Funeral Service Insider: The Podcast

In this episode, we speak with writer and tour guide Allison Meier about burial practices, cemeteries, and her latest book, “Grave.” 

Meier shares her insights on the cultural and societal significance of graves, drawing from her experiences leading tours at New York City area cemeteries and her profound interest in the storytelling potential at these historical sites.

Click here for full show notes.

In this episode, we speak with Niki Wiedeman, call excellence facilitator for Dead Ringers, a secret shopper/phone etiquette consulting company, about the importance of impeccable customer service when answering the phone. Click here for full show notes. 

Eric M. Bester talks about "Tranquility Cremation by Aquamation” which was the first standalone facility of its kind in North Carolina, possibly the country. Click here for complete show notes.

Bob Heidlage, president and managing partner of Global Recruiters of Batesville, discusses the ins and outs of recruiting and retaining employees in the funeral service profession. 

Click here for full show notes. 

In this episode of Funeral Service Insider, we speak with Bill Ford, president of SESCO Management Consultants, about aspects of the Kates-Boylston Compensation Report, which collected a decade’s worth of data from funeral directors and funeral home owners.

Click here for complete show notes. 

Stan Goldstein, who writes for both American Funeral Director magazine and American Cemetery and Cremation magazine joins us for our inaugural Year In Review episode.

Click here for full show notes.

Effie Anolik, co-founder and CEO of Afterword, talks about her decision to build a funeral home management platform that helps families arrange funerals online and shares her personal experience of arranging her father’s funeral in 2018. Click here for the full show notes.

An in-depth interview with the American Funeral Director magazine Funeral Director if the Year. Click here for detailed show notes. 

In this episode, we speak with Tori Dixon about how to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion while also strengthening your business in the long term. Click here for complete show notes.

Jon O’Hara, CEO of the Great Lakes Family of Companies in Michigan, which supports funeral homes on their preplanning and marketing, talked about how he worked to change the law in Michigan to allow preneed insurance carriers to continue operating in the state.

He said that it was important to have a local voice working on the issue, and that the relationships that lobbyists have with legislators are key to getting things done. O'Hara also said that it's important to band together with others who are interested in making a change, and to be willing to put in the time and effort to see it through. Click here for complete show notes.

In this episode, journalist Jo Ciavaglia talks about the incredible journey she embarked upon with her colleagues to create an unclaimed remains program. From the initial curiosity sparked by stories of homeless individuals passing away, to the development of a comprehensive database and the impact it has had on families and communities, Ciavaglia’s work has been instrumental in bringing attention to a seldom-discussed aspect of the funeral industry.

Click here for the show notes. 

Greg Grabowski, hospice professional and co-author of "Engaging the Heart of Hospice,” a book about the relationship between hospice and funeral directors. Written in collaboration with funeral director Lacey Robinson, the book discusses the disconnets and taboos and how to break them. The book is available here.

Click here for the show notes.

In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Camelia L. Clarke, who shed light on the evolving landscape of social media and its impact on personal and business branding. She emphasized that it is crucial to define your personal brand, because otherwise someone else will define it for you. This rings especially true in the funeral industry, where personal and business branding merge easily. Online reviews often mention individual funeral homes and the people they interacted with.

Visit here for show notes.

In this episode of Funeral Service Insider, host Tony Russo welcomes Mike Dixon, a veteran funeral director and founder and executive director of Funeral Professionals Peer Support. Dixon is dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of professionals in the funeral service industry. 

Click here for the show notes.

Danielle Burmeister, vice president of marketing for Homesteaders Life Company discusses the best ways to get and leverage earned media. Click here for more info and the transcript. 

In this episode of Funeral Service Insider, Doak Marasco discusses the effect climate change has on cemetery landscapes. See full show notes here. 

Barbara Kemmis, executive director of the Cremation Association of North America, joins host Tony Russo to discuss ways to navigate local opposition when opening a crematory. The Not-In-My-Back-Yard movement is often driven as much by ignorance and surprise as anything else. Working to assuage NIMBYs before they get all het up is easier than trying to calm them down once they get going.

Kemmis shares some absolutely dumbfounding assertions she’s heard from the anti-crematory crowd at public hearings and offers some practical advice for a workaround.

Kemmis also discusses the upcoming CANA Convention in Washington, D.C. and the annual cremation statistics report, which provides valuable insights into the industry. The growth rate of cremation has followed an S curve, taking 100 years to reach 5% and 45 years to reach 50%, but now it is expected to plateau around 80%.

Complete Show Notes here.

This episode is sponsored by: 

We all know that the death-care market is changing… so why are you sticking to the same old marketing strategies? 

Inertia Marketing and Design knows deathcare and handles the marketing needs for hundreds of cemeteries, funeral homes, and industry suppliers. From email campaigns, websites, and social media presences to printed materials, promotions, branding, and public relations - Inertia is your turn-key solution to elevate your brand and reach your customer base. 

Find them online at www.inertia.marketing or call today at 888.552.IDEA.