Funeral Futurist | Robin Heppell

Rank High in Google - 1st Manual for Funeral Service

Robin Heppell — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

It is my hope that this manual provides you with a starting point to understand the importance of Internet Search Engines and your firm's ranking within them. This is an introductory look at Search Engine Optimization and although there are other, more sophisticated strategies not covered in this manual, by taking these initial 10 Steps you will be further ahead than almost all of the other funeral homes in your area - if not all of them. You have two ways to receive this great resource: Pay $47 or Get it Free by sending this newsletter to just 5 other funeral professionals.

About Hep

Robin Heppell — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:51:15 +0000

Welcome to Heppell Funeral Solutions' FuneralFuturist.com! Funeral Consultant Robin Heppell will provides insights and resources for Funeral Directors and Cemeterians.

Consulting

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:23:49 +0000

Robin Heppell assists funeral directors and cemeterians with business strategies and using the latest technologies.

Funeral Futurist to Speak at Oregon Annual Convention - OFDA: April, 2008

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:46:56 +0000

Funeral Futurist Robin Heppell has been scheduled to present at the Oregon Funeral Directors Association's Annual Convention on April 24th and 25th in Seaside, Oregon. Heppell is presenting a keynote address: "3 Keys to the Future of Funeral Service" on the 24th. On the 25th he will conducting two workshops: The Power of Video on the Internet and Best Practices of Email Marketing. For registration details visit the OFDA website at: www.ofda.org

Business Analysis

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:15:43 +0000

More than just a funeral management consultant, Heppell will guide you through the process of formulating a business strategy, not only to grow your business, but to be enabled to fend off other threats as you continue to capture market share. Do you have any particular areas of focus?

Increase Market Share
- Both Call Volume" and "Financial"
Thwart off Discounters
Planning for Death Valley before Death Boom
Win over Price Shoppers
Fine tuning your Operational & Business Models
Increase Average Funeral Values

If you are really serious about being prepared for the future, then the development and implementation of Strategic Plan is the answer. The Analysis will include:

Competitor Analysis
Environmental Scan
Five Forces of Competition Analysis
Internal (SWOT) Analysis

The Development will include:

New (or Renewed) Vision and Mission
Business Objectives
Key Strategies to meet Objectives
Goals and Benchmarking
Action Plan and Implementation

If you are ready to Embrace the Future will a comprehensive strategic plan, call 1.800.810.3595.

Pricing Strategies

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:25:04 +0000

Do you dread reviewing your pricing ever year? Does it feel like a crap-shoot whether to raise prices or not? It doesn't have to be - with sound fiscal and competitive analysis you can have a winning pricing strategy no matter where you choose to position your funeral home in the market. What is your current Pricing Strategy?

Price Based: the discounter or at least holding the position of the least expensive prices
Value Based: the more expensive provider but one who also provides more value added offerings
Niche Based: serving a specific community, faith, or other group(s)
Middle of the Road: trying to be all things to all people by having average prices and average offerings

Out of these four strategies, the forth one may seem to be the one with the opportunity to get the most calls, but in reality it is the hardest one to maintain if your competitors can effectively communicate their benefits. Defending your Position No matter which position you choose, if you have a well thought out pricing strategy and can effectively depend your position then you should not have a problem with shoppers and competition. Price Matching is not a Strategy - It's a cop-out! Sorry if this offends anyone, but it would be more offensive to your customers who pay full price to find out that the next family paid half since they threatened to go to the discounter. If you resort to this lame strategy - STOP! Please download the Competitors Matrix found on the Downloads page and identify the areas that you provide more value, then communicate those differences to your families. Pricing Service Offerings and Product Offerings This is a important mix of your over all pricing strategy. And with recent research stating that consumers valuing products a lot lower than service offerings, funeral home operators must ensure that their pricing strategies are aligned with the perceived value of the consumer. For more information, please read the article, It's Not the Funeral Product Industry, which can be found on the Articles page. Call Counting and Real Market Share - You could be the Market Leader and not Know it A lack of focus is evident by funeral homes tracking market share by only focusing on call volume as an indicator. Even though each death represents potential revenue, would it not be more prudent to track market share dollars or even profitability per call versus the other operators? This means that it is not just increasing one's call volume that is important, but the type of call gained (or lost) that matters. It would be better to lose two calls to a discounter and pick up one from a value-based funeral home even though the funeral home would be net minus one. It is interesting though to see funeral homes fight over direct disposition calls (on price) and not actively strive to get ones on the other end of the scale. Are you Ready to Beat your Competitors at the Price Game and realize more Profit? We can help you take control of your market in the following areas:

Pricing Strategy Audit: this complete overhaul of your pricing includes:
- Competitors Analysis
- Defining Market Position
- Call Counting vs. Real Market Share Analysis
- Aids to equip staff against Price Shoppers and Discounters
- Automated General Price List

Creation of Funeral Packages: by building value-added packages with our proven formula and together with the necessary presentation materials you will immediately increase your Average Funeral Value by at least $1,000 - guaranteed

Automate your General Price List: this will enable you to easily produce price lists for your consumers and regulators as well as easily review and raise prices by percentages with minimal calculations

All pricing strategies are guaranteed to double your return on investment with in 12 months!

