Today, families are seeking new, creative options for their funerals, and green values are a key influence. As the world becomes more eco-conscious, people are taking steps to do right by the environment wherever they can – and taking those values to the grave. So, your environmentally-friendly families are growing in number, but there’s no single, right way to serve them. Finding attractive options for your families and your business can leave you with a lot of questions and ideas, but not a lot of solutions and plans. The 2022 Green Funeral Conference brought together funeral professionals from across the spectrum of green funeral practice at the Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico over September 13-15, 2022. Hosted by CANA and Passages International, more than 50 funeral professionals from across the country – from all stages of their careers, a variety of backgrounds, and representing many different businesses – attended to get ideas on incorporating green practices into their operations. Whether that’s expanding cemetery offerings, adding new disposition techniques, or considering new products, everyone left inspired to serve their communities in new ways. We’ve condensed the insights from presenters and discussion into a downloadable pdf to help you explore ways to incorporate eco-conscious values into funeral services. Here’s some highlights: putting it into practiceCANA Executive Director Barbara Kemmis led participants through an interactive presentation and discussion about common language regarding green funeral practices. Key Takeaways:
conclusionConsumers are choosing environmentally-friendly solutions for a variety of reasons: concern for the environment, enthusiasm for innovative ideas, the desire to do something new or to adhere to cultural or religious tradition going back centuries. The variety of reasons is only outnumbered by the variety of options for them to personalize their experience. As a funeral professional dedicated to serving your community where they are, you will meet people across the green spectrum. Being informed about these practices is why they chose you to offer guidance and expertise in their funeral plans. Be sure to mark your calendars for February 14-16, 2024 when we resume the green conversation at CANA’s 2024 Symposium in Las Vegas! There, CANA will bring together expert practitioners, innovative suppliers, and curious professionals to continue exploring and discovering environmentally-friendly options and how we can make a difference in our communities. Join the conversation! CANA's 2024 Cremation Symposium is your chance to get ideas for adding green options to your business. Chat with practitioners and suppliers about solutions that work and how you can put them to work for you! The event is carefully curated with sessions that generate enthusiasm for the future of funeral and cemetery service and conversations that carry over to networking, shared meals, and roundtables. See what we have planned and register to attend: The LINQ Las Vegas this February 14-16, 2024. Imagine you’re at CANA’s 105th Convention in Washington, D.C., listening to a session you’ve been looking forward to for months. The presenter is known for their excellent communication skills. How do you picture this scene? If we think about the three types of communication – verbal, nonverbal and written – then:
TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONSo what are some key considerations when you’re working to improve your communication? Let’s look at the same types of communication again: VERBAL “HithankyouforcallingABCFuneralHomemynameisJames” Their first response to that greeting might be along the lines of, “…um?” – not an engaging start. When the ringing phone has interrupted something we’re doing, it can take a moment to shift gears. But you shouldn’t let your communications suffer for it. Pause and take a deep breath to ready yourself for the call. Adopt a warm tone and speak slowly and confidently to tell them you’re present and engaged. Your tone should match your message and make your first impression the right one. Not to brag, but I’ve often been confused for a pre-recorded message when I answer the phone. Sure, it means people often start pressing buttons in my ear, but I know they’re convinced of my professionalism! NONVERBAL Even if you’re not paying attention, your actions will communicate meaning. Be aware of your gestures, facial expressions, clothing and body language. Pair these nonverbal cues with your words to make your message and meaning clear. And even when you’re not actively communicating, your body can give the impression of attentiveness, interest and confidence. Try sitting up straight and keeping your body language open by uncrossing your arms and legs. Still need to be convinced? Get a little help from Friends: WRITTEN “Thnak you for meeting w/me today. I look foward to serving you famly.” Even if you had a productive meeting with the client-family, you could ruin your credibility if you sent a follow-up riddled with errors. Always re-read before sending, keep communications brief but clear, and have a plan before you start writing so you remember everything that needs to be included. MAKE A LANGUAGE CONNECTIONWithout thinking about it, funeral professionals might use jargon and euphemisms to be accurate and convey dignity and professionalism. Unfortunately, families often use different words, and this can lead to misunderstandings. When using verbal and written communication, take time to think about your phrasing and always use language the family is comfortable with. The difference between ashes and cremated remains is the most common example in cremation. While we use cremated remains to distinguish between chimney ash and the bone fragments following cremation – plus the emotional distinction between wood and a loved one – a family is less aware of what to expect. Not to mention operational terms like first call and casket can require additional clarification and sensitivity to what clients know about funeral service. We don’t need to correct their language or word choice. We should mirror their language and, as appropriate, respectfully share the professional term to describe what they can expect. practice makes perfect By using these three types of communication more effectively, you can become a more skilled communicator. Here’s a helpful checklist of questions to ask yourself:
This post is excerpted from CANA’s online and on-demand course on Communication Skills Fundamentals. This one-hour course gives practical examples of effective communication techniques, including authentic and empathetic communications and overcoming roadblocks. "My background in providing value and communicating value was reinforced in this course,” complimented Philip Flores of Cremation by Water LLC in Arlington Heights, Ill. about this course and the CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist program. “I can speak to it all day long with my staff, but having a professional association reinforce beliefs and communication styles reassures my support in this particular membership." Communication Skills Fundamentals can be taken anytime, or participants can register to become a CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist and take this course with seven others that are designed to take your skills to the next level. Whether it’s on the phone with a price shopper, around the arrangement table with a grieving family, or in the breakroom with a colleague, empathy is at the root of successful communication. Communicating with empathy requires that we listen before we speak, acknowledge what we’ve heard, and validate the other person’s emotions to let them know they’re not alone. Empathy opens the door to conversations built on respect, truth and collaboration. And when we cultivate these characteristics, we can improve team collaboration and cohesion, create higher levels of trust with our customers, and more effectively resolve conflicts. Doesn’t that sound like a powerful force for effective communication? HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH EMPATHY?Communicating with empathy starts when we slow down. Taking time to listen and withhold judgment allows us to give our focus on the other person. Here are four key pieces of the empathetic listening process: 1. PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENING. “Have you ever wondered why we have two eyes, two ears and only one mouth?” This old chestnut is such a universal concept, we can’t even attribute it to one person. The answer, of course, is because we need to listen and observe twice as much as we speak. Unlike hearing, which is automatic, listening takes work. This isn’t just the time spent waiting before you can speak – this is the time to show respect. By focusing on understanding, paying close attention and showing the speaker you’re engaged, you can strengthen your listening skills and become a better communicator. 