional professional dress standards come into play when attempting to dress professionally? American business is now global and it is suggested that we all image up and dress more professionally. You may be doing business in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where dressy cowboy boots are perfectly acceptable to wear with your suit, but working with someone who grew up in Boston and the local style of dress might influence his/her perception. Keep to global standards to be safe.

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Professional business attire is also the order of the day for ladies. Purchase conservative and traditional dresses, skirts, blouses, pant suits, closed toe shoes with medium to low heels. Keep it simple. Women have more leeway when it comes to color choices. Women can wear brown suits and dark shades of green and purple and still be taken seriously. Appropriate jewelry or other accessories can be a nice touch; however, don’t overdo it. Make sure you’re wearing light to medium make-up, don’t cake it on. When you are seated, please make sure your skirt length is never shorter than just above the knee. Women should wear sheer hosiery to convey competence and professionalism. How much cleavage is appropriate at work? There is a time and place for showing cleavage, but the office is not the time or the place. Remember, your image and the messages that your image sends can have a powerful impact on your career path. Credibility in the workplace can be compromised when we choose to dress provocatively. For women, clothing covers 75% of the body, and the goal is to have co-workers, associates and clients paying attention to the face and what is being said, not what is being displayed. Women who choose to display their cleavage run the risk of alienating the women they work with and diminishing their power with the men, because the cleavage can be a distraction. How much is too much? Clinton Kelly of TLC’s “What Not to Wear” suggests that the cleavage is too low when soft tissue begins to show. The appropriate length for skirts and dresses in corporate America is to the knee. This is typically a flattering length for all body types anyway. When sitting, the skirt should be no more than 2 inches above the knee. Skimpy, strappy tanks can be worn at work when worn under a blouse, sweater of jacket. Our society has changed enough that bare legs can be appropriate at work. (Keeping in mind the company dress code) However, legs should be freshly shaved and a self-tanner should be used to give your legs a “hose-like” quality. Men and Ladies - Pick the right shoes! Everyday we make a routine yet quite important fashion decision: what shoe to wear. Shoes are a reflection of our social status. There is no other piece of clothing that can make or break an ensemble like a shoe. When it comes to men’s business shoes it is best to own four pairs. If the workplace dress code is business attire three pairs of dress shoes and one pair of casual shoes is recommended. A pair each of black and brown lace-up shoes such as an oxford shoe. Black shoes will always be the dressiest and look great with any navy or grey suit. Dark brown shoes are also a wardrobe staple and look equally great with navy and grey. For those who favor classic looks, continue to wear black shoes. For those who want to shake things up a bit, try a brown lace-up shoe with your navy and grey suits. Another great dress shoe is a slip-on. Slip-ons are typically thought of as casual shoes, but there are many great looking dress slip-on shoes. Women have much more flexibility when it comes to work shoes. Black and brown shoes will be a staple in any wardrobe. Today it is easier to add a punch of color to traditional business dress. For example, a beautiful burgundy patent shoe will add some personality to the look of a grey, black or blue suit. The well dressed woman will always have a fabulous pair of the highest quality animal-print heels in her wardrobe. Inexpensive animal-print heels look very tacky. You should only busy them if they are of the finest quality and brand. Always keep shoes clean, well heeled and highly polished. Find a good shoe repair shop. Please be mindful of the following when in a consumer’s presence. It is important to avoid chewing gum or tobacco; sucking on hard candies or mints. If you are a smoker, please refrain while in the consumer’s presence. Additionally, don’t forget to make sure your breath and

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clothes are free of all signs of smoke. The smell of tobacco can cause some people to not desire to deal with you; not because of who you are, but because of how you “smell.” Mind your vocabulary. A strong vocabulary can have a positive and lasting effect on our professional image. Words are powerful, and first impressions are lasting impressions. While our visual impression is our strongest, our vocabulary and how we speak affects our reputations as well. Interjections and fillers such as “like,” “you know,” “Um” and “Uh-huh” and “got it” will always undermine your message and can cause people to lose interest in the conversation. How else can we use our vocabulary and grammar to our advantage and what should we avoid? Accents and the use of colloquialisms should not sabotage your message, as long as proper grammar is used. Experts believe that slang should be limited or avoided altogether, especially if the slang words have vulgar undertones. Beware of the use of corporate jargon and industry buzzwords. For instance, “soup to nuts” is a phrase that can be irritating and confusing for many. Other corporate speak such as: “On The Same Page,” “Touch Point,” “Think Outside The Box,” “Take It Off Line,” “Deliverables,” “Win-Win,” “Leverage,” “Value Added”, and “Low Hanging Fruit” are probably best left unsaid. They don’t really add strong value to the conversation. In order to cultivate successful client/business relationships, we need to be able to clearly communicate with each other. Corporate jargons, industry jargons, slang and colloquialisms dilute the message. Usually the most direct, proper and simple language has the most powerful effect. A casual look to the consumer means something totally different than to our fellow employees. Too casual a look could give the wrong impression. For instance, it could portrait that you are “new” on the job; that you don’t know everything you need to know to adequately assist them, or worse yet, that you simply don’t care. Funeral professionals are expected to “look,” “act,” and”speak” the part. Don’t mess with that consumer image or you’re likely to end up on the short end of the stick

First impressions do matter and will make you or break you. Act, speak and dress the part of a knowledgeable, caring, dedicated professional and you will win consumers’ trust and begin building

that all-important relationship that much sooner.

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The Greatest Principle Of Human Persuasion

If I could gift to you one piece of knowledge about human engineering that would assure your success in your pre-need sales endeavors. If I could share with you one principle, which when applied correctly while engaging your prospects, supervisors, friends and family, would enable you to win more of them over. If I could pass on to you what I believe to be "the rule", the greatest principle of human persuasion that exists, it would be this.... Before I disclose this great principle of human persuasion to you, you should be aware that you do not need to obtain any additional education, training nor instructions. I must emphasis, if there is any thing worth remembering, it is this...."there is no other principle or rule on human persuasion which is even a close second." What is this great principle of human persuasion? What is this pre-existing ability, which you possess, that can improve your sales closing ratio? Which single principle of human persuasion would I share with you if I could reveal but one? It is this..."People are persuaded more by the depth of your conviction than by the height of your logic, more by your own enthusiasm than any proof you can offer." Put another way, "people are converted not to your way of thinking; they are persuaded more by your way of feeling, your way of believing." Your conviction, your enthusiasm, your belief in what you are doing is what sells. Your feelings, your emotions, your honest interest in your product and your prospect are what persuade. Your optimism, your assurances, your hope, when combined with knowledge of what you are doing, enjoyment of what you are doing, and faith that you and yours are the very best, creates an unseen force which can not be resisted. People are turned on by your feelings, not by what you say. The belief is in you, not in what you are selling. They buy because you ask them to, not because they need your product or service. Do you understand what is being said here? Do you get it?

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Your vigorous enthusiasm, your concentrated knowledge, and your stimulating belief in yourself, in your product, in your service and in what you do, makes you practically hypnotic in persuasive powers. The most persuasive person in the world is that individual who has a fanatical belief in their idea, in their product and in their service. Study the top leaders in any field and you will find this common denominator, "they all have a burning desire to be the very best at what they are do." Their belief is sincere enough and deep enough that they walk in a climate of positive expectancy. They have an obsession that cannot be denied. This is the ultimate in human persuasion. So how do I create this persuasive power, you are probably asking yourself? How do I infuse my personality so that I become practically hypnotic? What do I do to develop into the ultimate human persuader? It’s very simple. I’m going to quote Will Rogers, because he keeps it simple; "You must know what you are doing." "You must love what you are doing." "You must believe in what you are doing." These three directives are the answer. They are all that you need to achieve the success that you want. Study them. Internalize them. Have faith in them. Make them a part of your daily practices. They can and will lead you to success!

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How to Become a Better Team Communicator What can you do today to be a better team communicator? Well, just flip the teamwork coin over and adopt these positive viewpoints to promote open lines of communication in teamwork:

1. MAKE NO ONE THE FALL GUY OR GAL. Solve problems instead of trying to fix people or affix blame.

2. KEEP AN OPEN MIND TO HEAR NEW SOLUTIONS TO OLD PROBLEMS. Calm your mind and really listen to the opinions of those around you.

3. MODERATION. Look for the middle ground when you're feeling too riled up emotionally. Refuse to go to extremes -- don't become a fear-driven or anger-driven griper and whiner.

4. FAIRNESS. Don't expect others to behave in ways that aren't demonstrated in your own walk of life. Example: How can you fairly expect others to be on time when you are perpetually late?

