November 2020

Page A31 NOVEMBER 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A For a one-time fee, the Travel Plan by Inman provides a lifetime of travel protection. The Only Travel P an Backed By Inman Shipping Worldwide ©adfinity ® Contact us today to learn more. (888) 889-8508 • travelplan@shipinman.com ShipInman.com Your Business Needs Shapewear Continued from Page A28 color of the flowers near your sign or sealcoating and striping the parking lot can draw an eye your way. Now go inside and look around. Have you checked out the Ladies Room late- ly? I remember well how my mother, Hazel, would check out the restroom upon arrival at restaurants when the family went out to eat. Her experience would determine if we had a repeat visit or if we even stayed for that meal. When you consider how, statistically, women outlive men by six to eight years, the majority of purchases will be done by a woman. A couple of updates, down the hall, can transform a lavato- ry to a welcome sanctuary in which to console, refresh and repair appearances. Online Appearances – No longer is it just a matter of having a website for direc- tory purposes, but rather as an opportunity for the pub- lic to virtually meet you and your staff and learn about your services and activities in the community. Take advantage of this space to toot your horn. Add an “In the News” page to share articles about your funer- al home and staff. Include some photos and bios in an “Our Staff” page. Visiting is less intimidating when you have an idea of who might be answering the door. Online funeral planning seems a bit impersonal for many of us. Quite frank- ly, I miss the attendant at the department store who would wait by my curtain and fetch the next size for me. But many prefer the solitude of making their own choices, quietly on- line. If you don’t offer it, someone else will. Then, follow up with a Facebook page to share ar- ticles with your communi- ty and honor special people in your area. Give people a reason to visit your web- site for more information. Far too many funeral home pages are just a listing of obituaries. Intersperse it with comfort, hope and praise for your community. Services – Many have held to “This is the way we’ve al- ways done it.” Quarantine certainly changed that line of thinking. Visitations have evolved to different set-ups, al- lowing drive-by viewing “bank window-style,” as well as displays at the exit doors, with the family so- cially distanced from the cars passing. Services have also been held on the fam- ily farm and other outdoor venues to accommodate the number of callers. When inside, offering hand sanitizer and masks have become necessary pro- tocols when the viral load dictates extra measures. But have you thought about the added benefit of name tags for the family? When you are missing the family facial features, it can be hard to know who is who. Whether a peel and stick “Hello my name is ____________” badge or a P-Touch® label or return address label on the mask saying, “daugh- ter, Sue,” you can tack- le that goal of the visitor — to comfort the grievers. Just place labels high on the mask to avoid interference with breathing. Another option is an iden- tifying pin. It could be a twist of pink ribbon, a car- nation boutonniere or a la- pel pin that only the family wears. This offering dem- onstrates your thoughtful- ness. Simply choose some- thing that has longevity and can be worn whenever they want their loved one around. Your token to identify fam- ily also identifies your com- passion for the communi- ty. Now, doesn’t that make your image shape-up nicely? And you didn’t even need spandex. Ruthann Brown Diso- tell is a New Jersey licensed Funeral director/embalmer, a Life Celebrant and creator of Oaktags® memorial pins www.oaktags.com. Ruth- ann has worn many hats in this industry, including fu- neral home designer, own- er, business developer, head- hunter, restorative artist, educator and entrepreneur. She enjoys opportunities to share her wealth of experi- ence from a lifetime in fu- neral service in which she is licensed 43 years. She is also an advocate for victims of domestic violence and does fundraising for Habitat for Humanity. You can reach her at 908-475-1711 or ruthann@oaktags.com.