2. ACKNOWLEDGE AND PARAPHRASE WHAT YOU’VE HEARD. Let the person know you’ve heard them. For the benefit of others in the conversation as well as yourself, test your understanding by summarizing what you’ve heard. Paraphrasing shows that you care enough to check your understanding – plus you can double-check that it was really Uncle Frank’s ex’s sister’s granddaughter who spilled the punch at the wedding (and not his granddaughter – whoops!). Then, ask relevant questions that show you’re paying attention and you want to learn more. 3. VALIDATE THE OTHER PERSON. In every conversation, but especially on the phone, it’s important to reassure the speaker that you’re there. Without interrupting, give brief and positive prompts like “Uh-huh” and “Mm-hmm” so they know you’re with them. Then, when it is time for you to speak, first acknowledge what they said by validating their feelings. We know grief is as unique as the life lived, and the feelings associated with this conversation will be unique, too. The speaker is sharing their truth, and this is your time to honor it. Whatever they’re feeling, let them know it’s normal and they’re not alone. 4. OFFER SUPPORT. Support can come in many forms. You’re already well on your way by listening and validating their experience. Sometimes someone may want your advice or assistance, but you can never assume. It’s tempting to try to fix the problem, but sometimes a person just wants to feel heard. They want to feel less alone. Have you ever chatted with automated tech support and gotten generic responses that don’t address your actual issue? It’s infuriating not to feel heard by a human! As a professional who has seen hundreds of memorial services, it may feel natural to jump in immediately and offer to support them with that experience—but this is their moment, not yours. Give them time to detail their situation and make sure you understand it. Rather than offering ideas right away, let the person know that you’re listening and that you’re ready to answer questions. This sets up the spirit of collaboration and personalization that your experience can bring. By offering support rather than giving it un-asked, you’re telling the other person that not only do you understand, but you also care. OVERCOMING EMPATHY ROADBLOCKSEmpathy means stepping into someone else’s shoes—but what happens when the shoe doesn’t fit? An empathy roadblock is anything that gets in the way of our understanding. These barriers can form when we’re too absorbed in our own lives to carry through with the process outlined above, or when we simply can’t relate to another person. If our experiences are too different, or if we have polarized views on a topic or situation, it’s difficult to express empathy. We let our judgments, outlooks and egos get in the way of our understanding. Whether or not they’re intentional, these barriers cause us to shut others out. And, as a result, others may close themselves off to us. When we give in to empathy roadblocks, we obstruct our ability to both understand and be understood. We block our ability to communicate effectively. When communicating with others and facing these blocks, ask yourself:
This post is excerpted from CANA’s online and on-demand course on Communication Skills Fundamentals. This one-hour course gives practical examples on communicating with empathy and overcoming roadblocks much more in-depth than this overview. It also covers the spoken and unspoken parts of communication that are just as important to get your message across. This online course focuses on the fundamentals of effective communication. "I found greatest value in developing empathy,” said CCS graduate Jason Armstrong. “This helps me to more keenly recognize what families are and have been going through and extend grace for where they are now." Communication Skills Fundamentals can be taken anytime, or participants can register to become a CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist and take this course with seven others that are designed to take your skills to the next level. Registration closes July 17, 2023, and space is limited, so act soon!
We don't have time to question everything, of course, but I want to motivate you to question what you do and why you do it, and the impact that it has on your business. And—most importantly—the impact it has on your families. I am a second-generation funeral director and embalmer from a really, really small town in Indiana. I've been licensed since 2005. I grew up in the funeral home with no intention of going into funeral service. But, as I got to see my father and understand what he was doing, I knew what he was doing was important and I wanted to be a part of that. IS CREMATION THE ENEMY?One of the things I heard from my father was “We bury our dead and we burn our trash.” And, as a young man, I didn't understand that, because Dad didn't own a cemetery and he didn't own the crematory. So, I started questioning that. I thought, “What do you care? You want the phone to ring. You want to help a family.” But this was the mindset of so many funeral directors of that generation: “Cremation is our enemy. When a family says cremation, that's the only thing they want. That's it.” Those men lived in a time of cremation only, but from day one, that's never been my experience. So I questioned how we interacted with our families, and I wanted to get better. I wanted to get better because, as a young funeral director, you find yourself in awkward situations that you didn't ask for. Families love to ask questions—and we want them to ask questions. But when you're a young, ignorant kid you don't know what to do when you're put on the spot with a question that you don't know how to answer. I never had someone tell me, “When you get a question that you don't know the answer to, just say, ‘I don't know, but I'll find out for you.’” That makes someone feel pretty good. You're going to help them. You're going to find out – it may take you five minutes, it may take you more—but you're going to help. WHAT MAKES A GOOD FUNERAL DIRECTOR?We have made this unbelievable commitment that we are going to care for living and the dead, and we're going to do it simultaneously. As a young funeral director, I always wondered: what makes a good funeral director? And it's one of those things that is always evolving. I'm constantly adding to that amount of information that I have that helps me help families. And no matter how much knowledge we have about the funeral business or running a business or death or grief or all that stuff, what families really need is just another human being to listen. Another human being to be there, to support them and to support their decisions. We don't see that across all funeral service. can you do that?I am using a story I heard from someone who chartered a fishing boat. He mentioned that his boat captain was on the radio with other boat captains, and they were talking about where the fish are. They've all got paying clients. They all want them to have a good time. They all want them to fish. But these competing businesses are on the horn to each other, telling each other where the fish are biting today. Conversely, there's other captains out there and they're not going to talk to the competitors. You've hired them for a boat ride and you're going to get a boat ride. And that's all you’re going to get. But other businesses who are competing are out there trying to satisfy their clients. When it comes to funeral service, we may call a buddy for help. We may call a funeral home to help bring someone home. Yet, when it comes to service, a family walks in and they say, “Hey, I, saw this really neat thing on the internet you can do with cremated remains. Can you do that?” and I don't know about it. This happens way too much in funeral service where we say, “no, we don't do that here.” And we stop. We don't call out for help. We don't call out to figure out how to do it. Heaven forbid we tell a family, “we don't do that here, but I can find a place for you.” ARE CREMATION FAMILIES DIFFERENT THAN BURIAL FAMILIES?A buddy of mine was working at this funeral home. When someone came in to pick up mom or dad, they sat across the desk and “there's dad, thanks for coming in. Oh, sign here.” She was mortified that this was what was happening. So, she started to think a little bit, make it a little bit different, make it more of an experience. And she