Preneed Strategies

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:56:12 +0000

Heppell has been there: no leads, shoppers, and those who just want to think about it. He has also been on the other side, # 1 in sales for North America – while contending with a 75% cremation rate. Plus referral generation and systems to maximize those customer relationships. A Complete Preneed System Analysis may be the one thing you need to take your program to the next level:

make a complete overview of your current program
review techniques with your sales staff
show ways of having preneed and at need working together for the betterment of your firm
help you implement a "passive" after care program to not only better serve your bereaved families but also insure that you will serve those families again
create a complete flow chart letter program which will walk your sales staff to the sale
help integrate new technologies to help generate leads from the "new consumer"

Other Areas of Assistance Create Preneed Packages that increase Average Funeral Values, & assist passive counsellors in achieving greater sales – Instant $1,000 AVF increase - Guaranteed! View Sample Packages on the Downloads page. Trust Rollovers, feasibility analysis for the viability of project, plus systematic execution of the rollover to maximize efficiencies and net income Powerful Presentations to help capture audiences and create the urgency to plan Now! Plus ‘Ready to Use’ presentations or templates as well as tips for using PowerPoint.

Business Valuations

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:59:04 +0000

Long gone are the days of corporations paying $15,000 per call for the purchase of a funeral home. The buying spree is over, and you may not be able to wait for the death-rate-boom to increase the value of your firm. For Sellers: A business is a business and an investment is an investment, so the $ / call valuation methods are gone. To maximize your funeral home's value, have a complete valuation and future projection conducted. For Purchasers: Investigate the offer to see if it is reasonable and takes into account future demographical changes for the market. Also, a well formulated valuation can serve as a benchmark for future performance to ensure that your investment is on track. What can a Business Valuation can do for you? In regards to conducting a valuation of an existing business, the overall objective would be to arrive at a value of the business as it is today and its current operating methods and procedures. Besides the end result of a dollar figure, this document will provide additional future value in the areas of:

Market analysis: Demographics and projected growth rates and death rates for each service area
Competitors analysis: Profiles, price lists, and market share of the various competitors
Preneed audit: An analysis on the status of the current program, rate of turnover, and anticipation of future under producing contracts
Staff: Profiles, age, experience, and areas of expertise
Capital expenditures forecast: To aid in budgeting purposes and allocate future requirement of funds
Benchmark for future performance: Provide a guiding map to measure at any point in time the performance of the investment

Without a formal business valuation, one would just be guessing - and that's no way to makea sound business decision whether it is the first or the last. If you would like to know more about how a business valuation can benefit you with your current funeral home or your future funeral home, please call 1.800.810.3595.

Operational Efficiencies

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:04:32 +0000

Is your office running like a top?

"THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT!"

Over the years many procedures get implemented or adopted. Then one day the light bulb in your head goes on and you ask yourself, "Why do we do this in this manner?" or "There has to be an easier or more efficient way of doing this?" And then you get the ANSWER ABOVE. In a time where margins are tighter, funeral firms must look at all influences that affect the bottom line. One area where savings can be realized is in the area of operational efficiencies. There could be many areas that could use a little tweaking or fine tuning. Although individually they don't amount to much, collectively you could add thousands to your bottom line. Areas that could be analyzed are:

Staffing (both numbers of staff and use of staff)
Data duplication - how many times do you record or enter important information?
Operational expenses audit - are you on the best plans for telecommunications, insurance (property, auto, group, etc.)
Operational systems audit - how many times is a task performed, and by how many people?
Some funeral homes face new regulations that will demand of them more reporting and overall paperwork - there could be simple systems implemented to alleviate these burdens and realize greater efficiencies

There has to be a Better Way!! So if you have ever thought to yourself (or even out loud), "There has to be a better way!?!?" Don't worry, there probably is. Just call 1.800.810.3595 to see if we can help you streamline your operations and increase your bottom line.

Cremation Issues

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:07:25 +0000

Does the increase of your cremation rate have you worried? It's time to face it and embrace it, because you can't change it. Heppell understands cremation since he has lived it in the Cremation Capital of North America which now experiences a Cremation Rate of over 90%. Knowing that 9 out of 10 families will choose cremation makes it imperative to maximize every cremation service. We will...

Help you create packages that will increase your averages and provide a complete demonstration to all of the options available to your families
Help you grow the number of Traditional Cremation or Memorial from Cremation Only services
Provide you with materials to help educate the cremation customer

Grief Resources and After Care

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:14:53 +0000

Over the past decade funeral homes have started and stopped and started again various "after care" programs. We can...

help you develop a program that is right for you and your community
advise you on the successes and pit falls of past programs
create a program for you using one of a mixture of the following:
- online resources
- guest seminar presenters
- holiday memorial programs
- personalized letter programs
- bulk newsletter programs

Also, our presentations may be eligible for Continuing Education courses, check with your regulatory board or local association.

Technologies

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:17:34 +0000

Heppell can assist you in a number of technologies related to funeral service.

Website Consultation

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:47:39 +0000

If you don't have a web site for your funeral home you are missing out on one of the best ways to promote your funeral home . . . all for less than the price of of an average funeral. So, if your new site only generates one new call, it's paid for itself. We can assist you in strategies for...

Hosting and name registration (www.yourfuneralchapel.com)
Online obituaries (proven to be the # 1 way to generate traffic to your funeral home's web site)
Merchandise listings and pictures
Sell floral arrangements (have your web site become a revenue generator)
Online grief resources - linked to Dr. Wolfelt's Grief Words, click here for example

If you already have a site on the web, ask yourself...

Is your current Internet service provider allowing you to create your own e-mail addresses
Can you easily upload obits on your site
Can you sell flowers
Do you offer online grief resources - link your site to Dr. Wolfelt's without it looking like you've changed sites - example
Do you have the ability to add, update, and delete content such as obituaries, links, news, etc.

