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June 14, 2009

Eternal Space: a Debacle?

Posted by finalembrace under What in the World Wide Web?
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Here’s one reaction to my earlier post, EternalSpace Not So Eternal After All?, about the shuttering of Eternal Space:

Okay, let me get this straight. EternalSpace apparently flounders and the owners of the site deftly direct those who paid for on online memorial to their “local participating funeral home” for additional information. Sweet. Such a notice implicates the firm in this botched web venture.

What now? Forget the obvious steep refund, but what about the 4 hours a family member spent assembling photos and the like for their memorial? To a still-grieving family, this is a traumatic development (especially if the memorial was for a young person.)

Once again, here is another example of people who no NOTHING about the sensitive nature of funeral service sticking their noses in an area where they don’t belong.

As an “advisory council” member Tim, you must be annoyed that you are in the dark about all of this. It’s pitiful that your stellar reputation could be tainted — even slightly — as a result of this fiasco. Lesson learned I suppose. You, your blog, and your cot covers are very valuable assets…guard them well at all times.

Overall, this is a PATHETIC development and I’m THRILLED I’m not one of those “participating funeral homes.”

The quote comes from Final Embrace reader, funeral director John DePretis, and sums up what I’ve heard from quite a few people since the EternalSpace site went dark. Here’s what another reader, Spencer Guiley, added:

Very odd – I read on Jay’s LinkedIn page that the site was “…abruptly shut down by the principal owner…”

Odd to say the least – it seemed to be a very cool, and interesting site.

Spencer may seem a little nicer with his response, but I think he’s just waiting for the full story.

I’ve tried to get the full story. I’ve emailed several people within EternalSpace, but it seems their email system suspended right along with their website.

While I was wondering, to myself, how big a story this might turn out to be, I got an email from Thomas Parmelee, editor for Kates-Boylston, the company behind the magazine American Funeral Director, among others.

Thomas wants a comment for a story he’s working on. And since I just happen to have been named an advisory board member of EternalSpace, he came to me.

I’m still unsure how to respond. Without more details from EternalSpace or ANYONE connected with them, I’m at a loss. I don’t even know the exact reason they shuttered the company, although I have my own hunch.

No matter how they finally spin this “untimely demise” – if I can be pardoned for such a bad pun – we can all see how much money they were hemorraghing as they tried to make a push into a very “set-in-it’s-ways” industry.

From their 20′ by 40′ booth at the 2008 NFDA Expo when they didn’t even have a working product to show people, to their recent placement of generic ads in the trade magazines, EternalSpace was clearly pursuing the “money-thrower” path to market acceptance. During my consulting sessions, which I believe I’ve signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement to keep private, we discussed this tactic and the opposite, the slow-growth path that waits for market traction before rushing headlong.

I believe EternalSpace chose the more daring and expensive route because of the need to be one of the first to market with what they hoped would be a truly revolutionary business model and concept.

Clearly, one of them failed. Personally, I’m still high on the concept. And, as I’ve shared from the beginning – with the folks at EternalSpace and those elsewhere – I’m still not sure how you get people, or funeral directors, to pay for the concept. Especially when so many other companies are giving away a similar product. Look at Respectance.com, MuchLoved.com or, now, SympathyTree.com.

So I’m still stuck. Was EternalSpace a good idea? Sure, in theory. Did someone lose a lot of money? I’d venture a guess that they did.

Makes you wonder if Tributes.com is making any money, huh?

June 10, 2009

EternalSpace Not So Eternal After All?

Posted by finalembrace under Vendors, What in the World Wide Web?
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Here’s a screenshot of the EternalSpace home page:

I’m still trying to find out more on this development. Stay tuned.

May 6, 2009

What Happens When Your Search Results Sour?

Posted by finalembrace under What in the World Wide Web?
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Orders for our quilted cot covers have dropped off recently, and I couldn’t figure out why. I had just redesigned the website a few months earlier and it was easier than ever to see our stuff and order.

Still, I knew there was a reason, so I checked our online presence and got a terrible shock.

On Google and Yahoo!, we’re still the first result for a “cot covers” search, but there’s no description for our site. See:

So we’re number 1, but visitors don’t see us because they’re looking for a description of the product. And I can’t figure out how to fix it!

I’ve added metatags to our site, I’ve registered a sitemap with Google. I’ve tried adding text to the site that will, hopefully, get picked up by the search engines.

Still, it’s been two weeks and this is what I’ve got. And I’ve got 50% fewer Internet sales during that 2 weeks.

Anyone got a suggestion? HELP!