got in trouble. “What are you doing? We don't do that here.” Well, she kept doing it. She just made it a little bit different. I'd never thought about it. Never questioned it. It was just what we did. I think before I started using mom or dad or brother or whomever, it was “cremated remains. Here you go.” But, I started thinking about it and I was like, I can do better. As a funeral director, I do not want to treat my cremation families any different than burial families. Again, my family, we don't own a cemetery and we don't own a crematory, but I will do both for you, so we got to thinking. You never know what a family's going to value when they walk in the door. They'll walk in the door and they'll be like, we want a dinner, or we want a kegger. Some families want a funeral procession. Some families want pallbearers, and what’s the answer? You buy a piece of furniture. I was curious about this product: an urn, an arc, an urn caddy, there’s so many different names. I wanted one of these for years and years, but my father wouldn't let me do it. Finally he got older and stopped stopping me. So we got one, because I didn't want our cremation families to be cut out of some of the things that burial families get, and that some families value. Now, when it comes to cremation, you have all of the choices in the world. IS "WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY" REALLY THE MOST DANGEROUS PHRASE IN THE LANGUAGE?How do we know it's the right thing to do? The key is to sit down and take the time. Think about it, question it, talk about it. When we'd go on a removal or bring someone into our care, we would get into the hearse afterwards, and we'd start to drive away. And I'd look over and be like, “All right, let's grade ourselves. How do you think we did? How did the communication go? How did the transfer go? Do you think we met their needs?” Didn't even know we were doing it, but we were trying to get better. If you're not even thinking about what you do, this business can be very routine. You show up, you walk in, you do your work, you go home. It can be that simple. But if your mind gets numb and you're not thinking about what you're doing and trying to improve, you'll never improve. Just because Dad's been doing it 60 years doesn't mean it's wrong. It may be the best way to do it, but until we test it out, we don't know. And I encourage you to talk with other people about it too. Get outside of your circle, your echo chamber. That is the key. WE CAN’T ASSUMEIf you asked me maybe right now, what else do I do? Well, when it comes down to it, all of this is caring for our families, listening to them, and empowering them to do what they need to do. We’re put out to be these money-grubbing, guilt-twisting professionals that will use that emotion to help ourselves. When, as we all know, that is the complete opposite of what we do. We will go the extra mile to help a family. You all do it. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. We all work in funeral service. We are equals, but when we go home, all of us are the expert to our communities. Tell your story, tell people what you do, encourage them to have those conversations, be open and approachable. And that's how folks build trust with us. This post was excerpted from Brian Waters's session which kicked off CANA's 104th Cremation Innovation Convention this August 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. There, he examined the why of our operations, the value our families are seeking and how we can grow as cremation providers. For more from Brian and the Atlanta event, check out Undertaking: The Podcast and his reporting from the CANA Convention.
I haven’t worked in a library since 2005, but I still call myself a librarian—even after serving as CANA’s Executive Director for ten years. That’s because librarians do much more than fine you for that overdue book and shush noisy patrons. As the American Library Association puts it, “In their work, librarians research, instruct, and connect people to technology... Librarians work with people of all ages, connecting them to information, learning and the community.” As CANA’s Executive Director (and behind-the-scenes librarian), I conduct research and library tasks nearly every workday, because cremation professionals are curious people who are eager to learn and make data-driven decisions. In fact, CANA’s commitment to research – which then helps businesses and our profession advance – is one of my favorites among the CANA projects and benefits we provide. I know CANA members rely on our association to publish timely and practical content, and we will continue to do so, but I also encourage you discover the many ways your local public library can help you, too. When was the last time you visited your public library? Story time for your child or grandchild? To visit a book sale? Use the restroom? Maybe never? I admit that it’s been a while since I’ve been to a library (pandemic notwithstanding), but I use my library online to borrow e-books and magazines and to access databases for personal and CANA use. Public libraries offer a wide range of services to the business community, from meeting space to direct mailing lists, free technology and training classes. The Urban Libraries Council estimates that in 2021, a pandemic year during which many libraries offered limited or virtual services, the actual value of library services to entrepreneurs and small business owners ranged from $815,000 for Greensboro Public Library in North Carolina to $1.38 million in Spokane, Washington. That cost includes what the library provides for free that people would have to pay to own or use, like the makerspace (e.g., 3D printers and digital design equipment) and training programs—or even just a computer with internet access. Libraries can be a treasure trove of business resources for you and your employees. So, here’s this librarian’s quick look at making the most of these free resources for your business. how do i access my library?This is an important first step to take advantage of a library’s many resources, even though several drop-in programs (and the restroom) can be accessed just by walking in the door. You can always get a library card by visiting your library, and often you can start the process online. Sometimes libraries offer library cards to businesses, so if you live in a different community than your business, you can expand the resources you can access. what will i find there?When you think public library, you likely imagine books on shelves, but the resources most helpful to your professional needs are likely online. If you visit your library’s website you can see what they have to offer your business and employees. Here are some examples of resources you may find: ACCESS Saw a link to an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal or Harvard Business Review on LinkedIn but ran into a pay wall? Your library might have a subscription. Log in to the library website and access thousands of magazine and journal databases. You can find a whole range of other publications, too. Go to the library’s website and locate Research Databases, then explore the Business category and see what’s trending for businesses today. INFORMATION Need local lists of residents, local census data or other data to conduct your market research, create mailing lists, or produce competitor reports? Look at the library’s resources online, but also call the reference librarian. This kind of custom research may require some effort, but the time invested will pay off with information that cuts straight to your business and your community. EDUCATION Seeking education on new technologies or business topics? Libraries often provide free access to online learning through different providers like LinkedIn Learning. This can be great for general skills like management, marketing, and data analysis. GUIDANCE Starting a new business or planning an expansion? You need a business plan and will find handbooks and guides at the library. Your librarian can be a great help here, too, to help you identify and focus on the type of growth you want to achieve and the challenges you can face. MENTORS Libraries are a frequent physical home to the numerous Small Business Development Centers across the US. These centers also collaborate with other organizations such as the US Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE, and the local economic development office to provide mentoring or trainings in the library meetings rooms or auditoriums. And these resources can be valuable even if you can’t find them at your local library! BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE… Robert sipped his first cup