Heppell Funeral Solutions can offer you an unbiased opinion on your current or future website. Heppell has developed the "Website Report Card" to help you review your own website and see where you can make improvements ( Website Report Card). If you would like direct consultation for a review and analysis of your current website, please select one of the following services: Call today for your FREE, No Obligation, 15 minutes website consultation with Robin Heppell. Call today (250) 744-3595!

Funeral Home Management Software

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:13:28 +0000

Which of the following categories does your funeral home fall under in relation to its data tracking?

You use or wish to use in the near future, a graphical computer program that can be used in front of your client families
You use a current funeral specific computer application (or maybe an obsolete one)
You use a 'home-grown' database application
You use a ledger, file / recipe cards, and a typewriter

If # 1 describes your situation, contact your merchandise supplier as they may have a solution for you. If you are in # 2 and you are happy you should probably stay with your existing solution, but if you are using an obsolete system that no longer provides you with support or if you are not happy with what you are currently using, please read below and then give us a call and let us tell you the benefits of what we can provide you. If you are in # 3, congrats, Robin personally created raw databases 10 years ago that are still handling large call volume funeral homes. But if you are interested in seeing the latest and greatest technologies, plus the benefits of a web based solution, please read on and you will be surprised how inexpensive the switch will be. Also, no more worries about system compatibility! If you are in # 4, IT IS TIME!! Please read on. There are a number of Funeral-Specific software applications available on the market - whether being locally installed or Internet based. Heppell Funeral Solutions can help you assess which application is best for your situation as well as be your advocate when dealing sales representatives who may not be talking your language.

Memorial Video Tributes

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:27:32 +0000

Video tributes are part of the essential steps that funeral directors need to take in order to personalize services and also raise the perceived value of your service offerings, especially when competing with discounters. Now that you are ready to elevate your service offerings by providing video tributes it is imperative that you produce the best product possible for three reasons:

It is a reflection of your funeral home
Prevent do-it-yourselfers from wanting to provide their own video tribute
Provide a better product than your competition

The Keys for a high quality video tribute:

Use proper video editing software such as Power Director, Pinnacle, WinDVD Creator, etc. Go to TopTen Reviews for a comparison. These applications range from $50 - $100 USD. For under $50, consider PhotoPulse. There are also a couple of funeral specific video tribute programs that our clients are very happy with: Pictures in Motion and Timeless Tributes.
Do Not Use PowerPoint - you will waste too much time trying to convert file formats and also using PowerPoint puts you on the same level with the public as most people with computer access have access to PowerPoint. PowerPoint is a great application for presentations, not Video Tributes.
Only show one song at a time. If a family wants two songs (or more), create separate videos for each. Rule: Always leave them wanting a little more than thinking it was too much
Keep timing to 5 to 7 seconds per picture
Don't get too fancy: avoid using too many fancy transitions - use 4 to 6 transitions throughout the project
Make the whole presentation professional. Don't only just make a great video and then give the DVD to the family in a CD sized case and a "Sharpie" titled DVD. Go the extra mile and give them a proper DVD jacket and a computer printed DVD label affixed to the DVD. Go the Downloads page for a PhotoShop template for the DVD jacket.

Additional Revenue Opportunities:

Charge for additional copies. This is obvious but it must be priced right so that you or your staff aren't having to produce a lot for minimal income and on the other hand that you are not charging too much that they will copy it themselves. $20 / copy will probably float
Offer to upload it on the Internet. The software applications above all have the ability to compress the video in different formats that are web friendly. $75 - $200 would be reasonable depending on your ability to upload the video. Only offer to leave it up for a limited time, or the option to have it up for longer (i.e.. $100 for 1 month or $200 for 13 months)
Packages! Although you will need to have à la carte pricing, offer a Video Tribute package that includes: creating the video, providing 3 additional copies, and uploading to the Internet for 13 months.
Take your Show on the Road. At a time when more people are choosing to have services at golf clubs and private residences - usually not involving the the funeral director - this is another opportunity to be a part of the service. Portable projectors are around $1,000 and portable DVD players run $150 - $300. The portable DVD player can also be used for pre-arrangement and at-need arrangements at the residence.

Computer and Software Applications

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:44:23 +0000

Technologies & Applications Every office and business in North America must face the challenge and decision of computerization. From purchasing their first computer to choosing the proper software applications, to training, and then back to new computers, new software, more training. Thousands of dollars can be mis-spent by purchasing the wrong application or "solution". We have vast experience in the use of all major software applications custom built and commercial funeral home programs, creating networks, and most importantly, staff training. In an advisory role, we can assess your needs and make recommendations regarding hardware (computers), networks, internet access, office software programs and also custom-built and commercial funeral home applications. Training Staff training is of the utmost importance since we are always having to show value of the services we provide. We cannot be seen as below par in basic computer skills while the world around us continues to grow in this area. It has been our experience that Funeral Directors are somewhat reluctant in taking on this new challenge. In our computer training process we will...

first, educate Funeral Directors on the importance of computer technology so that they will "buy-in" to this next step
assess the skill of all individuals and help each of them learn the basic fundamentals of computers and bring them to a level that you want them to achieve
instruct them in basic software applications such as word processing, e-mail, internet, data bases and spreadsheets
also educate those with more skill in graphic manipulation/desktop publishing for memorial registers and folders, custom or commercial funeral home software, in house web site updating and much more