April 30, 2009

More Accurate Definition of “Estate Sale”

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from www.Failblog.org:

fail owned pwned pictures

April 29, 2009

Why I Joined the Eternal Space Advisory Council

Posted by finalembrace under What in the World Wide Web?, Who Are We?
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To be fair, I was pretty skeptical about Eternal Space when I first met them. They called me to give them my view of the funeral industry and, like any of my consulting clients, they paid me a small fee per hour to share my insight.

As a side note, I never knew how much consultants can really make until I told people how little I was charging my clients and got the “you should be billing at least $100 an hour” speech from several colleagues.

My first few sessions with Eternal Space were productive for them, but I was still unsure if they could ever be anything more than a dream bandied about during cross-country phone calls.

Later, when they made a big splash at the 2008 NFDA show, I was impressed with their work to that point, but the fact that they hadn’t created a working site yet made me nervous.

I continued to be concerned about their ability to build a business without a working product – especially considering how much money they’ve burned through with advertising and their NFDA booth - but those fears vanished when I saw a working prototype.

Truth is, their site looks like the “movie-version” of an online memorial. Seriously, the versatility and user experience are akin to an episode of CSI.

I’m hooked and I think they’ve got a great product. And, frankly, the only one that offers a funeral director tangible value to market to their clients. I think funeral directors can make some good money promoting Eternal Space.

Anyone who reads my ramblings here will know that providing a good service AND making money make up the real “bottom line” for me.

Don’t think for a minute, however, that I’m not there to give dissent. I’ve never been reserved with my opinion and I will continue to push Eternal Space to make sure they continue to provide real value to funeral professionals. Because, if they don’t, our industry really doesn’t need them.

April 29, 2009

The Eternal Space Advisory Council

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Here’s what the press release has to say:

EternalSpace™ today announced its prestigious Advisory Council comprised of deathcare industry experts Alan Creedy, Gene Gormley, Francis E. Peters, Ph.D., Wade Clark Roof, Ph.D., Ryan Thogmartin, Timothy Totten, and Jack Wilsey. The Advisory Council will play a key role in the development and evolution of EternalSpace to ensure that the EternalSpace online memorial service meets the changing needs of society and the company’s funeral industry partners. In addition, the company introduced its sales leadership team, all funeral industry veterans. Scott Billingsley manages the worldwide sales of EternalSpace online memorials as Vice President of Global Sales; Jeff Hatcher will manage the southeastern region; John Ledford will spearhead the western region, and James P. McGilley III will lead the mid-western region for EternalSpace.

“EternalSpace is privileged to work with some of the industry’s leading experts,” said EternalSpace President Jay Goss. “With hundreds of years of combined experience and an intricate knowledge of our industry, our team’s understanding and insight will be vital in helping us meet the changing needs of our funeral industry partners and the families they serve.”

The EternalSpace Advisory Council

• Alan Creedy, President, Trust 100, began his career in deathcare 30 years ago as President of the financially distressed OGR Service Corporation, the for-profit arm of The Order of The Golden Rule. After five years and the successful rebirth of thecompany, he became President of Brown-Wynne Funeral homes and cemeteries, which he continued to build and ultimately sold for the highest multiple paid at that time. Concurrently, he and Mr. Wynne acquired J.J. Fallon Company, the 28th largest retail florist in the FTD network. After the sale of Brown-Wynne, Mr. Creedy became President of Trust 100, a company he helped found in 1985. As President, he built the company to one of the largest preneed marketing companies in the nation.

• Gene Gormley, a retired Funeral Director of almost 50 years, who started his career working at his father’s funeral home in New York. In the mid-1960s, Mr. Gormley bought and ran his father’s funeral home in Phoenicia, New York, averaging 90 calls annually.

• Francis E. Peters, Ph. D., is a Professor Emeritus at New York University where he holds appointments in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, History and Religion. Professor Peters is a pioneer in the comparative study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and has written and lectured extensively. He earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Princeton University.

• Wade Clark Roof, Ph.D., is a Professor, Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who focuses on American religious trends, the sociology of religion, and ethnography. He is a columnist on beliefnet.com and has been widely published. Professor Roof is conducting research on religious pluralism and civic culture; progressive religious voices in the United States, and generations and religious change.

• Ryan Thogmartin, Founder of the innovative ConnectingDirectors.com, the industry’s only social network for funeral professionals that provides news, blogs and other industry information. In addition, Mr. Thogmartin works in sales for his family’s burial vault company, Hupp Stiverson Wilbert Vault Inc., which has been manufacturing Wilbert burial vaults for 82 years.