of coffee of the day and scrolled through his LinkedIn feed. No death calls had come in during the night so he slept a solid six hours and was feeling great. A few moments later, he saw a notification from his mortuary school buddy, John: MEETING SPACES Libraries offer community meeting space. This could be an ideal location to host grief support groups or educational programs on cremation or other topics. Libraries typically prohibit use of their space for sales, so preneed programs may not be supported, but these spaces are wired for technology and available at low or no cost. GRIEF RESOURCES Refer families to the library to access grief resources. Consider donating quality grief materials in coordination with the library staff. Libraries have limited resources and expertise in house, so this could be a mutually beneficial community partnership. Ensure access to quality materials, while securing a tax deduction and recognition in library newsletters. GENEALOGY RESOURCES Libraries attract genealogy buffs almost as much as cemeteries do. Offer information about your cemetery and local history to the genealogy collection. If a genealogy group meets at the library, offer your services as a speaker. RELIABLE WIFI On the road and need wifi? Starbucks may have your cold brew along with wifi, but your public library is a great option as well (and some actually offer coffee, too). BOOKS Want to read the latest management book or bestseller? Sure, you can purchase it at the airport bookstore, but you can also download it through the library app before stepping on the plane to enjoy that well-deserved vacation. your tax dollars at workA few dollars of your tax payments go to fund public libraries, so why not make the most of it? Also, did you know that federal funding of public libraries is distributed based on library card holders? Simply getting your library card supports funding for your library and your community. Barbara takes the CANA Convention stage this August to show just how much she loves research by facilitating not one but two sessions on new research from CANA. In Cremation Trends Part 1: Statistics and Business Diversification, sponsored by The Wilbert Group, we’ll look at the profession’s response to cremation trends, excess deaths and how businesses are diversifying through the addition of pet cremation—all with expert insights from leaders across the profession. Then, in Cremation Trends Part 2: Cremation Memorialization, sponsored by Columbarium by Design, Barbara introduces the results of brand-new cremation memorialization research. Delving into the motivations for people keeping their human and pet cremated remains in homes throughout the US and Canada, she’ll facilitate a discussion with leaders on the results of this study and what it means for cremation memorialization today and in the future. Register to see this can’t-miss research: goCANA.org/CANA22 CANA Members can access the full Annual Statistics Report in the latest issue of The Cremationist. The next issue will cover key takeaways from the brand-new memorialization research, so stay tuned! Not a member? Consider joining your business to access tools, techniques, statistics, and advice to help you understand how to grow the range of services and products you can offer – only $495
No matter what you think about the evolution of the North American Funeral Rite, you have to acknowledge that cremation is, and has been for some time, a major part of society’s expectation of what happens when someone dies. As the demand for cremation services has increased over the past few decades, funeral professionals have responded in a variety of ways to meet their consumer’s expectations. Some have even tried to divert their community’s attention away from cremation, to no avail. Regardless, cremation is now fully integrated into our society’s funeral ideal and shows no signs of changing anytime soon. Funeral service professionals must now add Cremation Specialist to their long litany of talents. Most funeral service professionals don’t operate cremation equipment, but thankfully, that is not required to have cremation expertise. Knowing what goes on at the crematory, by what means the decedent will travel through the process, and how your firm and the crematory assure the remains that start the journey are the same that are returned at the end will put the family’s mind at rest and create a sense of comfort and confidence that their loved one is in good hands. One doubt many have, which can be alleviated from the start, is how the decedent’s identity will be confirmed, verified, and documented throughout the journey. This could be put into words during the removal or as part of the arrangement conference. Knowing and confidently clarifying both the ID process and the chain of custody protocols is good practice for a cremation professional. If you don't feel confident outlining the process, talk to your crematory operators. They can walk you through everything in detail and even if you don’t have all of the steps perfectly memorized, sharing with your families that your crematory does indeed have a formal process that is followed consistently is expert-level knowledge. Most believe that cremation causes pollution. Any time something burns and heat is generated, emissions are produced, but the cremation professional takes an educated approach when answering inquiries regarding emissions and the environment. Modern cremation equipment is designed so well that (when properly maintained and properly operated) the emissions are minimal and insignificant. The sophisticated control systems and airflow design along with the physical design of the equipment assure minimum emissions. According to environmental experts, cremation is one of the lowest sources of pollution and, because of that, isn’t regulated by the US Federal EPA (but are regulated at the local level). If one has to wait for something, they are undoubtedly going to want to know how long the wait will be. The variables involved in calculating how long it will take seem endless. How busy is the crematory at the moment? Are all of the necessary permits and authorizations in place? Is the deceased of average size or will there be extenuating circumstances that may delay the cremation? (For example, the decedent is a larger individual that will require special handling at the crematory). For the most part, if there are no barriers, the actual cremation takes between 1 and 3 hours to perform. There is also the time needed for processing and packaging the cremated remains. Keeping track of all of these variables can be cumbersome, but navigating all that is something a cremation professional does as part of their service. Often families will have questions regarding the actual cremation process. Knowing the basics regarding how things work is not difficult. Cremation, by definition, is a thermal (mechanical or other dissolution) process that reduces deceased human or pet remains to bone-like fragments. The process also involves the further reduction of the remains via pulverization of the bone-like fragments into pieces that are usually no more than one-eighth inch. The temperatures involved range from 1400°F to 1800°F depending on the make and model of the equipment. All cremation equipment has multiple chambers that combust and re-combust what is produced during the process so the pollution that is created is eliminated before re-entering the atmosphere. For the most part, what goes back into the atmosphere is breathable, clean air. Another important characteristic of a cremation specialist is their lack of assumption that the cremation family does not find value in more traditional funeral services. The cremation specialist knows it's their duty to help the family find the right services to honor their loved one in concert with their choice of disposition. This may be nothing more than the removal of the deceased at the place of death, curating the necessary forms and authorizations, and the actual cremation — but it may be more. It may be a full-on “traditional” funeral service complete with embalming, visitation, rosary, livery, procession, church or chapel service before the cremation, and a graveside committal service. It may be something in between. The funeral director cremation specialist is, at their very core, a funeral director regardless of the choice of disposition, and facilitates an event appropriate for their families. With any consumer transaction, the more you know about the products and services you offer, the happier your client will be. If someone wants to buy a new Ford F-150 pickup they are going to head to the Ford dealer, not the Volkswagen showroom. Value is perceived (and directly related to) the expertise of the professional facilitating the transaction and funeral service is no exception. Anyone can claim they are a cremation specialist, and having these answers undoubtedly makes you a better arranger. But what sets a CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist apart is the training they receive to ensure everyone is treated with the same level of care, service, and compassion. CANA’s new Certified Cremation Specialist program provides professional development training that makes an impact on your day-to-day work right away. Classes are tailored to your experience in the arrangement room, the prep room, and even before they make it to your door. The program is designed to focus on communication skills, sales, and personalization as a funeral professional experiences them. More than doing the job as a funeral arranger, even more than doing it right, this program is designed to help arrangers show that they care. They care about the people in their community, the success of their business, and growing their career. We'll announce the second cohort of 2022 soon. Learn more about the program and join the wait list here
