| Do
Some Soul Searching
So you want to open a retail casket sales center!?! The world
is going to come flooding through the door because your casket
prices are so much less than those of the local funeral homes!
You probably have visions of yourself driving around town
in a big fancy Cadillac, just like the funeral director….
Well… not quite.
When contemplating the business of casket retailing, we strongly
recommend that you take a step back and give it some long
hard thought. This business isn't for everyone, and it's certainly
not a get-rich-quick deal.
If you were to ask us "What's the profile of the average
casket retailer?" we would have to give you this
thumb nail sketch…
- Most casket retailers have been exposed to the funeral
process and have walked away feeling victimized and taken
advantage of when they were at one of the lowest ebbs of
their life. They develop a conviction that there has to
be a better alternative.
- Most casket retailers enter into the business for reasons
other than just money.
- Most casket retailers are over 45 years of age. Many have
had successful careers in unrelated businesses. However,
most have come to realize that their career has held them
hostage. In their pursuits, they've turned their back on
family, friends, community, and most importantly, themselves.
They have ceased to be a part of!
- The average casket retailer views this business as creating
a vehicle for playing a role in the lives of other human
beings, as well as being income generating.
- Most casket retailers have good interpersonal networking
and organizational skills. Most are fairly self-motivated.
- Most casket retailers have the financial resources to
go through the initial year of business, investing money,
without taking any.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, there are far easier ways to make a living,
however, not everything in life can be measured in cold, hard
dollars and cents. One of the universal experiences of casket
retailing seems to be the feeling of gratitude and humility
when a client family walks into your place of business….A
time when this family is at one of the lowest emotional and
spiritual points of life… and they come to us for help! Our
client families open an intimate chapter and ask us to step
in and play a role guiding them through this difficult decision-making.
While the basic elements of casket retailing aren't rocket
science, the God given gifts of caring and compassion
are essential. |