5. KNOW THE TWO COMMUNICATOR TYPES TO WHOM YOU ARE SPEAKING. If you can't list three key differences between Empathizer-type and Instigator-type communicators, then you are not licensed to drive on the two-way communication highway.

6. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. We all need to be validated through even small recognitions that our efforts are far more appreciated than our goofs.

7. THINK BEFORE SPEAKING. You can drain your customer's or co-worker's bank accounts with a single episode or "out-of-mouth experience" that leaves psychic bodies strewn all around.

8. PUT AN END TO WORRYING. Do away with unproductive worrying.

9. KEEP LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN. Talking openly is frequently uncomfortable because we are often in the midst of the unknown, seeking to find out why what we've been doing hasn't worked and why we still persist in doing it.

10. WHAT CREATES A STRONG TEAM? A strong team is created anew each day by using clear goals and open and honest communication, while looking for ways to acclaim instead of blame.

Submitted By Dr. Dennis O’Grady

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TEN RULES FOR MANAGERS TO LEAD BY

RULE #1: BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES. You've got to be there with your troops. RULE #2: BE SEEN. Reassure that when rules are followed, positive results ensue. RULE #3: BE EVERYWHERE...YOU MUST BE INVOLVED. Talk with everyone from the lowest-ranking to their superiors. RULE #4: BE BOLD AND LEAD. Make the right, the hard, and the moral calls. RULE #5: SPREAD PASSION. That's where you will really build morale. RULE #6: BE FUN. Cut up with folks; tell stories that generate chuckles and good belly laughs. RULE #7: BE ENERGETIC. Your positive energy is infectious. People will want to be around you. RULE #8: BE CLEAR. Don't beat around the bush. Don't worry about hurting feelings. Get the job done...NOW! RULE #9: DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE how a little beginning can turn into something spectacular. RULE#10 PUT OTHERS FIRST. It’s the last thing anyone would expect from their leader/supervisor and the first thing that will get noticed. Provided courtesy of: Christopher Kuhnen, CEO/President, Funeral Profit Protectors, LLC and The Friday Talk News (10/26/2012) from Dr. Dennis O'Grady, psy d, communicator at large. To learn more about effective communication visit www.drogrady.com

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Ten Reasons Employees Resist Change Source: The SESCO Report, January/February 2013

Leadership is about change, but what is a leader to do when faced with resistance? Resistance to change manifests itself in many ways, from foot dragging and sloth to petty sabotage to outright rebellions. The best tool for leaders of change is to understand the predictable, universal sources of resistance in each situation and then strategize. Consider the following SESCO recommendations: Loss of control. Change interferes with autonomy and can make people feel that they've lost control over their territory. Our sense of self-determination is often the first things to go when faced with a potential change coming from someone else. Smart leaders invite others into the planning process, giving them "power" and subsequently ownership. Excess uncertainty. If change feels like walking off a cliff blindfolded, then people will reject it. People will often prefer to remain mired in misery than to head toward an unknown. To overcome resistance requires a sense of safety as well as an inspiring vision. Leaders should create certainty of process, with clear, simple steps and timetables. Surprise, surprise! Decisions imposed on people suddenly, with no time to get used to the idea or prepare for the consequences, are generally resisted. It's always easier to say "No" than to say "Yes." Leaders should avoid the temptation to craft changes in secret and then announce them all at once. It's better to plant seeds — that is, to sprinkle hints of what might be coming and seek input, i.e. employee opinion surveys. Everything seems different. Change is meant to bring something different, but how different? We are creatures of habit. Routines become automatic, but change jolts us into consciousness, sometimes in uncomfortable ways. Too many differences can be distracting or confusing. Wherever possible keep things simple and familiar. Remain focused on the important things; avoid change for the sake of change. Loss of face. By definition, change is a departure from the past. Those people associated with the last version— the one that didn't work, or the one that's being superseded — are likely to be defensive. When change involves a big shift of strategic direction, the people responsible for the previous direction dread the perception that they must have been wrong. Leaders can help people maintain dignity by celebrating those elements of the past that are worth honoring, and making it clear that the world has changed. Concerns about competence. Can I do it? Change is resisted when it makes people feel stupid. They might express skepticism about whether the new software version will work or whether digital journalism is really an improvement, but down deep they are worried that their skills will be obsolete.

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Leaders should over-invest in structural reassurance, providing abundant information, education, training, mentors, and support systems. A period of overlap, running two systems simultaneously, helps ease transitions. More work. Here is a universal challenge. Change is indeed more work. Those closest to the change in terms of designing and testing it are often overloaded, in part because of the inevitable unanticipated glitches in the middle of change. Leaders should acknowledge the hard work of change by allowing some people to focus exclusively on it, or adding extra perks for participants (meals? time off? bonuses?). They should reward and recognize participants — and their families, too, who often make unseen sacrifices. Ripple effects. Like tossing a pebble into a pond, change creates ripples, reaching distant spots in ever widening circles. The ripples disrupt other departments, important customers, people well outside the venture or neighborhood, and they start to push back, rebelling against changes they had nothing to do with that interfere with their own activities. Leaders should enlarge the circle of stakeholders. They must consider all affected parties, however distant, and work with them to minimize disruption. Past resentments. The ghosts of the past are always lying in wait to haunt us. As long as everything is in a steady state, they remain out of sight. But the minute you need cooperation for something new or different, the ghosts spring into action. Old wounds reopen; historic resentments are remembered — sometimes going back many generations. Leaders should consider gestures to heal the past before sailing into the future. Sometimes the threat is real. Now we get to true pain and politics. Change is resisted because it can hurt. When new technologies displace old ones, jobs can be lost; prices can be cut; investments can be wiped out. The best thing leaders can do when the changes they seek pose significant threat is to be honest, transparent, fast, and fair. For example, one big layoff with strong transition assistance is better than successive waves of cuts.

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How to Motivate Your Employees Getting your funeral home staff to always work at their best is challenging. Many funeral homes invest large amounts of resources in order to improve staff moral and motivation. Getting and keeping your staff motivated, energized and family focused does not need to cost lots of money. Here are some things you can begin doing today, that will keep your staff at their very best. Create a positive work environment. Nothing is worse and stunts employee morale and productivity than being in an unpleasant working environment. Employee happiness is directly linked to motivation, according to a study by the National Institute of Health. Creating a positive work environment can potentially have a big impact on employee attitude, motivation and productivity. A positive work environment can be achieved through positive reinforcement. Company owners and managers must act as coaches and cheerleaders helping employees maintain focus and remain upbeat when things are going poorly or get hectic. They mist help the employee build confidence, establish regular routines, remind employees of past successes, not past failures. Routinely thank employees for a job well done, both verbally and through small and individually suited tokens of appreciation. The simply, yet highly powerful words “Thank You” carry a lot of weight. Involved your employees. The feeling of contributing to the overall vision and success of the funeral home can be a great motivator for employees. By allowing your employees to share in the success of the business, they may develop a stronger interest in the funeral home, which can ultimately boost productivity. Set realistic individual employee goals and reward success. Goals should be set in concert with each employee, to ensure they remain part of the process from the outset. Funeral home owners should show how these individual goals fit into the overall business strategy, in order to demonstrate the employee’s value. It’s important to focus on goals that the employee can control; instead of what they can’t. Rewards are crucial for maintaining employee motivation. It is important not to let the rewards become the main goal. Rewards are feedback that goals are being accomplished. When you make rewards the goal, the reward has to be continually increased in order to just maintain motivation. Structure rewards as feedback or appreciation for their continued hard work.

Source: Small Business Center – How To Motivate Your Employees – May 10, 2012 / Newscore

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REGIONALWORKSHOPS

Orde

r of the Golden Rule

2014

3rd SessionAction Steps for Planning and

Execution: Branding, Marketing, and Promotions

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THE WAY TO OUTPERFORM YOUR COMPETITORS

It’s easy to outperform your competition because most people never put themselves “in the game.” Many others will play, but most are not willing to do what it takes to win. What does it take to win? Everything you’ve got!

The average American Funeral

Home will lose 10% to 15% of its client

families this year because of poor

service.

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What’s In It for Them? BY JILL KONRATH

Awhile back, I was having lunch with the president of a half-billion dollar corporation. She told me that if someone were to contact her with an offer to reduce waste by just 1 percent, she would clear her schedule to meet with him immediately. Why? Because she knew exactly how much her company lost to waste (and it was a lot). Every penny she would save would go right toward her bottom line.