My second week on the job as CANA’s Executive Director took place during the joint CANA-NFDA convention in October 2011. I remember many excellent presentations and I vividly recall one speaker asking the audience, "Are you a cremation specialist? Raise your hand if you are." There were hundreds of people in the room, and not one raised a hand. The speaker then chastised us, saying, "Of course you are a cremation specialist, because you say you are." Is it really as simple as that? Not exactly. CANA has been conducting research to determine the actual competencies and related knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) that a funeral director and arranger use when serving their community. Based on this, we've developed continuing education classes that teach these important KSAs, validate good habits and introduce best practices. Together they make up the new CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist credential—a labor of love crafted by the leadership and staff of CANA over the last five years. so what is a cremation specialist?You’ve all heard the lament: no one teaches cremation in mortuary science or funeral service schools, so why do some funeral directors excel at connecting with consumers who choose cremation and why do some fall short? CANA set out to find the answers. One of the four pillars of CANA’s strategic plan is Education, with one of the goals under that pillar being to constantly scan the state of the profession and address training needs through progressive education. To that end, in August 2017 CANA board members engaged in a hands-on activity where they identified their greatest training struggles across their businesses. The major categories identified were: 1. arrangement conferences, 2. crematory operations, 3. sales, 4. managing a service, 5. technology, 6. leadership development, 7. phone skills, and 8. oral communication, business communication and writing. The CANA Education Committee then set CANA’s top three priorities: arrangement conferences, crematory operations, and sales. With a firm theory about where our profession was struggling, it was time to test our ideas, so we invited rock star funeral directors from CANA member firms across the US and Canada to convene in Chicago and participate in a DACUM (Developing A CUrriculuM) study. These successful professionals were asked to describe, in exhaustive detail, each task they engage in to serve families who choose cremation. I wish you could have been in the room. This open exchange of ideas and strategies was a type of training in itself. The DACUM study identified seven domains of competencies from which we developed training.
Anyone familiar with the curriculum at mortuary science and funeral service programs will recognize these areas. You’ll find obvious connections and echoes to the mortuary school classroom curriculum, which we found to be a reassuring reminder: there’s no divide between cremation and burial families, just in how they can be perceived. CANA engaged consultants to do research on this new education initiative, including a large survey. Those respondents overwhelmingly identified a need for training that distinguishes between the knowledge and skills required to serve families choosing traditional casket burial and those choosing cremation. That’s where CANA found its niche. With this framework in place, CANA staff began developing classes and planning a coursework launch. course developmentn keeping with CANA’s mission to serve as the leading authority on all aspects of cremation, the association identified a gap in cremation-focused, online continuing education courses – content that develops and supports the competencies that best prepare funeral directors to serve people choosing cremation. Current courses are outdated, repetitive, provide little to no cremation content, and don’t advance competencies in the areas we identified. The path forward was clear: fill the gap between the type of specialized training needed and the level of interest in the actual content areas—all with CANA’s brand of cremation-first content to set it apart from the other the education options currently on offer. The primary audience for this project is early to mid-career funeral directors and arrangers. The primary competition is low-cost or free online training programs. We committed to the development of a self-paced educational program, providing licensed funeral directors with CE which leads to a cremation specialist credential at an accessible price. CANA members are the leaders in cremation innovation so that is where we started. We identified subject matter experts from across the association to develop and deliver specific courses targeted to each of the seven competencies: The Cremation Choice – works to explain the cremation consumer by using research to break down biases about what motivates them and what they want. Communication Skills Fundamentals – created to get at the many ways we communicate, verbally and silently, to clients. Cremation Phone Shoppers: Your Best First Impression – focuses on making the connection with the caller and showcasing the value you offer. The Power of Presence: An Introduction – developed with the blessing and support of Glenda Stansbury and Doug Manning, experts in the topic. Ethics in Funeral Service – moving beyond compliance with regulations, this class addresses ethical codes of conduct for the business and the individual Complying with the FTC Funeral Rule – uses cremation–focused scenarios to teach how to follow The Rule in different situations Presentation without Preservation – in what many would consider a foreign concept to CANA this class examines minimally-invasive body preparation techniques for the customer who wants a viewing but doesn’t want embalming. Each class is highly interactive with exercises, video clips and case studies. Looking for recorded webinars? Look elsewhere. These classes will capture your attention, present you with interactive scenarios and are always cremation-first. cana-certified cremation specialistsThis preparation work revealed the core issue: most funeral directors have learned over time—or are actually taught—the cremation myths and biases that have influenced business models and created a disconnect between consumers and funeral professionals. These biases are evident, even among funeral professionals working in cremation businesses. The CCS content challenges participants to confront biases and learn new strategies to connect with grieving families. Participants reported that communication tips and exercises to cultivate empathy and other communication skills resulted in greater satisfaction and success. In Fall 2021, CANA offered the first test cohort and graduated eight CANA-Certified Cremation Specialists. During this test offering we learned a number of lessons, including:
Each of the eight CANA-Certified Cremation Specialists earned both our thanks and our congratulations for their hard work. We are so proud of what they achieved. you're invitedThe Second Cohort launches March 7 and you are invited to participate. If you work for a CANA member or are the owner/manager of a CANA member and wish to register employees find out more here. It took five years to identify the competencies, build the courses and plan the launch, but here we are introducing the CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist! Join their ranks and raise your hand with confidence the next time you are asked if you are a cremation specialist.
