2024 — It’s no longer a time to wait for the phone to ring – you have to make the phone ring. If you’re a business owner, that means getting out and getting you and your company known. Doing so is seemingly tough for funeral directors.
Why is that so?
Are we, by nature, shy and reserved? Do we believe that folks think of us as “different” just becausewe deal with sadness and dead human bodies, and that’s why we only develop friendships and relationships with others in “the same biz”?
What is holding you back from stepping out and doing or trying new things?
That’s a question many of us have pondered for years with no specific answer.
However, that question can also be applied to a non–owner, just in a different context. Trying to move up in your career or company is still very possible, but it may take a little longer than before. So, what’s the best approach for someone just starting out?
Get Known.
Yes, two words that pack a big punch and can’t help but work in your favor. Funeral professionals are like a fraternity—close-knit, help others, and generally referral-minded. It is still common for managers and owners to call another funeral home owner to see what Jane Doe, the new Mortuary college graduate, is like and whether she could work in a fast-paced 1,000-call firm.
The employer is trying hard to make the right choice between Jane, the new freshly minted graduate, and his only other applicant, Sam Still, who says he has 25 years of experience in the funeral business.
You see, Sam hasn’t become known after being in the business that long, and Jane already plans to be a funeral home manager in three years.
If I were the interviewer, I would ask for examples of his management abilities. Remember the old adage, “There is a great deal of difference between 25 years’ experience and one year’s experience repeated 25 times.”
If you want to obtain something, make a plan and stick to it. Your best direction is upward!
So, until next time on the ADDvantage Casket Blog, I wish each reader much success.
– Bill Forsberg
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Bill is the President and CEO of ADDvantage Casket Company in Raleigh, North Carolina. He lives there with his wife, Susan, and 12 employees who are always ready to try new things to improve the company’s customer service.