Email Marketing

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:54:08 +0000

Best Practices for Funeral Home Email Marketing As funeral directors, we are well aware of the changing trends that society has presented us. Besides noting the increase in the cremation rate, which we are very conscious of, the 2001 census by Statistics Canada revealed that over sixty percent of Canadians have access to the Internet. In the past, funeral directors haven't been quick to change and the Internet and electronic communications, like email, are now commonplace. Although your firm may not have an online presence (a web site) or use email daily, over half of the population does. With this information, marketing by email to some degree should seem to be an obvious part of your marketing plan. Since email marketing may be foreign to most, the following outline will identify the key success factors and explain how email marketing works, what are the benefits for your firm, and recommend the best practices for achieving a successful and ethical program. There are two methods that funeral homes can employ an email marketing program. First, on an individual call basis, email can be used by the client family to promote your funeral home's web site. This form of viral marketing (not virus) will be explained later. Secondly, the more common method in e-business would be the use of newsletters and other promotional mailings to a large number of recipients. For funeral homes, this could be in the form of a monthly or quarterly newsletter or a special announcement for upcoming events. This report will assume that your funeral home has an online presence and offers a newsletter that visitors can subscribe to. There are four sections listed in chronological order detailing the email marketing process. Collecting Email Addresses Use ethical address gathering methods As funeral directors, we are very cautious not to offend anyone in our daily business operations and traditional marketing. The same goes for email marketing. Why would you waste time and money emailing people if they didn't want it? Even though using stringent permission based data collection will limit the amount of addresses in your database; the result will be a “purer” collection of people who want your information. There are different tiers of gathering techniques, listed from the least ethical to the most. Harvesting. This is gathering email addresses without the owner's permission. It is achieved by “plucking” addresses from web sites, chat rooms, online directories, and other Internet channels. The remaining methods relate to the user consciously entering his or her email address in a subscription tool on a web site. Opt-out. After entering one's address, the subscription box is already “check”. If the visitor doesn't uncheck the box, he or she will be added to the mailing list. This method may still be deemed “sneaky.” Unconfirmed Opt-in. This is like the previous method, but the box needs to be checked by the viewer. Basically he or she has consciously asked to subscribe. The problem with this method is that one could enter someone else's address. Verified Opt-in. Like the previous method, but in addition an email is automatically sent to the user stating that he or she subscribed to your newsletter. This email gives the user an opportunity to unsubscribe, but if left unanswered he or she will remain on the list. Double Opt-in. This is like the previous method, except that the receiver must reply to the email or click on a link. At this point they are added to the list. This is the best practice as the user has re-confirmed his or her desire and this also prevents someone falsely entering someone else's address. Always record the date, time, and IP address for each submission. This information is just for your protection in the event of complaints from subscribers. Your hosting company or email campaign manager can provide this service for you. The result may be a smaller database, but it is as “pure” as possible. This pureness saves mailing expense and prevents receivers accusing you of Spam. Recommendation. Use the “Double Opt-in” technique, it is the most ethical and limits the receipt of unwanted emails. Creating Effective Newsletters and Mailers Convey your image and identity In the recent past funeral homes have found that client families have not been as loyal. Owners and managers are looking for new ways to build new relationships and increase customer loyalty. Any online marketing should receive the same care and thought as any other funeral home marketing. Your newsletter should resemble your web site by using the same logos and colour schemes so that visitors can instantly identify the mailer. Include Valuable Content With the objective of building relationships and increasing loyalty, provide useful and desired content along with your message. A funeral home newsletter could include sections on grief and bereavement, upcoming funeral home community events, staff profiles, and of course, preneed. Be Aware of Technical Issues Unlike print media, what-you-see is not always what-you-get over the Internet. You need to cater to three main viewing preferences: HTML (nice looking with colour and graphics), AOL (for subscribers to America Online only), and plain text (for users with older systems or slower internet access). Although making three versions is a little more work, you do not want to alienate anyone. Have them choose the format that the user desires at the time of subscribing. Don't forget to always include an unsubscribe option in your mailer. To maintain customer loyalty and your reputation, always make it easy for the receiver to unsubscribe. Also, as stated earlier, you want to maintain a pure database. Recommendation. Use your corporate image and brand, include useful information, and format your document into HTML, AOL, and plain text. Plus, always include a method to unsubscribe. Using Viral Marketing Viral marketing is defined as having someone else re-distribute your message. The most basic example is the use of an email signature, for example, “Get your Private, Free Email from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.” You can use the same method promoting your funeral home by adding a signature to all of your out going email. “Visit our web site at www.yourfuneralhome.com.” Viral marketing can also be applied to your email newsletter campaign. You will notice many online articles state, “Click here to email this article to a friend.” This puts your message in front of people who may never have seen it. Recommendation. Include a “Send Article to Friend” feature. Then include the re-senders name in the format of the forwarded article, “This article was sent to you by Robin Heppell.” As stated earlier, one form of viral marketing can be implemented for each family you serve. During the arrangement interview, ask for the email addresses from all family members with Internet access. Advise them that you will send them an email with all of the information pertaining to the deceased's services. Ask them to forward the message to all appropriate people in their email address book. There are three main benefits:

you provide the family with a well worded message that they can send (as they have a lot of other things on their minds and may not be able to pen the right words)
emailing family and friends is a quick and efficient way to “spread the word about the death and funeral"
this unique viral marketing method will drive many visitors to your web site and maybe while at the web site they may order flowers or a gift basket for the family