• Timothy Totten, an industry veteran who owns and operates FinalEmbrace.com, which helps funeral directors with marketing and management issues, and CotCovers.com, which produces quilted cot covers for removals at a death call. Mr. Totten writes the industry’s largest blog and is the go-to resource for industry news and trends. He has helped lead operations for both independent, family-owned and SCI corporate funeral homes and was licensed in preneed and insurance sales.

• Jack Wilsey, an industry veteran who has been a licensed New York State Funeral Director for over 32 years, with his brother owns and operates Seamon-Wilsey Funeral and E.B. Gormley Funeral Home, which averages 150 calls a year.

April 13, 2009

Making Money with Online Memorials

Posted by finalembrace under Nuts and Bolts, What in the World Wide Web?
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As part of my recent articles for the trades, I’ve been investigating the world of online memorials. While some are simply just gussied-up obituaries (Tributes.com, etc.) others are truly revolutionary.

My two favorites are Respectance.com and EternalSpace.com.

First up, www.Respectance.com:

THE IDEA. Modeled after “social media” sites like Facebook and MySpace, Respectance provides a place to remember someone who has died. Their site is designed to encourage feedback, with places to share memories, photos and videos.

THE PRICE. Respectance.com is free to the user.

AUDIENCE. Respectance.com is meant to be used by consumers. Because it’s free, anyone can sign up and create a memorial. Site content is generated by the creator and visitors.

VERDICT. A great site for consumers, Respectance won’t generate any real support from funeral directors if there’s no profit. As far as I can tell, Respectance only makes money if someone sponsors a tribute to keep it free of ads.

Now, www.EternalSpace.com:

THE IDEA. With graphics that rival a Hollywood blockbuster, EternalSpace.com is the website you’d see in a movie about online memorials. Slick animations embedded in serene, comforting landscapes turns their memorials into visual, rather than wordy, places to remember and reflect.

THE PRICE. Eternal Spaces are only sold through websites, so price is set through funeral homes. Still, I think we’re talking around $600 for an Eternal Space that is guaranteed for perpetuity (fancy word alert!). From I understand, funeral homes take a hefty part of the fee, with passive revenue made from the sale of tribute gifts.

AUDIENCE. Eternal Spaces aren’t for everyone. But those who have an Eternal Space created can share them with anyone on the Internet. The memory book feature is the single best reason to visit a loved one’s eternal space, as it contains journals, movies, pictures and guestbooks for everyone to create a meaningful memorial of the deceased.

VERDICT. Hands down, the best looking site out there. Still, it does require high-speed Internet access and the expense to start one will keep them small to start. Nevertheless, it’s the most exciting online memorial provider I’ve seen in a while and I’m not that easily impressed.

March 27, 2009

Quantity Can Produce Quality

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Often, when I’m worried that something I’m writing or sewing or building won’t work and try to strive for perfection, I think of this parable, as told by Alison Woods from the book, Art and Fear:

The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. All those on the left side of the studio, he said, would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality.

His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the “quantity” group: fifty pound of pots rated an “A”, forty pounds a “B”, and so on. Those being graded on “quality”, however, needed to produce only one pot—albeit a perfect one—to get an “A”.

Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems that while the “quantity” group was busily churning out piles of work—and learning from their mistakes—the “quality” group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay.

I found this parable in a post on the blog, LifeClever.

March 16, 2009

“Funeral” Google Alert for 3.16.09

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Here’s a sample of what my latest Google Alert sent me for the word “funeral”:

Funeral held for mom, baby slain in Alabama shootings – Breaking …
By Associated Press
GENEVA, — Funeral services have been held for a Geneva county sheriff deputy’s wife and infant daughter who were slain in a shooting rampage across two counties in rural Alabama. Associated PressSheriff’s deputy Josh Myers salutes the …
Breaking News from The Birmingham… – http://blog.al.com/spotnews/

Funeral for mom & baby in shootings|Fox10tv.com
FOX 10 TV is Mobile, Pensacola and the Gulf Coast’s best source for the latest breaking news and weather.
WALA TV – http://www.fox10tv.com/

Update: Jade Goody’s Funeral Details : gossip
Submit your juciest link or just let everyone know which stories you heart or hate , then leave a snarky comment and go shopping. •. Update: Jade Goody’s Funeral Details (babble.com). submitted 1 hour ago by Sassys …
gossip: what’s new online – http://www.weheartgossip.com/

WSYX ABC 6 – Ohio News
WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio (AP) — Hundreds were expected at funeral services for two adult sisters and three children gunned down inside their Cleveland home last week. The services were planned Saturday at The Word Church in suburban …
News – http://www.wsyx6.com/