Powerful value propositions open doors — quickly! Taking time to really clarify yours is well worth it. Here are three ways to create marketing messages that work in today’s business economy:

1. Fill your marketing messages with business-oriented terminology. A strong value proposition is always stated in business terms. Funeral Home owners are particularly attracted by phrases such as:

Increased revenues Decreased costs Improved operational efficiency Increased market share Decreased employee grumbling Improved family satisfaction levels Increased competitive differentiation

Think about translating what you do into the language of your decision-makers. Remember, they don’t care about your product’s speed or efficiency. They don’t care about the wonderful methodologies you use. They care only about the results you deliver. 2. Make your predicted results tangible and measurable. The very best value propositions deliver tangible, measurable results that are highly desirable to prospective buyers. Yet, many companies fail to translate their “benefits” into actual numbers. If it’s possible for you to do this, I highly recommended it. 3. Specificity sells. The more specific your value proposition, the more attractive it is. Stories are another way to provide specificity, enabling you to get your message across but without having to make unsubstantiated, across-the-board claims. Like it or not, this is the new and emerging reality of value propositions. In a world in which service offerings can be copied overnight, the only real difference among companies is the people who work for them. Become that difference by beginning with a strong, compelling value proposition.

Jill Konrath is the author of SNAP Selling and Selling to Big Companies.

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How to Ask the Right Way Ever ask an awkward question? We all have. Effective questioning is a skill that takes time to master. In his book Stop Talking, Start Communicating: Counterintuitive Secrets to Success in Business and in Life, communication consultant Geoffrey Tumlin explores the dangerous territory of questions. In general, faulty questions are those we ask to indulge our personal, ‘I-based’ cravings to get an answer, to hammer home a point, or to satisfy a narrow, personal curiosity,” Tumlin says. “Whether they’re critical, tactless, unwanted, offensive, embarrassing, intrusive, or loaded, these types of questions are likely to stifle dialogue and can cause relationships to deteriorate.” To counter this tendency, Tumlin explains, we need to approach questioning from a “we-based” perspective and remember some basic tenets of effective communication. Here are Tumlin’s tips for improving your questions: 1. Clarify your intentions. Know what sort of answer you’re after before you speak. Think about your motive and what you’re trying to learn. What are the possible interpretations of your question? Remember to approach your question from we-based perspective. “If you believe you’re asking a good question but still sense uncertainty in your conversational partner, clear it up by saying something like, ‘I’d like to know more about the way you work so our collaboration can be more effective,’” explains Tumlin. 2. Ask for permission. No one likes to be interrogated, especially when it comes to personal issues. Before barging in on someone’s private affairs, consider saying simply “May I ask you a question?” “You can also tell the other person he doesn’t have to answer,” says Tumlin. This puts the control solidly in the hands of the person being questioned. 3. Go for the open-ender. If it’s information you’re after, the open-ended question may be the best approach. They encourage the person being questioned to talk and give longer answers. Examples include “How do you feel about it?” and “What else do you think is important?” “Remember, people are busy, so when we ask questions that can be answered in a few words—when we give them the ability to take a shortcut as opposed to a more extended response—they’ll often take it,” says Tumlin. 4. Mind your manners. A great way to begin an open-ended question is “Please explain…” or “Please describe…” Being polite when asking questions is so basic as to be sometimes overlooked. “Adding a please to your questions helps to signal your positive intent, can foster trust, and can reduce reflexive resistance,” explains Tumlin. 5. Let people talk. To be a great questioner, you’ve got to get over your fear of silence. Thanks to digital technology, we are surrounded by constant chatter and may squirm when we hit a lull in a conversation. Resist the urge to fill it yourself. “Don’t sabotage your questions by being afraid of silence,” Tumlin advises. “A pause following a good question usually signals contemplation, not consternation. If you jump in too quickly, you shortchange the process.” 6. Use “nudges.” A nudge, such as “please go on” or “please elaborate,” can help keep the conversation going and encourage the person being questioned to divulge more information. According to Tumlin, nudges are a “good way to let the speaker know that you are paying attention. People will almost always be willing to share more if they believe that you are receptive and interested.”

A good question can open up new territory in a relationship and alert you to helpful information. Remember these tips and become an expert at the art of asking questions.

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Marketing vs. Advertising

Understand the Difference and Implement Your Strategy

To create an effective growth plan, understanding how marketing and advertising differ from one another is important. Let’s take a look at the formal definitions of the two.

MARKETING is the systematic planning, implementation and control of a mix of business activities designed to present products in such a way as to make them desirable. In other words, it is the intent to bring buyers and sellers together for the mutually advantageous exchange or transfer of products or services. The essence of marketing is to understand your customers’ needs and develop a plan that can meet those needs. By doing this, you create an effective way to grow and expand your business. A marketing strategy helps you achieve greater growth by (1) acquiring more customers, (2) persuading a customer to buy more products, (3) persuading a customer to buy more expensive products or up selling a customer, and (4) persuading each customer to buy more profitable products.

ADVERTISING is the public promotion of something such as a product, service, business or event in order to attract or increase interest in it. After reading both of the definitions it is easy to understand how the difference can be confusing to the point that people think of them as one-in-the same, so let’s break it down a bit.

Advertising is a single component of the marketing process. It’s the part that involves getting the word out concerning your business, product or the services you are offering. It involves the process of developing strategies such as ad placement, frequency, etc. Advertising includes the placement of an ad in such mediums as newspapers, yellow pages, magazines, direct mail, billboards, television, radio and of course the Internet. Advertising is the largest expense of most marketing plans, with public relations following a close second and market research not falling far behind.

The best way to distinguish between advertising and marketing is to think of marketing as a pie, inside that pie you have slices of advertising, market research, media planning, public relations, product pricing, distribution, customer support, sales strategy and community involvement. Advertising only equals one piece of the pie in the strategy. All of these elements must not only work independently but they also must work together towards the bigger goal. Marketing is a process that takes time and can involve hours of research for a marketing plan to be effective. Think of marketing as everything that an organization does to facilitate an exchange between company and consumer.

Laws of Advertising

According to Small Business Administration, five percent of an entrepreneur’s gross sales should be budgeted for advertising. A five percent small business advertising budget can only help if you understand the laws of advertising.

1. Use One Message - a high response rate ad usually conveys a single message.

2. Add Credibility:

It has become human nature to distrust advertising. Claims need to be real and credible. Any claim made in your advertising which your customer does not perceive as the truth is a waste of ad dollars.

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3. Test Everything:

Test only one item at a time and one medium. Testing can be as simple as asking every family or customer for several weeks how they heard of your business.

4. Be Easy to Contact:

Every single brochure, box, email and all company literature should have full contact information including: website and email address, phone and fax numbers and company address. It seems simple but is forgotten by most companies – Be everywhere.

5. Match Ads to Your Target Market:

Successful business advertising speaks to one target market only. An ad for preneed or preplanning should target your desired audience and focus the message to the target group.

6. Create Curiosity:

Successful business advertising does not sell a product or service. Create ads that generate interest and make the customer want more information.

Having a poor response is not necessarily the medium’s fault. Often the problem is the message. Small business advertising is not a quick fix solution to marketing your company. It takes planning, testing and constant exposure to have an impact on your small business. Done correctly, small business advertising can be a winning strategy.

Tracking

When you do spend money on marketing, do not forget to create a way to track those marketing efforts. You can do this by coding your ads, using multiple toll-free telephone numbers and asking prospects where they heard about you. This enables you to notice when a marketing tactic stops working. You can then quickly replace it with a better choice or method.

4 Basic Marketing Initiatives

Once you have determined your audience you want to reach and the message you wish to deliver, the next step is to determine which method of advertising is most appropriate for your business. To do this, you must understand the options:

Print Advertising

Print campaigns include newspaper, yellow pages and magazine advertising. This form of advertising typically focuses on carrying a message designed to either enhance a brand or to create a direct response. Print advertising is also effective when you want to focus on a particular audience based on the demographic of who reads the publication. For example, if you are wanting to market preplanning or preneed, you may select a publication that most closely matches your desired audience. For example, a target audience for these services may be retirees or baby boomers; therefore you would look for publications designed for that audience.

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While print advertising can be very effective, because many publications print weeks or months in advance, it requires planning to ensure that deadlines are met. And while print advertising can be economical because it can reach a large number of people, in can also be considered expensive if the right message is not projected or the right audience is not reached. Trial runs and testing is critical to determine the effectiveness of this strategy.