It feels awkward to begin emerging from pandemic isolation and start attending in-person meetings and events. After 15 months of virtual meetings and phone calls, it’s a good time to review networking tips for interacting with people in the flesh. While the core best practices for networking remain the same, our collective COVID-19 caution alters some actions we rarely thought about before. I am fully vaccinated and eager to be around other people. But I’ll admit I’m a little rusty. At a recent board meeting, outdoors, I offered elbow bumps instead of handshakes, which felt weird at first. Then I realized that others appreciated it. However, as one who’s been a natural networker since kindergarten, I’m finding that it takes forethought and self-control to avoid automatically lapsing into life-long patterns that today don’t feel safe enough for me. For example, although I’ve decided I’m not ready for a bare-hand-to-bare-hand handshake yet, I was caught off guard and my muscle memory took over at a recent event when a respected elder extended his right hand to me. I automatically shook hands and then was obsessed with not touching anything until I could wash my hands. I was anxious even though I’m 99 percent sure this gentleman is fully vaccinated. My mind kept nagging me, “Had he also exchanged handshakes with others who aren’t vaccinated?” I know I am not alone. Rockabilly singer and guitarist Deke Dickerson recently released a song called “The Year that Got Away.” The song’s line, “I’ll never take a hug for granted again but it’s still so strange to shake your hand,” resonates with me as in-person meetings and events start returning to my calendar. While the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, many states and cities are easing restrictions and returning to almost the way things were before 2020. Beyond trying to figure out whether a handshake or hug is appropriate and safe, we may need to refresh our networking skills. This means reviewing networking basics as well as considering new COVID-era sensitivities and sensibilities. I offer the following networking tips. NETWORKING TIPS IN COVID’S SHADOWSET GOALS. Determine why you plan to attend a business event. Are you there primarily to learn from a speaker or do you want to meet others? In either case, decide ahead of time how many new people you plan to meet and why. Research the hosting organization, expected attendees and the location. Understand the venue and evaluate any COVID-19 measures in place and how those stack up against your readiness to venture out. LOOK GOOD. Dress appropriately for the occasion. Remember that you represent not only yourself, but the organization you represent. It may seem harder to gauge what to wear now, after more than a year of work-from-home casual attire. Compare notes on how to dress post-pandemic with trusted colleagues who are known for exhibiting professionalism. Smart networking attire always includes a sufficient supply of business cards in an easily accessible pocket. BE FRIENDLY. After avoiding contact with others for more than a year, you may be out of practice in initiating conversations with strangers. As much as ever, it’s important to project confidence and a willingness to talk with others. Smile, make eye contact and strike up conversations. In-person eye contact will feel different than all those Zoom meeting screen stares. Greet others with open-ended, friendly questions that can lead to conversation. Plan some conversation-starter questions ahead of time. LISTEN. Be genuinely interested in what the other person is saying and interact appropriately. For those of us who have craved being around other people, the tendency may be to talk too much. Listen more and talk less. Maintain proper body space distancing, which today may be farther away from others than it was pre-COVID. Successful networkers often report that when they ask questions, listen and show interest in others, they are remembered as being interesting themselves. RECAP YOUR CONVERSATION. If you’ve met someone whom you’d like to contact again, make your parting words a specific reminder of the issue or point you have in common, followed by a promise of your next steps. Exchange contact information. HANDSHAKE OR ALTERNATIVE? Decide ahead of time whether you feel comfortable shaking hands with others. If you’re not, have your handshake alternative ready. With a family member, practice initiating an elbow bump, fist bump, nod, or small bow so it will come naturally. Be prepared to react gracefully to puzzled reactions. Conversely, if you would like to shake hands with others, anticipate some people declining, and be ready to react gracefully to that situation, too. WASH YOUR HANDS. Before, during and after the pandemic, this is always a sound practice. I’ve always been a bit of a germaphobe, so for decades my habit has been to wash my hands or use hand sanitizer regularly during networking adventures: After the Uber, taxi or public transit ride and before the event. Between the networking reception and the subsequent breakfast, lunch or dinner. Upon returning to the office. I recommend this practice. It aligns with COVID-19 safety measures, and it can help prevent spreading colds. It also protects others. FOLLOW UP. Keep promises you made to others while networking. Send the document or link you promised, make the email introduction you offered to make, set a date for that meeting or for the proverbial “lunch sometime.” ENJOY. Networking can be fun, as well as beneficial to your work. Perhaps these networking tips will help you. This post originally appeared in the KSC Blog on June 18, 2021. We thank Kathy Schaeffer for allowing us to reprint it here for you. You can more of her insights on communication and leadership on their blog: https://www.ksapr.com/blog/ Figuring out when you’re ready to reconnect is the most important part of networking. CANA is excited to host one of the first in-person national conventions in Seattle next week: CANA’s 103rd Cremation Innovation Convention. We’re excited to reconnect safely, but we know it’s not for everyone. See what we have planned and if you’re ready to join your colleagues in the Emerald City August 11-13: goCANA.org/CANA21.
It’s no secret successful digital marketing takes time and planning. Funeral professionals encounter obstacles ranging from lack of time to budget considerations to limited marketing experience or know-how when planning their digital strategy. Add in the ever-changing digital landscape and it can make for a big mountain to climb. That’s why many funeral homes and cemeteries often look for a marketing professional or agency to do all or some of their marketing. However, some firms find choosing the right partner a bit daunting and aren’t even sure what questions they should ask when interviewing prospective marketing partners. We crafted this list of questions to help people identify which partner is right for you, your firm, and your goals. Answers to these questions before you hand off your digital marketing to an outside marketing company will help you understand just what you’re getting into. If you’re in the process of choosing someone to handle your marketing, or if you are working with someone already, you likely know three things for sure:
Use this list of questions during your next meeting with a current or potential marketing agency to help you evaluate what you are getting when you partner up. 1. Can I get a comprehensive list of what I get for the monthly fee or any one-time fees? This answers the big question: “What am I getting for my money?” You want to know exactly what you’re expected to handle, and what your marketing company is taking off your hands. The more clearly your marketing company can explain what they need from you, what the next steps are, and what you can expect from them, the greater chance they will be the right fit for you. For instance, will your marketing company provide you content but you need to post it? Or do you need to provide content and they post it? How often do they post? Once you get a comprehensive list of items included with the service, consider asking the follow-up questions below.