03/15/09 Death notices | Yakima Herald-Republic Online
The funeral will be April 14 at 11 a.m. at Keith and Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel. Interment with full military honors will follow at 1 p.m. on April 15 at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash. Wanda Martirani Pollock …
Yakima Herald-Republic Weekly News – http://www.yakimaherald.com/

Wichita pastor presides over Alabama shooting victims’ funeral …
SAMSON, Alabama (KSN) — A Wichita pastor drove 16 hours over the last two days to get to Alabama after the family of two victims of a shooting spree requested he preside over their funerals. Reverend Mike Clarensau of the Maranatha …
KSNW Local News – http://www.ksn.com/news/local

Funerals that put eco minds at rest
By info@ecologicalinternet.org (Times (UK):…
NOTHING is certain except death and taxes, and in a recession that means undertaking is a good business to be in — especially if you are one of a growing number of companies offering “green’ funerals.
EcoEarth.Info Environment RSS Newsfeed – http://www.ecoearth.info/

March 10, 2009

New Memorial Frame is Temporary Marker Alternative

Posted by finalembrace under Cool Products, What in the World Wide Web?
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I had an interesting conversation with “Urnman” on the NFDA Biz Exchange message board just a few weeks ago. I was trying to figure out a new product he was talking about and I accidentally suggested there was a “gimmick” to it.

What I meant to ask was “what’s the hook that makes this thing a ‘must-have’ for families?”

Luckily, he was also attending the Georgia Expo last week and he brought a frame for me to check out.

Here’s what it looks like in person:

P1000558 by you.

The frame can hold a 4″x6″ photo and has a section below for either a computer-printed or hand-written epitaph. The frame is weatherproof, with a neoprene seal for the access panel and a anti-condensation cover for the photograph.

Made of a strong, gold-colored plastic, this is one well-built frame. It’s supported by a bracket on the back that will allow it to either stand, like in the picture above, or slip over a ground stake, turning the frame into a temporary marker. Here’s a detail view of the bracket:

P1000559 by you.

If you look closely at the picture above, you may notice a button near the bottom of the frame and a speaker area on the right. The button controls power to the motion-sensor on the front, that tells the frame to play “Fur Elise” by Beethoven when there is movement.

I told “Urnman” (Larry) that I’d retail this thing for $50 and show it to families when discussing marker choices for burial. In Florida, funeral homes can sell markers, so I’d help the family design their permanent marker, then show them this beautiful frame and a plain, gray temporary marker, saying:

We give all of our families one of these simple gray markers to identify the grave space until your permanent marker is ready in six to eight weeks. But we also have these musical photo frames that have space for a picture and can be taken home with you after the granite is placed. The frame is just $50. Which would you prefer?

Given the choice, at least half of these families will choose the more attractive option, in my opinion.

Check them out on Larry’s site, www.cremationurnsdirect.com.

P1000560 by you.

March 6, 2009

Kates-Boylston to Host Emergency “Known Shipper” Webinar

Posted by finalembrace under Nuts and Bolts, What in the World Wide Web?
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Webinar to Focus on How to Become a “Known Shipper”
New Airline Requirements Affect All Funeral Homes

WALL, N.J. In just a few months (July 1, 2009, to be exact) shipments of human remains originating in the United States must be tendered by “known shippers,” according to a recent announcement by the Transportation Security
Administration. This new requirement affects all funeral homes involved in shipping human remains.

To find out what TSA means by ³known shipper² and how to become one, Kates-Boylston Publications is holding an EMERGENCY WEBINAR on Thursday, March 12 at 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Make sure your shipping
business is protected and you don¹t lose any revenue opportunities! In this 90-minute Webinar you¹ll hear from: Marc Rossi, branch chief, Certified Cargo Screening Program, TSA; Mark Mohr of Continental Airlines, and Robert Ruggerio, a funeral director from Long Island, N.Y., who will walk you through the new requirements and answer your questions. And, if you¹ve yet to explore shipping as a revenue generator, this is your opportunity to better understand this lucrative part of the business.

Make sure you get every shipping dollar available to your business in 2009.

Register now for $49 at www.katesboylston.com or call 800-500-4585.
(You may apply your registration fee toward placement of an ad in the 2010 American Blue Book, which will have a comprehensive section on shipping. For more information about the Blue Book, contact Sales Coordinator Yadira Defilippo at ydefilippo@katesboylston.com or by phone at 732-730-2581.)