Direct Mail

Direct mail campaigns consist of postcards, letters, brochures and flyers that are sent through the mail and generally contain a direct response call-to-action. Direct mail can be effective because it can be highly targeted to a demographic, but can also be costly when considering the cost to print, mail and purchase a qualified mail list. Some believe direct mail has seen its better days, but there is still some life in this powerful and traditional form of advertising. Many people still look to the mail for information and opportunities, and this strategy cannot be completely ignored.

Radio and Television

While TV and Radio advertising afford the opportunity to reach the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time, it is also considered to be the costliest of all the strategies. Another disadvantage of the strategy is its inability to target a demographic with precise accuracy. However, the prestige and image associated with television and radio advertising can elevate a business in ways that the other strategies can’t.

Online Marketing

It is worth nothing that many businesses are abandoning the more traditional print forms of marketing in favor of reaching out to the rising star in the world of marketing – ONLINE marketing. As print and direct mail see their numbers decline, more and more businesses are choosing the cost effective, highly targeted marketing options found online. The web continues to explode and along with it so do the advertising opportunities. Billions and billions of advertising dollars are spent every year online as businesses try to find ways to tap into the Internet user.

While there are hundreds of online marketing strategies, the simplest and most important is having a website for your business. Creating a professional website is critical. A website can often be the first impression that a consumer has about your business. A website is an effective way to introduce the world to you, your business and the services you provide. Websites are generally inexpensive and with the help of a professional, easy to set up and maintain.

Have you heard of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? Having a website is only the beginning. Make it easy for them to find you! Using search engine optimization to rank high on Google and Yahoo! In your given area of business this can be very effective. This is achieved by manipulating the copy on a website and the HTML code that forms the backbone of the web pages. By doing so, you can greatly improve the chances that a future customer finds you first.

In addition to your website, there are many websites in the funeral industry that supply funeral homes the ability to create a listing, much like a listing in the yellow pages. These sites make their listing searchable and provide a single resource for the consumer to research and select a funeral home that best meets their needs. These sites are often free and require only a registration.

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The Best of the Rest

Other forms of effective advertising include; trade associations, newsletters, business cards, vehicle advertising, bench/bus stop signage, LED signage, billboards, sponsorships and community involvement to name just a few. All have the advantages and disadvantages, but the one common theme is not any one strategy may work best or be the most cost effective for you. Funeral home owners need to diversify their marketing and expand their efforts to include email blasts, web sites and social media to name just a few.

Depending on your location, community and demographic of the person you are trying to attract, each method should be evaluated to determine which works best for you. There are strategies that are less expensive, but they can sometimes come with less than desirable results. Determine what it is you desire in return before deciding to make an investment in advertising. Find which strategies will work for you and the most desirable cost. While it is not always a steadfast rule, remember sometimes there is often a direct correlation between cost and results. Low cost sometimes means poor results and high cost can sometimes mean great results. Time considerations to achieve a desired result are also a factor. Typically, the quicker the result, the more expensive it may be to achieve. For example, TV advertising reaches a massive audience, and does it very quickly, but at a high cost. On the other hand, internet marketing and social media takes longer to receive a desired result, but done so with a less expensive cost.

Welcome to the Future – Social Media

One of the fastest growing, least expensive and perhaps the most effective forms of advertising is the growth of social media. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have exploded over the past few years. Social networking is definitely a marketing tool to utilize. It’s particularly effective for people in the funeral industry because it can be a gentle, compassionate way to reach them and can offer interaction which people require at the time of loss. While some think of Facebook and Twitter only as a means to reach a young audience, statistics indicate that the fast growing segment of social media users are age 45-64.

More and more businesses are starting to understand the value of utilizing these tools to connect with friends and people in their community. The viral aspect of these sites can quickly spread information about your business and at a cost that is much less than other forms of internet marketing.

Working Within Your Budget

Funeral Homes are looking to find an affordable way to maintain and/or grow call volume. Each one faces unique challenges in their local market, so while one might need help competing against a discounter, another might be struggling to overcome a poor location or many other scenarios.

Most funeral homes typically have a limited marketing budget if any at all. Therefore, you have to think a little more creatively. How about launching your marketing campaign by doing one of the following:

1. Call your local vendors or associates and ask them to participate with you in co-op advertising.

2. Take some time to ask your families or preneed clients for referrals by offering them incentives.

3. Have you thought about introducing yourself to the media? Free publicity has the potential to boost your business. By doing this you position yourself as an expert. Educate the community you operate in on the value of preneed or having an end of life plan.

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4. Invite people into your place of business for an event or seminar.

By being diligent in your marketing and creating an effective marketing strategy and you can reap tremendous rewards. The great thing is it may not take a large marketing budget to make it happen if you explore the options.

Small business advertising is a science and an art. Funeral Homes often miss the fundamentals of advertising. Regardless of the size of your business, understanding the differences between marketing and advertising can

reap huge rewards.

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New Insights into Ways Consumers Really Think About Funerals

The Funeral Service Foundation released the results of its 2013 “Bleeding Edge” research project with world renowned Olson-Zaltman Associates simultaneously revealing both disturbing and encouraging insights.

More than 160 people ages 50-70 (Baby Boomers) were interviewed in-person for 90 minutes on their opinions of traditional funerals. The goal was to better understand what modern consumers are seeking in end-of-life service or ceremony.

Here are 10 highlights of their findings:

1. 99% of funeral home facilities reinforce consumer attitudes towards death. The earth tones in the interior of a funeral home actually makes consumers feel as if they’re in a tomb. And, the exterior of most funeral homes looks like a mausoleum.

2. A traditional funeral is seen to Baby Boomers as a lonely, lifeless tomb. They feel alone, cold, confined and forced to face reality on their own.

3. Funeral home advertising, as well as all pictures and visuals that funeral homes publish reinforce consumer’s fear of being “trapped” in their grief. Think about it… how many funeral home advertisements have a grieving widow or a hearse in them? We need to reinvent and rethink our advertising efforts.

4. Despite popular belief, Baby Boomers actually have an intense interest in talking about death and dying. They want to know their end-of-life options, and do something creative to celebrate their own life.

5. Of all subjects interviewed in this study, not a single participant said they wanted to do nothing for their end-of-life celebration. This means the opportunity to eliminate direct cremation IS there.

6. Many alternative seekers have an intense interest in exploring the topic of death, so they’re not afraid to talk about it.

7. The negative feelings towards funeral directors aren’t as prevalent any more. They’re not seen as “bad” people, but as gatekeepers who are just there to do their jobs and nothing more.

8. While many interviewees shared negative thoughts of traditional funerals, many people were excited to explain what they want in their non-traditional funeral. In fact, many interviewees hugged their interviewer because they finally had a chance to talk about how they want their end-of-life to be.

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9. Boomers see non-traditional funerals as their “crowning performance”. They want to be the writer, the director and the star. Funerals, to them, should be a celebration event that truly reflects them.

10. Consumers want their service to be:

- Improvisational – freedom to imagine and celebrate life in the way they see appropriate

- A real, true account of their life –friends & family will share their personal stories

- My life will be on display – family & friends will see the real them

- My values will be on display – family and friends will see what was important to me – such as religion.

- I want to feel like I matter – They want to be remembered and like they’ve made a difference and touched people in some way.

How you can start offering a non-traditional service

Don’t let the negative findings stop you from moving forward. There IS a way to take advantage of these findings. Start by following Al’s simple steps to offering a non-traditional service.

1. Start the conversation – Get involved in the pre-planning stage. Research what’s meaningful to them and find out what places, events, accomplishments and interests are significant to them. Then, customize the service accordingly.

2. Focus on the details – Be a muse who gives consumers ideas and inspire creative thinking. The funeral director should help them make a unique celebration of life complete with music, props and surroundings.

3. Be a stage manager – Be flexible, efficient and effective. 4. Think about the design of your funeral home – minimize feelings of confinement. Give

people a more sense of control. Make them feel like your funeral home is where transformations occur. Create open, naturally lit areas in your funeral home that encourage conversations. Think about outdoor mourning spaces, open floor plans, and writable walls that can be personalized.

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How Not to Market To Baby Boomers

For more than 25 years I've worked closely with Funeral Home owners helping them target their marketing message to consumers in their community. While realizing that the way we market to any demographic has dramatically changed, given the rapid expansion of the Internet and social media, adapting your message to the new breed of Baby Boomer seniors is critical to your marketing success. Here are five key things to keep in mind when prospecting to the 10,000 (and counting) seniors turning 65 every day. Don’t call them "seniors. The 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day are not the same seniors of 10 years ago. People at or near retirement see this time of their lives as an opportunity to expand their life experiences. From starting their dream business to staying healthy by getting involved in sports, today’s “seniors” won’t respond to the same marketing messages you were sending out two years ago. Also, don’t ever refer to 60+ year olds as “senior.” You’re going to make them mad and lose them before you even get a chance to get your message across. This applies to these words, too: senior citizen, retiree, aging, Golden Years, Silver Years or mature adults.