This marketing technique can help in building relationships, strengthening loyalty, and increasing sales. Recommendation. Script a well worded announcement stating funeral information and links to the obituary on your web site, then send the email to the client family for them to pass on to others. Analyzing Statistics Sir Francis Bacon stated, “Knowledge is Power.” Many forms of marketing are very hard to track. Even traditional direct mail, which is a lot more expensive in both printing and distribution, can only be tracked by the amount of replies that are received. With an email marketing campaign, you can analyze:

number of messages sent (delivery rate)
number that were opened (open rate)
number that went to your site (click through rate)
number that were forwarded (pass along rate)
number of purchases (purchase rate)
number of unsubscribers (unsubscribe rate)
number that bounced invalid address (bounce back rate)

You can “know” everything about the campaign. By using this data, current return on investment can be measured and future campaigns can be fine tuned to be even more efficient. Recommendation. Learn how to analyze all email tracking statistics to enable you easily calculate ROI plus many other analysis. You will wish you had this information for all of your other marketing programs. Remember, knowledge is power. This dialogue and the included recommendations are only guidelines to help funeral directors better understand how email marketing works and to prescribe an ethical manner to do so. In these changing and competitive times, funeral directors should consider new approaches to reach the community, build relationships, and strengthen loyalty. An ethical email marketing campaign can help to achieve that. Note: Superseding these recommendations are any laws in your jurisdiction pertaining to the use of email marketing & solicitation. Click here to request our price list for your own eNewsletter campaign.

Funeral Broadcasting

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:59:06 +0000

With people being more mobile that ever before, the possibility that they will be unavailable to attend the funeral of family member or friend also increases. By offering the possibility of the funeral being viewed anywhere in the world it...

allows the out of towners to still view the service and gain closure for themselves
prevents people from saying, "I don't want to have a service because no one is here to come to it" or "I don't want to burden my family with the expense of traveling to the service
even allows locals who missed the service due to illness or work commitments to witness the service and provides the family with a permanent keepsake

Keynotes & Workshops

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:03:35 +0000

Heppell has addressed many community groups in the the areas of Preneed, Funeral Costs, Creating Meaningful Services, and Funeral Customs of Different Cultures.

Seminar Topics

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:14:47 +0000

List of Topics for Continuing Education for Funeral & Cemetery Professionals Proactive Strategies

American Way of Death - 21st Century
Are You a Born-Again Undertaker?
Beating the New Competitor
90% Cremation and Still Profitable
Preserving the Business of Embalming
Beat Discounters with Exceptional Service
Creating & Implementing Funeral Packages

Technologies

Blogging For Your Funeral Home
Reaching your Community via the Internet
Technology is a Funeral Director's Friend
Adobe Photoshop for Funeral Directors
Microsoft Excel for Funeral Directors
Best Practices for Email Marketing for Death Care
Do's & Don'ts of Video Tributes

Feedback and Reviews

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:30:14 +0000

Are You a Born-Again Undertaker - IFDA June 2007 Evaluation Scores: 1=Poor | 2=Fair | 3=Good | 4=Very Good | 5=Excellent

Rate your overall experience with this session: 3.9
The content presented was relevant to me: 4.0
The content was applicable to my current job: 3.9
The information was new: 3.7
Presenter demonstrated mastery of subject: 3.9
Presenter held my attention: 3.9
Overall presenter rating: 4.0

Comments:

Very thought provoking
Organized, good accompanying material
A very worthwhile seminar

Comments can be verified by Mrs. Jodi Meyers, IDFA Administration. "Rob, your presentation at the IFDA Convention in Springfield was well done and well received. Thank you for helping make the convention a success." Best wishes, Paul Dixon, Executive Director.

Marketing to Your Community through the Internet - ICCFA March 2007

Outstanding presentation designed for everyone from tech savvy to novice, great ideas. Everyone should find something to use in business.
Huge topic, condensed & packaged very well.
Very helpful, will want him to speak every year to keep us up to date. Great handouts.
Great content & ideas.
This is the future, but it is here how to use.
Excellent info on how we can effectively use the Internet to market our business.
Paid for my trip!

Comments can be verified by Mr. Daniel Osorio, ICCFA Administration.

Born-Again Undertaker & Beating the New Competitor - Continuing Education for Alberta Feb. 2007Robin is an excellent vacillator, both interesting and knowledgeable. Breakout groups were also thought provoking.

The amount of research done and the number of ideas presented is what I liked the best about the seminar. All very helpful and informative.
This seminar was a great reminder of the need for funeral directors to adapt to circumstances to stay ahead. To keep improving what you do, so you don't fall behind and lose your place.

Comments can be verified by Mr. Joe Coffey, Canadian College of Funeral Service Executive Director.

Are You a Born-Again Undertaker - Continuing Education for British Columbia Sept. 2007

Robin is a very fluid speaker, great delivery of material, good sense of humor. Very respectable presenter and educator.
Topic was very proactive and had new ideas to improve what we are doing.
The comprehensive handouts will be very useful and a good visual to remember what was elaborated upon.
Robin really connects well with the audience by use of his visuals and intriguing stories.
Learned a lot about how Funeral Service has evolved and changes we will have to confront in the future.
Showed new ways of presenting different types of funeral services and new ways to tell people about them.
Out of the box, creative thinking. I found this stimulating, thank you. Especially great - establishing a role.
It was great to hear from one of our own colleagues. He knows all about our trials and struggles in the industry. Great speaker, very personal!

Comments can be verified by Mrs. Janet Ricciuti, FSABC Executive Director.

Photos and Bios

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:52:55 +0000

For seminar and convention organizers, please feel free to use photos and biography segments.

Robin Heppell, Funeral Futurist - Promotional Photos

Speaker Biographies

Speaker Video Clips

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:58:17 +0000

Here is a sample of some live presentations that Robin Heppell has presented at.