There are no right or wrong answers here. You just want to have a clear understanding so you can better assess what you are getting for the money you pay. Our experience is that fewer surprises lead to happier relationships. Once you have the answers, you can better analyze if the prospective marketer is a good fit for you. 2. Can you explain these items in terms I can understand? Once you get the terms, make sure you understand what they mean. If you don’t understand the marketing jargon being used, your marketing company should be able to explain it to you in a way you can understand. What you’re looking for here isn’t an MBA in a 30-minute phone call, but transparency. Is your prospective marketing company willing to spend a little time helping you understand? Do they understand themselves or have someone on staff who does? Can they define terms you don’t know? Give appropriate analogies to help you see what they mean? Talk about the process you will go through with them? Help educate you on how everything works? You want to see a willingness from the marketing team to help you understand, especially at the beginning of the relationship while you are building trust with the partner. 3. What short-term gains can I expect once I start using your service and what is your strategy to get me there? When looking at overall business health, it’s important to have short-term and long-term goals for your firm. A short-term goal is something you want to accomplish today, this week, this month, or even this year. Your short-term goals should help you reach your long-term business goals. Do the short-term objectives and tactics fit with your long-term plans? For instance, does the short-term plan enhance your brand, help you get ahead of the competition, build your reputation (or at least not detract from it), etc. Be sure that the gains your marketing company says it will provide fit with your business goals. No need to have a preneed strategy if you’re not interested in more preneed growth, for example. 4. What long-term gains can I expect and what is your strategy to get me there? Long-term goals require time, planning, and an effective strategy. Be clear with your marketing company on what your long-term business goals are. Then ask what gains you can expect in the long term that support those goals. As mentioned above, your short-term objectives should help you reach your long-term ones. If you are unclear about what your business goals are, what marketing goals you should have, and what gains you can expect based on the strategy and tactics used, ask your marketing company to help you. Most marketing companies have plans or offerings that include strategy sessions to help you tease out what you want for your business and know how to create a marketing strategy to help get you there. 5. What data tracking do you offer and how do I access it? You’re looking for transparency from your marketing partner. You should know exactly how posts are performing, how the company is checking, how you can check, and who will be answering your questions about the results. You’ll want to know how that performance directly relates to your business results. You’re not looking for “perfect” results here; there’s really no one “perfect” result. You do, however, want to see how the efforts are performing and be able to see the results yourself to determine what’s working and what’s not. 6. Who owns the email domain, website domain, and content? Why do you want to know this? Because if you decide to part ways with a marketing company in the future, you need to know what’s yours and what’s theirs. If you own the rights to your email and website domain, then you can make future updates to them on your own or through a future marketing or website provider. As for content, if it’s a reputable company they should have a solid (and legal) method of obtaining images for your content. No sketchy shortcuts here. And they should be able to tell you what content you get to keep if you end the partnership and which content is theirs. Like your email domain and website, there are several reasons you want to know what sort of access you have to your content. For starters, if the marketing company is custom-creating your content, can you still use it after your contract expires? Say they create a post to promote your 2021 event and you want to use it again for the 2022 event, are you going to run into trouble reusing the posts they created for you, or is that content all yours? There’s no right or wrong answer, just look for a clear response so you are aware of the process. Next, when running lead ads, will you have access to the contacts collected, or is there an extra charge for contacts? You might also ask if the marketing company keeps or sells the contacts collected. You want access to those leads and their contact info, so be sure to address that question. 7. How much work does your plan require on my part or from my staff? As mentioned above, you need a clear understanding of what your marketing company is taking over and what you still handle. You should also find out how much time they need from you on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. We recommend you cover this upfront so there are no surprises. Every marketing company or partner is going to need some of your time for things like collecting logos, access to websites or Facebook pages, strategy setting, content approval, and more. Just like onboarding an employee, an upfront commitment is required but will pay dividends in the long run. The key here is to gain an understanding of how much time that will take. Note that more time may be needed at the beginning of the relationship as you and your marketing partner get to know one another. Don’t be afraid to ask if this time requirement will decrease over time or remain consistent. 8. What is your onboarding and customer service like? Onboarding isn’t an overnight process. It requires time and effort from both you and your marketing company. Investing your time and effort with the right company will ultimately result in more preneed contracts, at-need business, and an established online presence. Onboarding takes time, but your marketing partner should have a process. Be sure to ask how long they estimate it will take. You may be in a time crunch or you may have all the time to launch your online strategy; find a marketing company that can provide what you need in the time you need it. Once you know your onboarding timeline, ask about their communication process. Find out:
What kind of customer support can you expect? Depending on your preferences, you can choose to work with a marketing company that sends check-ins and reports or with one you interact with daily. Those options and more are out there, just ask so you can choose what works for you. 9. Do you have an internal team that creates my website, Facebook posts, and other materials for my funeral home or cemetery, or do you outsource these things? Selecting an agency that has in-house experts across their service offerings is a good idea for a few reasons. You have someone in-house to collaborate with and you can maintain a consistent relationship with less of the “relearning” that happens than with one-off workers. Some marketing companies use freelancers and that’s ok! As long as there is an in-house expert to help you when you need something immediately addressed. 10. What security practices do you follow to keep on-file payment information safe? With all the ways personal information can be stolen online, you want to be sure your marketing agency is handling digital information securely. During your next meeting with your marketing company ask these questions to ensure any personal information is kept safe:
Don't settle - before you hire a marketing agency find out who they are, what sets them apart, and how they plan to help your firm grow. We know selecting a marketing agency to work with can seem both intimidating and overwhelming. We hope this guide helps you confidently select the right marketing company for you. You can find more useful resources and information by visiting the Funeral Innovations website and blog under the resources tab: www.funeralinnovations.com. Want a chance to chat about these topics and more? Alex McCracken, Funeral Innovation’s VP of Sales, joins the Crucial Conversations Series to discuss how to reach people digitally no matter where they are, from preneed to aftercare. On Wednesday, April 14, he’ll be joined by other experts to facilitate conversations on Pandemic Lessons on Preneed and Aftercare, learn more here. Registration is free for CANA Members and just $15 for non-members, and includes 1 hour of CE from the Academy. Not a member yet? Check out more benefits of joining CANA and learn why our association keeps growing: goCANA.org/WhyJoinCANA