Separate yourself from the crowd. Given the eruption of Google searches and social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.), you now have to differentiate yourself from the hundreds (or in larger markets, thousands) of other funeral professionals in your market. In today’s consumer reality having a website with the standard “About Us” section is not enough. You need to quickly and clearly let people know what makes you different — what is your “unique” value proposition? Remember, your value proposition is not that you offer funeral pre-planning, funeral services, cremation services, caskets, vaults, etc. 100 percent of your direct competitors offer the same exact services. Your value proposition answers a consumer’s primary question: “Why should I call/use this funeral home over any other?

Ask people what motivates them to respond. Funeral homes across America spend thousands, of dollars every year conducting focus group and/or telephone research studies. Don’t ignore your very own built-in focus group, your client families. Every time you chat and/or meet with a family about anything, start the conversation with some open-ended questions about the funeral service marketing and advertising they find effective or ineffective. Most of your client families will be happy to share their thoughts and insights with you. Even better, if you’re working on a new brochure, ad or seminar invitation, let them read it and give you feedback.

Tailor your message to fit the marketing medium. The marketing medium drives your message. Think about it. Twitter is a social media platform that limits a single message to just 140 characters. Most radio commercials are just 60 seconds long. Television ads are usually 30 seconds long. The most popular YouTube videos are three minutes or less! Do you really think that the copy from your company brochure or website will work in a radio or TV ad? Trust me, it won’t. Look at the ways you market and advertise your firm and then tailor your message to fit each type (digital, print, direct mail, radio, TV).

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5. Remember that content is still king. Content should still be high on your list of priorities, but it has to be timely and relevant. In today’s sound-bite society, you need to update your content frequently. This applies to more than just your social media sites. If I had a dime for every time I asked an advisor how long he’s been using the same seminar invitation and heard him or her say, “I’ve been using this for years.” Ironically, my conversation was initiated by the advisor because he or she was complaining about low response rates. Conclusion The old saying is still true — you never get a second change to make a first impression. Think of your marketing message like you do investments. The market changes every day. Trends can last days or weeks, but seldom do they last three, four or five years. So, block out at least one or two hours a month to review your marketing messages and update them based on the feedback you’re getting from prospects.

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HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY ADVERTISING RUN? Here are some guidelines according to Mr. Thomas Smith, a nineteenth century London businessman, who offered this advice to advertisers in 1885. The advice is still very applicable today.

1. The first time people look at any given ad, they don’t even see it.

2. The second time, they don’t notice it. 3. The third time they are aware that it is there. 4. The fourth time they have a fleeting sense that

they’ve seen it somewhere before. 5. The fifth time they actually read the ad. 6. The sixth time they thumb their nose at it. 7. The seventh time, they start to get a little irritated

with it. 8. The eighth time they start to think, “here’s that

confounded ad again.” 9. The ninth time, they start to wonder if they may be

missing out on something. 10.The tenth time, they ask their friends and neighbors if they’ve tried it.

11.The eleventh time, they wonder how the company is paying for all these ads. 12.The twelfth time, they start to think that it must be a good product. 13.The thirteenth time, they start to feel the product has value. 14.The fourteenth time, they start to remember wanting a product exactly like this for a long time. 15.The fifteenth time, they start to yearn for it because they can’t afford to buy it.

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16.The sixteenth time, they accept the fact that they will buy it sometime in the future. 17.The seventeenth time, they make a note to buy the product. 18.The eighteenth time, they curse their poverty for not allowing them to buy this terrific product. 19. The nineteenth time, they count their money very carefully. 20. The twentieth time prospects see the ad, they buy

what it is offering.

Consistency Wins The Day!

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How to Stop Consumers from Thinking Your Funeral Home Is Having Financial Difficulty

More than 48% of US adults believe that a lack of advertising by a business (any business) during a recession indicates the business is likely struggling, according to the study "Advertising's Impact in a Soft Economy.” The study was undertaken to determine whether stopping advertising during the current economic slump, could harm a business. It takes an in-depth look at specific consumer perceptions regarding businesses that continue to advertise in the current economy, as well as those that do not. At the same time, a majority of consumers think businesses that continue to advertise are competitive and/or committed to doing business. Not Advertising Can Harm Your Brand Advertising appears to play a key role in consumers' view of how a business is doing, the study found. By not advertising, businesses may send a warning signal to current and potential customers, Marketing Charts reports. For example, when consumers no longer see/hear advertising from a funeral home during a

down economy, 50% say they view it as struggling: On the other hand, when a funeral home advertises during tough times, 34% believe the firm is

confidently committed to doing business. Perception is similar for stores, auto dealerships, supermarkets and banks. When advertising ceases consumers: View them as struggling (48%) Believe they may not be in business much longer (15%)

However, when businesses continue to advertise frequently, consumers: Believe they are committed to doing business (43%) View their business as being competitive (30%) Believe their business is doing well (10%) Believe their favorite business is committed to doing business (47%) View their favorite business as being competitive (30%) Believe their favorite business is doing well (7%)

"It is critical to advertise in the current economic climate, to maintain long-term positive consumer perception of your brand," said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. "Advertising not only assures consumers of a business' reliability in a soft economy, but it can influence where and what they buy, especially when the ads address concerns about value."

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Ad-Avoidance Tactics The study also found that consumers report being increasingly busy. 31% say they don't have as much time to shop as they used to, and - at the same time as they say that fewer ads mean companies are in trouble - many take steps to actively avoid advertising. Among the most common steps taken to avoid ads: 42% change the channel when a commercial comes on: 30% use software to block banner ads in an internet browser. 28% record TV shows to forward through commercials. 13% listen to satellite radio or an MP3 player in their car.

The report also gauges consumer perceptions about the economy, and provides a detailed look at the various media consumers use to research products, shop and search for the best deals. Additional study findings: 62% of respondents say media news reports make the economy worse, and 44% say they

consume less news now than they did a year ago: 46% of consumers view a company’s products/services less favorably if that company is

announcing layoffs. 40% of consumers use coupons more now than they did a year ago% are somewhat willing to

pay more for "green" products that claim to be better for the environment, and 7% are very willing.

46% are somewhat willing to pay more for "healthy" or "organic" food products, while 7% say they are very willing.

A deeply discounted price is the number-one factor that would make consumers more likely to purchase a big-ticket item (more than $1,000).

TV, newspaper, direct mail, and internet top local media from which consumers saw/heard an ad within the last 30 days that led them to take action.

Store websites rank second only to search engines as the way consumer’s research products and shop online.

Research from Nielsen IAG found that, and echoes these findings from Ad-ology. About the survey: Ad-ology Research surveyed an online consumer panel of 1,225 adults in a manner that is 98% representative of the

adult population of the USA. Survey conducted in January 2013.

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Value of a Nametag It may be difficult to believe, but a recent national study showed that a majority of Funeral Professionals do not wear a nametag. A nametag is a highly effective and essential identification and networking tool that should be a part of every funeral service professional’s attire. Nametags are flexible, inexpensive, customizable and more important; a nametag is an excellent way of promoting yourself, what you do and your funeral home. Having people know your name right from the start, through the use of a professionally designed nametag, is the first step in building the personal relationship that precedes a successful long term personal and business relationship Whether for everyday appointments, meetings, community gatherings, networking events, seminars, fairs, trade shows or church gatherings a professionally made custom nametag will leave an affirmative lasting impression with everyone you come in contact with. Nametags come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors. Using the latest computerized engraving systems available today, reputable nametag manufacturers are able to create a precisionally etched badge, and if desired, can be hot stamped with a colored imprint of your funeral home logo, tailored to match your needs. The most common nametag colors today are gold with black inset lettering, which really stands out in a crowd. Nametags today are attached with clips, cords, magnets or pins. Wear your nametag on the right-hand side of the shoulder area. When you extend your right hand for a handshake, the line of sight naturally goes to the other person’s right side and right onto your nametag for maximum exposure. It makes taking a quick peek at the nametag seamless. Wear a nametag most everywhere you go, especially during family conferences, appointments and during meetings, however, not for black-tie or private affairs. Never take your nametag off when you are working, even during your lunch/dinner break. It is even advisable to sometimes wear your nametag when you are not working. This could be when you take the kids to ball practice; grocery shopping or going to the hardware store. People need to see your name and who you are associated with. You’d be surprised at the number of times, people will read your nametag and start to make conversation with you because they see you “work at the funeral home”. Take advantage of this interaction to get to know people and have them get to know you. Here’s another reminder: When attending meetings or networking events, be sure to keep your briefcase, purse or drink in the left hand so that the right hand is available for a handshake. When creating your nametag, include your first and last name, business title and funeral home/cemetery name and/or logo. Make sure the lettering is large enough to be easily readable from three feet away. Omit Mr., Mrs. And Ms., but use professional titles. Nametags really don’t cost a lot of money and are a wonderful tool to get you better known in your community. If you don’t already use a nametag, get and wear one today.