Resources

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:12:31 +0000

Funeral Directors can use this section of as a resource for information and tools.

Educational Products

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:19:21 +0000

If you are looking for additional insights to help you tackle some of the challenges and opportunities presented to funeral directors, consider some of Heppell's live presentations or video tutorial below:

Online Services

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:56:09 +0000

Robin Heppell, together with his technology partners, have created tools and resources that will aid funeral directors in communicating with their community and building loyalty. Hep's eCommunicator Funeralology - coming soon Get access to all of Heppell's recorded presentations, video tutorials, PowerPoint presentations, PhotoShop templates, plus brainstorm and bounce ideas off of Heppell in the private messaging area.

YouTube Videos

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:28:49 +0000

Below you will find various samples of how videos and the use YouTube can be used to enhance your web presence and help drive more traffic to your website. Why View Someone who has Died?

Funeral Directors and Web 2.0

LinkedIn for Funeral Professionals

Company Info

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:31:51 +0000

Purpose Robin Heppell has identified a real need for funeral homes in North America to have access to business consultants that have relevant knowledge of today's business operations, given that many of the challenges faced today were not present in generations past. By combining his expertise in technology and pre-need, his formal business knowledge and his deep-rooted legacy in the funeral profession, Heppell feels that he can help funeral homes be more competitive, more profitable, and provide the best possible service for the families they serve. Background Heppell is a fourth generation funeral director who got his start in the family business with his grandfather, William Egan of Egan Funeral Home in Bolton, ON. Washing cars, gardening, and making middle-of-the-night transfers - as with many generational funeral directors – were the tasks that Robin cut his teeth on. Being born and raised in Victoria, BC though, Heppell returned to the west coast after the summers in Ontario and started his career with David McCall, at McCall Bros. Funeral Directors. After a decade of funeral directing and embalming, Heppell took on the new challenge of Preneed in 1996. By not giving in to the Insurance Council of B.C.'s antiquated rules, he obtained his life insurance license, formed Heppell Funeral Planning Ltd. and was on his entrepreneurial way. During this mind shift between at-need and pre-need, Heppell taught himself the ins and outs of sales and marketing while keeping abreast of all of the latest technologies. In 1998, he was rewarded for his pre-need efforts when he ranked first in North America for overall sales for NSM's Pre-need Program, despite being burdened with a 75+% cremation rate. He continued to balance his pre-need duties with the demands of keeping McCall's up-to-date technologically. In the mid-nineties, Heppell created a call management database with a form and report generator, which due to its robustness, McCall's still relies on today. When the time came for McCall's to be fully-wired, Heppell was the project manager for the implementation of the 15 unit network. With his knowledge continually expanding on the tech side, he joined forces with Todd Abrams, the president of FX-Directors Solutions, of Dallas, TX; and he represented them throughout Canada until 2006. It was at this time that the transformation from Planning to Solutions occurred as Heppell saw a greater need and opportunity beyond preneed. He realized that he also needed to further round out his knowledge so he obtained his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Royal Roads University, with a focus on Entrepreneurial Management. Outlook The current situation in the funeral profession is tougher than it has ever been and Heppell realizes that the next five to ten years will be the same or even tougher. Nonetheless, he sees a bright future ahead - not just by relying on the impending “Death Boom” – but believes that those who are willing to address the situation now will reap the benefits both now and in the future.

Robin Heppell, CFSP

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:37:48 +0000

Business Management and Consulting

Owns and operates successful funeral planning and consulting company (www.heppell.com & www.heppellfuneralsolutions.com)
Develops and improves effective business process solutions for funeral home operations
Facilitated and managed multi-million dollar trust rollovers
Consults for companies in marketing and promotion (both funeral and general business)
Instructs Business Management courses at the Canadian College of Funeral Service
Contributes thought-provoking articles for Mortuary Management & the Canadian Funeral News
Presents ‘In-Person' Continuing Education seminars for funeral directors in the areas of Business & Pricing Strategies, Preneed, Technologies, and Marketing
Holds Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Entrepreneurial Management), Royal Roads University

Advance Funeral Planning Sales and Management

Successful pre-need experience in both management and sales
Rated in the Top 10 in sales in North America for NSM's Monumental Life Plan every year and no. 1 in 1997 despite having the lowest cost per funeral average of all participants (75% cremation)
In-depth knowledge of current market pre-need products
Performs analysis and audits of pre-need programs for various funeral homes
Supervises and trains funeral directors, sales reps and support staff in all areas of pre-need

Funeral Home and Business Marketing

Responsible for all marketing of McCall Bros. Funeral Directors Ltd. (www.mccallbros.com)
Canadian component of NSM pre-need marketing group for 4 years
Familiar with all forms of marketing media: direct mail, print, radio, television, Internet, etc.
Experience in column / article writing and press release submission
Funeral Sector Member of the Funeral Profession Coalition Council of Canada

Funeral Directing and Embalming

Twenty years experience as a licensed funeral director and embalmer
Extensive background in all facets of the funeral and cemetery industry
Fourth generation funeral director

Funeral Home Software - Development, Implementation and Support

Designed and developed a user-friendly at-need / pre-need database system. The system produces all documentation for at-need funerals, tracks and converts all pre-need files and provides extensive monthly and annual reporting
Responsible for system installation and trouble-shooting, training funeral directors and clerical staff and Enhancing system based on end-user and government requirements
Contracted by an independent funeral home for the purchase and implementation of this funeral home software. Duties included: program installation, trouble-shooting, and resulting modification; training funeral directors and clerical staff; and purchase, installation and set-up of 15 additional workstations, complete with networking, file sharing and security issues