Growing up as the daughter of a traditional funeral director, I never would have imagined that five decades later I would be caring for those grieving the loss of a pet. Back in 1972, when my father first began taking calls from clients wanting burial and cremation services for their pets, it was considered “taboo.” In other words, “People just wouldn’t understand.” I have vivid memories of my father telling stories of how clients would request that he arrive in an unmarked vehicle and that he come after dark because they did not want their neighbors to know they were caring for their pet in this way. Can you imagine not being able to openly grieve or mourn a loss that was so emotionally devastating to you? Fast forward to today, where, according to the American Pet Products Association, over 67% of the US population now owns a pet, and 45% own more than one pet. Expenditures for pets are expected to surpass $99 billion in 2020, so it is easy to see that our pets have truly become members of the family. In fact, a 2001 survey from the American Animal Hospital Association revealed that 83% of pet owners refer to themselves as pet parents. For those with value added services marketing to the pet sector, how care is communicated to those pet parents is important and can be the difference in building and sustaining lifelong relationships with pet families. the human-animal bondDid you know the human-animal bond dates back more than 16,000 years? Burials for pets have been found in Germany from 14,000 BCE, in North America from 11,000 BCE, and China from 7,000 BCE. Alexander the Great owned a mastiff named Peritas. When Peritas died, Alexander led a sizeable funeral procession and burial, erected a large monument, and ordered the locals to honor his dog’s death every year with a festival. The human-animal bond is strong. Whether it is a furry child to empty-nesters, a best friend to the children in a family, or an only companion during a major adult life change, we should not be surprised when a pet parent seems to be “over the top” in how they choose to honor their beloved furry family member. The grief can be overwhelming. I’ve often heard, “This has been more difficult than losing a human family member.” The bond with a pet is like no other relationship; there is no emotional baggage, there is just pure, unconditional love. That can be hard to find by today’s standards. It is no wonder that pet parents today are seeking more personalized caring services for their beloved furry family members. Whether it’s holding a viewing with family and friends, conducting an informal ceremony to scatter cremated remains, taking part in a witness cremation, or being able to choose the perfect personalization for the right urn, pet parents don’t just want choices – they need choices. As pet bereavement experts, it is important that we don’t shut those opportunities off during the decision-making stage. Making sure these options are known to the pet parent can become part of their healing process. Like planning a service for any human, we shouldn’t assume every pet parent desires the “standard service.” Pet parents need to be able to honor the emotional bond they held with their beloved furry family. a pet parent's griefI recently had the honor of working with Jennifer Werthman, Education Director for CANA, and Debra Bjorling, owner of Hamilton Pet Meadow in New Jersey and Past President of the IAOPCC. We were working collaboratively to develop the new, online version of the IAOPCC’s Pet Bereavement Certification Level 1 Program. As we talked through the many phases of the program and the more unusual stories of grief that we had experienced with pet parents, it struck me as to how universally similar the stories often were. At the heart of every pet parent is the need to grieve, the need to know they are being heard, and the need for an empathetic and understanding voice. After 32 years of working with pet parents, I know it can be easy to find yourself on autopilot and focusing on the details of the arrangements, urn personalization, and memorials rather than the grieving person in front of you. But I also know that what determines a lasting relationship with any pet parent is being able to effectively communicate care and concern for their loss and express a willingness to actively listen to their pain. We all are aware of the varying stages of grief: Shock, Denial and Disbelief, Anger, Guilt, and Resolution. But are we committed to communicating well at every stage of a pet parent’s grief, both verbally and non-verbally? Knowing what to say and what not to say to a pet parent who is experiencing shock, profound sadness or unbridled anger is important. It can calm or escalate a situation. We live in a culturally diverse society with different backgrounds, religious affiliations and beliefs about pet death. Words can have consequences. Make sure you and your staff know how to respond to that inevitable question that anyone dealing in pet aftercare has been asked: “Will I see my pet in Heaven?” How you answer can have profound consequences. We all know words have impact and making sure we are dedicated to best practices for ourselves and our staff can be life-changing for others. Training in pet bereavement is the key to good foundational practices. Our non-verbal cues have just as great of an impact. Our body language, tone of voice, and inflection convey a lot to a pet parent who is overcome by grief. Because you are dealing with families in a highly emotional state, your body language and vocal tone are essential to creating rapport and building trust. People know when you are being real and when you are giving “pat answers.” Being authentic is important. As anyone working with pet parents will tell you, a pet parent can always spot another pet parent! One of the more exciting sections of our online program covers these detailed specifics. It provides a real opportunity to check ourselves, our language, our demeanor, the way we carry our body, and the pace at which we move. We learn how to responsively listen and how to apply reflective listening dramatically improving our communication skills to grieving families. challenging family interactionsDuring our work together, I found myself learning new ideas, getting a refresher on my non-verbal cues, and forming new de-escalation and de-stressor techniques. It can be a challenge to work with pet parents who have an especially difficult time due to extenuating circumstances. Whether it is a lack of social support, pre-existing mental health conditions or an emotional sense of responsibility for the death of the pet, these challenges can require inside knowledge of how to best serve the pet parent. As we built the course, we were able to share direct personal experiences of unusual circumstances and unique requests – how do you respond when a pet parent asks you to remove the paw for them? How do you react and what do you say to a pet parent that is convinced their pet is still breathing? We laid out important steps to take when approaching challenges, including emergency situations requiring immediate medical assistance – when do you call for help? Asking the right questions, knowing how to identify key risk factors and finding ways to take quick and decisive action is important for us to know, and, more importantly, for our staff to know as well. Education and training on how to handle difficult situations before they arise is key for all of us! best practicesAs a third-generation family business, my father, Doyle L. Shugart, raised my brothers and I to believe that we are each here on purpose and for a purpose. We all have a higher calling in life, and how you prepare for that calling can impact and change the lives around you. As a past president of the IAOPCC, he was dedicated to continued education. In fact, the IAOPCC’s Educational Scholarship is named in his memory. Making sure we take advantage of every training opportunity available at our fingertips is the only positive during this post-pandemic time. Making sure we as well as our staff are well-trained and prepared to handle any and every situation in a culturally divisive world should remain at the top of our priorities – it can be the difference in building and sustaining relationships and your business. My father often referenced the famous quote attributed to Maya Angelou, impressing it on us: “People may forget what you did for them, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Forty-nine years after he started our family business, his words still ring true. Your actions can have a profound impact on a pet parent’s grief experience. Learning best practices ensures your families receive all of the options, the best possible care, and your professional expertise to ease the burden of their loss. Announcing the Online Pet Bereavement Certification Level 1 developed in partnership with IAOPCC and CANA. Pet funeral directors and arrangers can now get certified online, on their schedule, at their pace and at home! Learn more at www.cremationassociation.org/PetCremation.
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