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How to Successfully Rebrand Your Business You can't run your business the same way forever. Times change, people change, demographics change, customers change, communities change. The world is in a constant state of change. Here are ten ideas to bring about change and breathe new life into your business.

Evolution is inevitable. If your business is operating the same way today as it did five years ago, then you are stagnant, which means you are losing business. Change is very important. Whether it is a complete overhaul or a few adjustments, every company can stand a bit of improvement over time. What lessons can businesses gain when it comes to revamping their brand or business model? Here are a few suggestions to consider before diving in. 1. Be Ready for Change Revamping your business requires shifting your thinking and being ready, willing and able to let go of things you felt were perfect, which may no longer be the case. A first step is to be open to changing or adjusting the way you do business and you have to be prepared to act immediately. 2. Determine Your Mission Revamping your business involves taking stock of your company's strengths and weaknesses—what's the total picture not just a snapshot view. Before you embark on any type of product, brand or company change, bear in mind two things: 1) be clear about what problem are you trying to solve, and 2) make it a mission project. 3. Talk to People in Your Community Ask your customers, employees, business partners and industry experts their opinion about your company—it's products, services, and brand. Find out what they like and don't like. How hard is it to do business with your company? What would they suggest; do you need a little revamping or a major overhaul? Have you clearly communicated your positioning? Do you have good price value? Where do you rate in terms of customer satisfaction and brand differentiation? Your market research, both qualitative and quantitative will be able to help you answer some of these questions,

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4. Measure Your Total Market This is the most important thing you can do as a business owner. A good approach is to devote ongoing study in two arenas, within your industry and outside it. How has the market changed in your industry? Is your product or service still relevant? That's the moneymaking question. 5. Research the Competition and Seek Allies Here’s an example: In the case of Seattle's Best Coffee; market research unearthed a very important discovery. The coffee category had gotten very complex and cluttered—lots of names and lots of geographies consumers can't even pronounce. How could Seattle's Best Coffee evolve to be more relevant? The company's new purpose or mission became to make its premium coffee simple and easily accessible. The company expanded its distribution points by fostering new relationships with retailers and solidifying exciting agreements with companies, including Subway Restaurants, AMC Theaters, Border's Bookstores, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. The company created a new brand identity that evokes optimism and fun. A new logo maintains the name and the color red while adding such symbols as a drop of coffee, a cup, and a red semi-circle representing a smile enclosed by a silver circle conveying a silver lining. 6. Rethink Your Customer Base Part of revamping your business may involve targeting your product or brand to appeal to customers outside your niche demographic, versus introducing new products or lines to boost business. Appealing to a wider customer base can make up for less business by existing customers.

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7. Improve Your Product Availability A mono channel player may not see in their data that they are losing share to a changing market. Don't limit your business to just one distribution channel. This also means making your service or product more compatible to online availability. Exploring new channels for doing business is just as effective as coming up with an entirely new business idea. If your product or service can be utilized in a novel manner, this could lead to increased revenue as well as added value for your customers. 8. Determine Suitable Solutions Here is where many people get stuck. Do not hesitate. Move forward. Once you have received a set of suggestions and you have figured out where the key issues are in your business, realistically study them to determine what adjustments will best suit your business. Do you need to repackage and reposition your brand? Do you need to identify new distribution channels? Or do you need to streamline processes? The overall goal is to respond with change. Analyze what expenses are to be incurred in implementing such change. Zero in on what will save customers money and/or offer the best product value. Identify what improvements are more likely to bring in new customers. 9. Create an Action Plan Put down on paper what's wrong, how do you want to fix it, and what is your timeline for implementing that change? Specify the role of every individual team member in accomplishing that change. Engage in dialog back and forth. Do you have the diagnostic right? Do you have all of the facts on the table that you need to make informed decisions? Are management and workers on board with the changes? Once you have created an action plan, periodically discuss where you are, what you got right, and where do you need to make adjustments. Track what works and what doesn't work. 10. Communicate Clearly and Effectively Whether its evolution or revolution, if you are going to change, you have to tell the story why. Communicate in a way that reflects your brand. Change can be hard but you have to be willing to be bold and to be different. You have to have the conviction that you are in it for the long haul. Along the way to revamping your business, you may make some mistakes. That is part of the process. The key is to accelerate through the mistakes, realize them and adjust them until you get it right.

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Value of Ceremony Countless years of experience has proven to us undeniably that...whether you choose burial or cremation…whether your budget is large or small...whether you invite friends to join you or you choose to journey just with family...every family goes through the same steps when they lose a loved one. All too often, families find themselves wanting to take the easy path through this difficult time. What you don’t know is that the easy path, where you discount the value of ceremony, is not the best path. We know – and you need to realize – a ceremony is a vital part of your healing process. Create Healing Experiences It’s about bringing those you love together, at a time of loss. It’s a natural thing to do, and over time, has become a socially-expected practice. More importantly, a funeral or memorial service, whether traditional, or contemporary, is the first step in healing. You can have your service anywhere, and any way, you want. Your choices include the place of celebration, day of the week, and time of day; the musical selection, what prayers will be said or songs you’d like sung. You can arrange to have doves, butterflies, or balloons released at the close of the service. Keepsake gifts of wildflower seeds or a tree seedling can be given. We’re here to help you create the most memorable and meaningful service to honor your loved one. Ceremony Gathering with friends and family gives everyone the opportunity to share memories, express emotions, and find comforting support. Whether you choose burial or cremation; whether you select a formal funeral or a more relaxed memorial service, the need for acknowledgment of the loss with family and friends is ever present. We can help you create a unique meaningful ceremony to express the genuine individuality of your loved one. No matter where you decide to gather together, such a service will make a difference in the lives of all who attend. Burial Services If burial has been selected, usually any ceremonies we design revolve around the casket being present. You can choose to follow tradition, with a viewing, and then a funeral service in a church or one of our convenient chapels. Or you could decide to have a more relaxed service, even in your family home. Let’s just say this: there is no ‘hard and fast’ formula for honoring your loved one when burial has been selected. We’re here to listen to your concerns, share our experience, and help you to arrive at the perfect way to gather together before your loved one's interment in the cemetery of your choice. Cremation Services Cremation only refers to the manner in which you or your loved one has chosen to deal with the physical remains. We want you to know that this decision doesn’t limit the ways you can honor your loved one's life. We heartily suggest that you have a funeral or memorial service, because your need for such a healing experience is not lessened by the decision to be cremated. Again, the options are limited only by your imagination. You Can Never Go Back and Do it Over Creating a ceremony that calls together the hearts and minds of all who loved them is a gift to everyone involved. A gift of memories, a gift of healing...a truly priceless gift of peace-of-mind.

