Here’s the question I get a lot:  “Why do you write the Final Embrace blog?”

But that one’s hard to answer without also touching on the second most popular question:  “What’s the future of your company?”

And I’d be remiss not to also toss in the second runner-up (which will take over if questions one and two cannot fulfill their duties):  “Are you crazy?”

Before I ever considered writing a blog, I was searching for a way to market the beautiful quilted mortuary cot covers that my company makes.

My marketing plan to that point consisted of word-of-mouth, small postcard mailings, tiny ads in a few funeral industry magazines and free classified ads on FuneralNet.com.

And while I could have continued that way for years, slowly building clientele and racking up incremental growth each hear, I remembered the main goal of my company:

To make our beautiful quilted covers the industry standard within 10 years.

Already in the middle of year three, I knew we’d never get there with our simple marketing plan.  So I began searching for new venues to tout our products.

As I sketched out the basics, I knew it was ambitious, but I was also fairly certain that the a relentless spirit could get it done.  I prepared myself, my silent partner and my one employee.

The best marketing plan for a small company is just like the plan of attack for a small army:  hitting in unexpected ways using your strength.

My strength has always been an amazing ability to talk about any topic as if I know exactly what I’m talking about.  Having worked for a small family funeral home, I’m also used to retrieving supporting info and backing up the argument for a big decision.

Step one in my plan was to write articles for the major funeral directing publications.  I consulted the editorial calendars for several magazines and began writing.  Emails to the editors resulted in requests to send samples.

I’ll admit, I might have gotten lucky, but the first three articles I submitted were accepted.

I’ve since been published in The Director, Mortuary Management and Southern Funeral Director.

Each of those articles ended with a short bio that describes the product I created (quilted mortuary cot covers) with our website address.

But articles are too regimented and don’t allow for a lot of opinion (and if you’ve read for any length of time, you know I like to give my opinion) so I implemented step two:  creating a blog, which you’re reading now.

Step three (showing our covers in person) was kickstarted with the IFDF Convention in early June.  We’ll continue step 3 with an appearance at the NFDA Convention in Las Vegas (October 7-10).

Step four is the scariest:  Live Speaking Events!

 I’ve already begun the groundwork necessary to give presentations to several large professional organizations.  It is my goal to be a featured speaker at next year’s NFDA Convention.

All of the writing, the podcast interviews and the future speaking events are designed to solidify my “expert” standing in the profession.

Am I an expert?  Not yet.  I work hard (reading, interviewing, plain old talking) to learn more everyday.  I talk with others in the field.  I read articles and pour over industry studies.  I quiz consumers on their attitudes.  I wake up in the middle of the night with a new idea or another pressing question.

Within the next two years, I plan to begin publishing a printed version of our blog.  It will include my own articles and opinion, submissions from our BE OUR GUEST writers (Kim Stacey, Candace Craw-Goldman, Don Shell, maybe even YOU), industry interviews and product spotlights.  The magazine will be free, eventually delivered to every funeral home in the country.

Is that too ambitious?  I hope so.  I don’t like mediocrity.

Why?  Well, since designing and implementing this audacious plan, we’ve tripled sales and added three employees.  Major industry names have begun calling me for advice and information.  I’ve landed interviews with some interesting people and we currently reach hundreds of funeral professionals everyday.

It’s working.  So we’re going to stick with it.  Heck, we’re even expanding the plan!

IN THE WORKS:

Podcasts from our contributors
Video highlights from the NFDA Convention
Video interviews with actual consumers
And MUCH MORE!