Computer / Technology

Intermediate to advanced skills in the following:
New Media Expert in Web 2.0 services including Blogger, YouTube, & iTunes
Windows 98, 2000, XP, & Small Business Server 2003
MS Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook & Outlook Express
Google's Docs & Speadsheets, Calendar, Alerts, Gmail, & Google Talk
Corel WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, Presentations, & Borland Paradox
Maximizer & ACT (Contact Management Systems)
Adobe's Photoshop, Premiere Elements, Flash Video
Blackberry (synchronization & efficiencies)

Work Experience

Owner / Consultant Heppell Funeral Planning Ltd. (Victoria, BC) 1998 - Present Sales Representative Aldor Solutions Corporation (Frisco, TX) 2002 - 2006 Funeral Director / Embalmer McCall Bros. Funeral Directors Ltd., (Victoria, BC) 1986 - 1998 Funeral Assistant Egan Funeral Home Ltd., (Bolton, ON) 1986

Education & Certification

Academy of Professional Funeral Service: Certified Funeral Service Practitioner 2006 PO Box 2275, Westerville, OH 43086-2275 · tel. 1-866-431-2377 · www.apfsp.com

Successful candidates for certification in the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice may use the designation CFSP (Certified Funeral Service Practitioner)

Royal Roads University: Bachelor of Commerce (Entrepreneurial Management) 2002 - 2004 2005 Sooke Road, Victoria, BC V9B 5Y2 - tel. 250-391-2511 - www.royalroads.ca

This is a two year on-line program which consists of: Business Communications, People At Work, Managerial Accounting & Control, Sustainable Development, Marketing, Entrepreneurial Expertise, Information & Technology Management, International Business, Finance & Investments, Organizational Change, Business Strategy, plus an Entrepreneurial Project
Member of the four person Case Competition Team that represented Royal Roads at their International Case Competition in the Spring of 2004. This involved reading and analyzing a case study then creating a recommendation within a three hour time period, after which the recommendation was proposed to a simulated board of directors of the particular company

In-Sight Institute: Certified Celebrant 2003 PO Box 42467, Oklahoma City, OK 73123 - tel: 800-658-9262 - www.insightbooks.com

A Celebrant is a person who has beentrained and certified through the In-Sight Instituteto meet the needs of families during their time of loss. They serve by providing a funeral service or tribute that is personalized to reflect the personality and lifestyle of the deceased.

CAIFA (Canadian Assoc. of Insurance & Financial Advisors): IFATC 101, 102, 103 1999 - 2000 41 Lesmill Road, North York, ON M3B 2T3 - tel. 800-563-5822 - www.caifa.com

These courses are the necessary requirements to become a Level ll Life Insurance Broker

Advanced Education & Training (B.C.): Funeral Directing & Embalming Apprenticeship 1987 - 1989

Two year apprenticeship with two months of in class instruction and twenty-two months of correspondence courses and on-the-job training (at McCall Bros. Funeral Directors)

CFSP | Certified Funeral Service Practitioner

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:40:51 +0000

In the Spring of 2006, Robin Heppell, CFSP, was awarded the designation of Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP), by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice (www.apfsp.com). Heppell is the first recipient of this designation in Western Canada. A number of professionals grant special recognition to members upon completion of specified academic and professional programs and the "CFSP" is funeral service's national individual recognition. The Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, since its 1976 founding, has had as its goals:

to recognize those practitioners who have voluntarily entered into a program of personal and professional growth
to raise and improve the standards of funeral service
to encourage practitioners to make continuing education a life-long process in their own self-interest, the interest of the families they serve, and the community in which they serve

To initially receive this award, the practitioner must complete a 180 hour program of continuing education activities and events. In addition, the practitioner is required to accumulate 20 hours per year to recertify. Credits are awarded by the Academy for work leading to personal and / or professional growth in four areas:

Academic Activities
Professional Activities
Career Review (for retroactive credit)
Community and Civic Activities

For more information about Academy membership and certification may be obtained by contacting: Kimberly Gehlert, Executive Director Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice P.O. Box 2275, Westerville, OH 43086 (614) 899-6200 - www.apfsp.com

Testimonials

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:53:21 +0000

Funeral Consulting

"I have appreciated Robin Heppell's services. Robin has given me a broader perspective of what funeral can especially from a managerial and pre-need perspective. I have benefited personally from the opportunity to speak frankly and hear back both critically and constructively concerning elements of out funeral home operation. Robin's perspective and experience is that of a younger generation and multi-generation family funeral firm. His challenges mirror mine, and I look forward to mirroring his successes." Richard Henseleit, General Manager, Springfield Funeral Home, Kelowna, BC

Funeral Home Website Consultation

"Robin has been an great help to us as we learn to manage our website in our own office. He is always willing to assist us and as we are not as technology friendly as we should be, it has been a great deal of help." Suzanne Scott, Executive Director, Funeral Service Association of Canada

* * * * * * * * *

"We appreciate Robin's knowledge, efficiency and professionalism; he guided us through the process of developing our new website in a timely manner. Robin consistently follows through with any changes we may have and we appreciated how easy he has made it for us to update our site." Ernie Hagel, President & Owner, McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Calgary, Alberta