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Request FoR CanCellation I hereby request that the following voter registration be cancelled because: The person named below is deceased. Other: ____________________________________________________ Cancelled Voter Information _____________________________________________________________ Print Name _____________________________________________________________ Address (Old Residence) _____________________________________________________________ City, State Zip County Voter Date of Birth: MM / DD / YY ___________________________________________________________ Signature of Voter Cancelling Voter Registration If reporting deceased, please provide the date of death and State. Date __________________ State_______________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________ Signature of Voter/Relationship to Deceased Date Signed

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(Funeral Home Logo)

Dear ____________________ XYZ Funeral Home would like to express our sincere appreciation for allowing us to be of service to you and your family in this most difficult time. We place high importance in meeting the needs and developing relationships with the families we serve. Personal service and attention to the families before, during and after the funeral services is our primary responsibility. Our first goal has always been to provide a professional and dignified service that exceeds the expectations of the family. Our commitment to this goal will never waiver. In order for us to maintain this commitment to service, we would greatly appreciate a few minutes of your time to share your thoughts with us. Please check all boxes that apply. We would appreciate additional comments. Please mail or drop off at the funeral home. Before the Funeral Service

1. Why did you choose our funeral home? � Previous service � Reputation for the quality of services � Decor and facilities � The staff � Location (from funeral home -__________miles) � Pre-arranged services � Friend or relative � Clergy � Advertisement (where____________________________) � Affordability

Comments_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Did you have any concerns making the arrangements? � Arranging an appropriate service for my loved one � Selecting the casket and/or burial vault � Affordability � Payment options � Not knowing what to expect � Other_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

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3. How was our staff throughout the selection and planning process? � Attentive, Courteous and Caring � Asked what I wanted and helped me get the type of funeral I desired � Responsive to my questions and concerns � Presented me with options and offered suggestions as needed (creative ideas) � Gave me a tour of the facility � Knowledgeable � Paid attention to all the little details � Prices and payment terms were completely explained and easily understood � Impatient � Confusing � Pushy � Rude � Insensitive � Uncaring

Comments_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ During the Funeral Service

4. The funeral service itself? � The attention to detail was excellent

o Family mementos were displayed appropriately o Casket arrangement o Music / Memorial Video o Food (if applicable)

� The Funeral Directors anticipated my every want, need and concern � It was just the right funeral I wanted for my loved one � The building was neat, clean and comfortable temperature � Guests were warmly welcomed � Accommodations were made for family / guests with special needs � The service was excellent (it accomplished the remembrance service I wanted) � The service was poor – not up to the standards I expected from your funeral home � Other_________________________________________________________________________

Comments_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After the Service

5. Did you feel the price of the funeral was appropriate for the services provided?

� Yes � No (please explain)______________________________________________________________

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6. How would you describe the cost of the service and merchandise you received? � Lower than I expected to pay � About what I expected to pay � Higher than I expected to pay � A good value for the money spent � A poor value for the money spent

7. If asked, would you recommend the services of our funeral home to others?

� Yes � No (please explain)_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. How long after the funeral service did someone from our staff make contact with you to ensure your total satisfaction with all the services and merchandise we provided?

� Within two days � Within two to seven days � More than seven days � No one from the funeral home contacted me and/or my family

Would you and/or anyone you know be interested in free information regarding:

� Funeral pre-planning o I have pre-planned my funeral arrangements for myself or family member o I have considered funeral pre-planning – Please see that I receive free information o I have not considered preplanning at this time – but may in the future

� Bereavement support groups (local groups) � Coping with grief, bereavement and loss � Cremation services � Explaining death to young children � Monument/Marker purchase and/or death date inscription � Social Security Death Benefits � Veteran’s Death Benefits Do you have any comments or suggestions how we can improve our services?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

Please provide us with your: Name___________________________________________ Address_________________________________________ City ____________________State________ Zip_________ Home Telephone___________ Cell Telephone__________ E-Mail __________________________________________ Best time to contact________________________________ Note: Your personal contact information will not be shared with anyone else. It is strictly for our use only.

Thank-you for taking the time to fill out this survey. The highest

compliment our families can give us is there referral of their friends and

families.

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Execution: Funeral Pre-Planning

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Twenty-One Pre-Need Sales "Laws" Law of Constant Change: nothing in selling is permanent: you never lose or win a customer. Law of Resourcefulness: One option is a pitch; two an alternative; three a repertoire. Law of the Slight Edge: If you score 99.99% and your competitor 99.98%, you win and they lose. Law of Business Development: It's not what you know but who you know that matters. Law of Caring: No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Pareto's Law: 20% of your customers give you 80% of your business. Law of the Right Question: No need to know all the right answers - only the right questions. Law of the Quick Start: Get out of the blocks early at the beginning of the day, week, month and quarter. The momentum will energize you for the rest of the period. Law of Big Numbers: The smaller the sale, the greater the number of sales you have to make. Law of Luck: Luck is preparation meeting opportunity. Law of Preparation: Given three minutes to present, invest two in preparing and one in telling. Law of Organic Growth: Treat each customer as if they were a prospect. Law of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Whatever you vividly imagine, fervently believe, and enthusiastically act upon, will inevitably come to pass. Law of Competence: Good selling is not holding all the cards, but making the most of the ones you have. Law of Personal Resources: A sales professional's two greatest resources are Attitude and Time. Law of Selling Traits: A sales professional's most important selling traits are: Empathy for the customer Will to win Resilience Ability to Handle Rejection

Law of Integrity: To the buyer a salesperson's integrity can be the most important "product feature." Law of Problems: Don't avoid problems. By challenging your innovative skills, stamina and character, they make you stronger. Law of Personal Appeal: First step is building Rapport Next step is establishing Credibility Last step is earning Trust

Law of Networking: Not networking = not working.

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Information provided by the United States Census Bureau – March 25, 2014

There are currently more than 318,250 million people in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. Census Bureau also estimates that one new baby will be born in the United States every eight seconds, while one person will die in the country every 12 seconds. So since you started reading this post, we've added six and lost four. 43.1 million The number of people who were 65 and older in the United States on July 1, 2012. This group accounted for 13.7 percent of the total population. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections

92.0 million Projected population of people 65 and older in 2060. People in this age group would comprise just over one in five U.S. residents at that time. Of this number, 18.2 million would be 85 or older. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections 2.4 million Projected number of baby boomers in 2060. At that time, the youngest baby boomers would be 96 years old. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections 2056 The year in which, for the first time, the population 65 and older would outnumber people younger than 18 in the U.S. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections $33,848 The 2012 median income of households with householders 65 and older, not significantly different from the previous year. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2012, Table 1 14.8% Percent supplemental poverty rate for those 65 and older, equating to 6.4 million people. Excluding Social Security would leave the majority of this population (54.7 percent or 23.7 million) in poverty. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2012

9.3 million Estimated number of people 65 and older who were veterans of the armed forces in 2013. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey 58% Percentage of people 65 and older who were married in 2013. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements

26% Percentage of people 65 and older in 2013 who were widowed. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements, Table A1 The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily

released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Public Information Office.

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INSIGHTS INTO THE FUNERAL PRE-NEED CONSUMER

Q. Who is most likely to prearrange – Men or Women? A. Women. In the United States, the number of men and women is fairly equal; however, 61% of those who prearrange are women. Although only about 6% of the population is widowed 29% of those who have prearranged are widowed. Q. Do people go to a visitation and/or funeral service and think, “Maybe I should pre-arrange myself”? A. Yes, most definitely. Almost half of the people who have prearranged had attended a funeral or memorial service within the past six months. Q. Everyone knows that in the preneed business, age is really important. At what age does the number of people who prearrange really start to kick in? A. 65 and over. When you look at who’s prearranging, there’s a significant jump for: The silent generation (born between 1925 and 1925): 13% of the population but 59% of those who have prearranged and the GI generation (born before 1925,) 4% of the population but 25% of those who have prearranged. Q. How long is it between people saying to themselves, “Yes, this sounds like a good idea, I want to prearrange” and them actually going through with the process. A. 42% said it took them over a year to go from thought to action. Q. When asked, “What was the main reason you decided to make your funeral plan now, instead of last year or next year?” consumers stated. A. 17% - I finally knew what arrangements I wanted. 17% - A family member died recently. 13% - My spouse wanted to prearrange (this was significantly higher for men than women) 9% - I finally had the money to do it. 8% - Medicaid spend down 5% - I have a serious or terminal illness. 4% - I received a call or something in the mail about prearranging. 3% - I recently worked on planning my estate. 3% - A friend died recently. 2% - The time was right, I got around to it. 1% - My age. Q. How satisfied are people with their decision to prearrange? A. 96% said “completely” or “very satisfied”; 73% said “completely” satisfied. Q. How likely are people to recommend prearrangement to others? A. 95% of people said they were “very” or “somewhat” likely to recommend prearrangement to others.

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Q. What do people believe they’re going to get from prearranging? This breakdown rates the importance of a number of reasons people gave for prearranging. A. 1. Eliminating emotional burden from kids 2. Fulfilling responsibility 3. Eliminating financial burden from kids 4. Locking in prices 5. Choosing desired arrangements 6. Eliminating emotional burden from spouse 7. Eliminating financial burden from spouse 8. Making decision with spouse Eliminating the financial burden from the kids was the top reason given among women. Eliminating the financial burden from the spouse was the top reason among Men.

Information provided by Pam Kleese, Senior Marketing Analyst, Homesteaders Life Company, West Des Moines, Iowa and published in the June 2007 issue of the ICCFA Magazine.

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THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO PLAN AHEAD

A consumer survey conducted by the Wirthlin Group found that 80% of

Americans “believe funeral prearrangement is a good idea.”

Ten Good Reasons You Should Plan Ahead Today!

1. You want to relieve your surviving family members of the highly emotional burden associated with funeral arrangement decisions by reducing family stress, anxiety and confusion. You wish to ensure the risk of quarreling, uncertainty, confusion, unnecessary worry, grief and bereavement are reduced.

2. You want to express your own unique wishes so your family will not have to guess what you would have wanted. You wish to create and specially arrange your own special remembrance services!

3. You want to make informed, educated and thoughtful decisions and not just react.

4. You want to make these important decisions with the consultation of your family and/or friends or other close loved ones.

5. You want to relieve any possible conflict and/or misunderstandings about your wishes among immediate family members or “blended” family members at a highly emotional and stressful time.

6. You want to relieve your family of the financial strain associated with your final expenses. 7. You want to significantly reduce the chance your family will “emotionally overspend” on your final arrangements.

8. You want to ensure your funeral expenses are Medicaid/SSI exempt, thus shielding and protecting your hard earned financial/estate assets from confiscation due to unforeseen retirement home, nursing home or other long-term care expenses.

9. You want to safe guard your checking, savings, life insurance and/or estate assets for your family. Not have to pay them out in funeral expenses and/or to the federal and/or state government.

10. You want to provide your family security and peace of mind just knowing it is all taken care of and not left for others to deal with.

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Why Offering Pre-Need Insurance to Women is so Important

Today, women comprise approximately 49 percent of the workforce—an all-time high, but unfortunately 43 percent have absolutely no life insurance, according to the Wholesaleinsurance.net study.

Though 27 percent of wives are breadwinners, millions of families rely solely on the male’s life insurance policy, failing to recognize that their finances would be devastated without her income.

Recently ING U.S. conducted a life insurance study. The study revealed that the majority of consumers understood the value - particularly death benefit protection for their family - and felt the current economy made life insurance more important. 78% of survey respondents indicated that life insurance is an important part of their overall financial plan. And women even more than men agreed that the economic environment has made life insurance more important. Yet, many lack confidence in their coverage amount and have not talked with their spouse about what would happen to the family finances if one of them passed away.

According to the latest National Vital Statistics Report (October, 2013) a little over 21% of all female deaths in America occur to women under the age of 65. This translates into thousands of women who, by their own admission, know their survivors are not financially prepared to keep living in the lifestyle to which they are accustomed following their death.

Women are relying on employer provided life insurance. The ING-U.S. study showed that 49% of people accept their employer provided life insurance as their only life insurance source. People are blindly accepting the amount their employer provides. 65% of all women surveyed haven't calculated how much they actually need. Plus, employer provided life insurance is often not portable if the woman leaves or loses that job."

The bottom line is that women have little to no confidence they have enough life insurance. Women talk about the "what if's?" Women are more likely than men to talk about "what if's" - what if one of us loses a job.....What if one

of us die, unexpectedly? Women focus on and talk about the risks of life. Women are the ones initiating conversations about pre-need insurance and how they can prepare and

protect themselves and their families. Funeral pre-need insurance offers them that peace of mind.

Sources: ING-U.S., www.About.com, Wholesalesinsurance.net, National Vital Statistics Report (October 10, 2013)

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FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT FUNDING DECISION FORM

Every funeral home has had the experience were a few years ago “Mom” came into the funeral home and recorded her preferences. She did not see the value in pre-funding or was simply not in a position to do so. However that evening she phoned her son/daughter in California and said to him/her. “I went down to the funeral home today and planned my funeral. You don’t need to worry about a thing it is all taken care of.” She failed to mention it was not funded. What her family heard however was “it was all taken care of.” By utilizing this form you should resolve that issue when the services are needed. This should also confirm for any At-Need family, which items are price guaranteed and why and which items are not priced guaranteed. Simply have the client initial the appropriate paragraphs then print, sign and date at the bottom. The Advance Funeral Planning Professional could witness, even better if it is a couple to have them witness each other’s signatures.

Pre-funded Agreements

_____I have made the decision at this time to pre-plan and pre-fund my funeral services. I understand that, provided I fulfill my payment agreement, the funeral home will provide the selected services and merchandise at the time of my death at no additional cost. Vital Statistics and details of my service and merchandise selections are on file with the funeral home. ____I also understand that the non-guaranteed cash advance items are items provided by someone other than the funeral home, yet are needed to make the services complete. Because these items are provided by a third party (not the funeral home) the funeral home has no control over these costs. As a result these costs could change and additional funds may be due, payable by my survivors, at the time services are provided.

Non-funded Agreements ______ I have pre-planned by funeral services with the funeral home. I was offered the opportunity to lock in the services and merchandise provided by the funeral home by pre-funding my funeral services in advance if need. I have chosen not to pre-fund my services at this time. I fully understand that my survivors will be responsible for whatever the current costs are at the time my funeral services are provided. Vital statistics and details of my service and merchandise selections are on file with the funeral home. _________________________________ ______________________________ Print Name (Individual) Print Name (Witness) _________________________________ ______________________________ Signature Signature _________________________________ ______________________________ Date Date

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MOST REQUESTED FUNERAL SONGS IN AMERICA

1. Nearer My God to Thee – Hymn

2. World Falls - Amy Elizabeth Ray

3. Time of Your Life - Green Day

4. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

5 Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

6. My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

7. The Best - Tina Turner

8. Ave Maria – Celine Dion

9. Angels - Robbie Williams

10. You’ll Never Walk Alone - Gerry & the Pacemakers

11. Rock of Ages – Hymn

12. Candle in the Wind - Elton John

13. One Day at a Time – Hymn

14. Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

15. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel

16. Time to Say Goodbye - Sarah Brightman & Andrelli Bocelli

17. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

18. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton

19. Every Breath You Take - The Police

20. Danny Boy – performed by The Seekers or Bing Crosby or Joe Feeney

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21. Knocking on Heaven’s Door - Bob Dylan

22. Dust in the Wind - Kansas

23. My Way - Frank Sinatra

24. The Impossible Dream – performed by Elvis Presley or Andy Williams

25. How Great Thou Art – Hymn

26. Angel – Sarah McLachlan

27. When The Saints Come Marching In - Hymn

28. Onward Christian Soldiers - Hymn

29. I Will Remember You – Sarah McLachlan

30. Imagine – John Lennon

31. Goodbye My Lover – James Blunt

32. Unforgettable – Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole

33. The Prayer – Celine Dion & Josh Groban

34. When I Get Where I’m Going – Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton

35. You’ll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins

36. Amazing Grace – Susan Boyle

37. Forever Young – Bob Dylan

38. End of the Line - Traveling Wilburys

39. Yesterday – The Beatles

40. One Sweet Day – Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men

41. Beautiful Day – U2

42. Memories (The Way We Were) – Barbara Streisand

43. What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong

44. The Rose – Bette Midler

45. Always On My Mind – Elvis Presley

46. Let It Be – Beatles

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47. Goodbye’s The Saddest Word – Celine Dion

48. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin

49. On the Road Again – Willie Nelson

50. Never Tear Us Apart – INXS

51. Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion

52. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

53. Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens

54. Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

55. You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban

56. Hero - Mariah Carey

57. Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt

58. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

59. Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland

60. Bye, Bye Baby Good Bye - Bay City Rollers

61. Gone To Soon – Michael Jackson

62. Death is Not the End - Bob Dylan

63. Fly - Celine Dion

64. Heaven Can Wait - Meatloaf

65. Goodbye My Friend - Karla Bonoff

66. Keep Me in Your Heart - Warren Zevon

67. No One But You (Only the Good Die Young) - Brian Mae

68. Not Now - Blink 182

69. We’ll Meet Again - Ross Parker and Hughie Charles

(Songs are not listed in any particular order of preference)

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Strange Strange Strange Strange butbutbutbut True! True! True! True!

If you are presenting the features and benefits of funeral pre-planning to a man…ask him for the sale in his right ear. According to an article written in the November 2009 issue of Good Housekeeping requests made into that ear, not the left, are more likely to elicit a “yes”. In an Italian study, a female student asked 176 men for a cigarette in a noisy nightclub. Those asked on the right side were twice as likely (39%) to respond favorably as those asked on the left (19%). The reason for the pattern? Researchers say it could by the asymmetrical way the brain processes emotions: The left hemisphere (which gets stronger input from the right ear) is specialized for positive feelings and approach behavior, while the right side (more left ear linked) tends to be focused on negative feelings and avoidance. When meeting with a couple, make sure to sit close to the man and speak into his right ear.

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