* * * * * * * * *

"It is my pleasure to recommend Robin Heppell for web site creation and maintenance. I met Robin last year at the FSAC convention and was immediately impressed with his knowledge of the profession and how best to put that across on a web site. I had spoken with several web site firms, but always found myself trying to 'get them up to speed' on the business. With Robin, that wasn't a hurdle and in fact he was able to advise us on several methods to professionally present our message. Working with him was also very easy and he was always very prompt at responding to queries or helping with challenges we were facing. It was also great to speak with someone on this topic, and not be overwhelmed with computer lingo. Robin was able to converse on a level that was comfortable. I have since recommended Robin to several firms and have used, and am using his expertise on two other sites on which I'm working." Brad Scott, General Manager, R. S. Kane Funeral Home, Toronto, Ontario

Photoshop for Funeral Directors

"Robin taught me and my staff how to use Photoshop and families love what we can do! Also we don't have to pick up folders left behind - that says it all!" Anthony MacDiarmid, Chandler's Funeral Service, Liverpool, Nova Scotia

Integrity

"Robin is highly respected in Victoria for both his profession and community involvement. I believe him to be of excellent character and to display a high level of dedication and integrity." David A. McCall, Owner, McCall Bros. Funeral Directors Ltd., Victoria, BC

* * * * * * * * *

"We are very pleased to enjoy a professional relationship with Robin Heppell. His compassionate manner, objective viewpoint and personal integrity are self evident as he treats all he serves with the utmost of dignity and respect." Stephen C. Olson, Manager, Royal Oak Burial Park, Victoria, BC

Media Room

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 21:01:05 +0000

Robin Heppell and Heppell Funeral Solutions have been written about or have issued news releases for many funeral related topics.

News Releases

Funeral Futurist Radio

In the News

Published Articles

Funeral Gurus Interviews

Privacy Policy

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 21:13:28 +0000

Internet Privacy Statement At Heppell Funeral Solutions, we understand that privacy is an important issue for visitors to our web site (www.heppellfuneralsolutions.com). The following information is designed to help visitors understand what information we gather from our site, and how we handle the information once we gather it.

Personal Information Collected on this Web Site
Site Visitorship Data Collected on this Web Site
Heppell Funeral Solutions's Use of Cookies
Security
Hyperlinks
Changes to All Neo's & Heppell Funeral Solutions Internet Privacy Policy
How to Get in Touch with Heppell Funeral Solutions about this Privacy Policy

Heppell Funeral Solutions collects personal information that site visitors provide when they complete any online form, application, or survey. Information provided in a request for service or information is forwarded to a Heppell Funeral Solutions affiliate or agent that will respond to the request. Heppell Funeral Solutions may contact visitors who have submitted a request for additional information about the request. Heppell Funeral Solutions is the sole proprietor of all data files gathered and does not rent or sell visitors' personal information to non-affiliate companies without the consent of the visitor. Site Visitorship Data Collected on this Site Heppell Funeral Solutions uses aggregated site visitorship data to improve the content and services offered to its site visitors. All Neo & Heppell Funeral Solutions reports site visitorship data on an aggregate, anonymous basis, which means no personal information is associated with it. This data can include:

How many people visit our site;
The pages they visit;
How long they stay on our site; and
The domain name of the site visitors are connecting from (aol.com for example)

Use of Cookies "Cookies" are small text files that a Web site transfers to a site visitor's hard disk or browser for added functionality, or for tracking Web site usage. We do not use cookies to gather personal information like a person's name or e-mail address. In order to measure the effectiveness of our online presence, Heppell Funeral Solutions uses cookies to identify repeat visitors to our Web site, to determine the path visitors take on our site, and to identify visitors who came to Heppell Funeral Solutions as the result of a link on a third party Web site. Any information gathered by the use of cookies is compiled on an aggregate, anonymous basis. Security When visitors submit information using one of our online forms, Heppell Funeral Solutions uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption technology to protect the information they submit. This technology protects visitors from having their information intercepted by anyone other than All Neo while it is being transmitted. Heppell Funeral Solutions work hard to ensure that our systems are secure and that they meet industry standards. Where appropriate, we employ firewalls, encryption technology, user authentication systems (e.g., user names and passwords) and access control mechanisms to control access to systems and data. Hyperlinks This Web site contains hyperlinks or "links" to other sites, and other sites may "link" to this site. Web sites linking to and from this site may have different privacy practices from the ones described here for www.heppellfuneralsolutions.com. Visitors to our site should read the privacy statements of other Web sites they visit. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this Web site. Changes to the Internet Privacy Policy may, from time to time, make changes to this policy. We recommend that visitors to this site revisit this privacy policy on occasion to learn of new privacy practices and changes to our policy. How to Get in Touch with All Neo about this Privacy Policy It's important to us at Heppell Funeral Solutions to hear what visitors have to say about our services, and our policies. If site visitors have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy, or want to let us know what they think about any of our on-line products and services, they can use our "Contact Us" form accessible from every page on this site, or they can send an e-mail directly to our Webmaster by writing to info@heppellfuneralsolutions.com. Internet Privacy Policy last updated on 01/03/2008. © Copyright 2005. Please direct any questions or comments about this site to the Webmaster.

Contact Hep!

Robin Heppell — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 21:15:02 +0000

Compete Internally & Never Worry About your Competition

Robin Heppell — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:21:47 +0000

Selling Power Daily Report: I watch most of these video interviews and I find that about half of them could be applied to aspects of funeral service - particularly online promotion, human resources, and preneed sales. But my highlight video is one on Competition with Alan Cervasio, VP Sales Marriott Vacation Club International.

Online Price Lists: Yes or No

Robin Heppell — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:19:07 +0000

Do you have your funeral home's or cemetery's complete pricelist online? Take the survey and then find out my thoughts are about online priceslists as well as some suggestions.