February 24, 2009

Funeral Service Insider’s Annual Compensation and Casket Surveys Now Open

Posted by finalembrace under Recommended Reading, What in the World Wide Web?
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From our friends at Kates-Boylston Publications:

Funeral Service Insider’s Annual Compensation and Casket Surveys Now Open

WALL, N.J. – Funeral Service Insider recently opened its annual compensation and casket surveys, and the publication is asking funeral home owners and funeral directors to take some time to fill them out.

“Our Casket Survey and Compensation Survey issues are two of our most popular issues,” said the newsletter’s executive editor, Thomas A. Parmalee. “Given the downturn in the economy, funeral service professionals are especially interested this year to find out how casket sales and pay levels are being affected. The more responses we get, the better.”

While answers from the survey are tabulated to help portray what’s going on in funeral service, no one is quoted by name unless they give the editor their permission.

To complete the Annual Compensation Survey, please visit http://tinyurl.com/dzruo8

To complete the Annual Casket Survey, please visit http://tinyurl.com/8z3vuu

To view a sample issue of Funeral Service Insider,
visit www.katesboylston.com/fsi or call 800-500-4585 to subscribe.

February 17, 2009

Where are My Podcasts?

Posted by finalembrace under Podcasts, What in the World Wide Web?
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I was just re-reading some old personal blog posts I wrote around the time I started Final Embrace for the funeral industry and found this interesting tidbit about podcasts:

For the longest time (roughly three months and two days) I didn’t understand podcasting. I just figured it was some really technical new medium that only the well-connected internet users were experimenting with.

Then I heard a podcast. To be fair, it may have been one of the worst podcasts ever made, but it was my first, so I use it here as the example.

Turns out that podcasting is nothing more than someone talking into a microphone about crap no one else cares about.

Let me get this straight: computer technology has evolved to such a point that we can now carry with us the ability to listen to boring people pontificate on subjects about which they have only cursory knowledge while we ride the bus?

I’m confused. I thought that was why they invented the transistor radio in the SIXTIES! But it’s even worse. At least with ad-supported radio, you have to possess at least a sliver of talent. But today’s podcasting makes any idiot with a microphone a “star” of their own show.

The internet is turning into ham radio. Have you seen the people who operate ham radios?

I have little hope for the future of this planet.

Those of you who have been lurking here for any period of time will probably know that I’ve done my share of podcasts (seems I wised up, eh?) but you haven’t seen many lately.

And why is that?

Laziness and a lack of time to sit at a computer and record my conversations with folks. And also because my video camera is such a pleasant companion that I’d much rather get audio AND video for the same amount of work.

Still, I think podcasts have their purpose and I’ll be posting more soon.

February 11, 2009

Follow Final Embrace on Twitter!

Posted by finalembrace under What in the World Wide Web?, Who Are We?
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I won’t take a long to time to explain Twitter to everyone – if you already use it, you know how it works – so I’ll just tell you that we’re on it and you can follow us.

I like Twitter because the 140 character limit for posts keeps me succint. And I can “twitter” from my phone.

To follow me, click “find people” and enter ”finalembrace” in the “find on Twitter” section.

You can also see who I’m following and who follows me.

I set up an application on my iPhone that let’s me see all my Twitter friends and get updates when they post something new.

Try it out! You might like it.

January 5, 2009

The Big Bopper’s Used Casket is Now For Sale

Posted by finalembrace under Recommended Reading, What in the World Wide Web?
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February 3, 1959 may have been “the day the music died,” but “the day the casked was re-sold” may eclipse it in the next few weeks.

That’s because Jay Richardson, son of The Big Bopper, is selling the casket that his daddy was buried in until being exhumed in 2007 for an autopsy and re-interment.

The eBay auction starts soon. Wanna bid?

Read the full story here.

December 9, 2008

Bent Objects Blog

Posted by finalembrace under Recommended Reading, What in the World Wide Web?
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From the awesome blog, Bent Objects, this discussion of weight issues from Terry Bender:

There are many, many more that I absolutely love! But you’ll have to check out all the great work on his blog to see them.

And don’t miss Terry’s GEL Conference video where he describes his last job as a product photographer, taking catalog pictures for everything from ironing boards to urns from Options by Batesville.

December 8, 2008

Final Embrace Reader, Charles Cowling, Defends Me and Thomas Lynch

Posted by finalembrace under Recommended Reading, What in the World Wide Web?
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Over at The Good Funeral Guide, a UK-based blog, Charles Cowling posts his opinion of the lawsuit Thomas Lynch filed against the FCA.

Thank you, Mr. Cowling. Your post is flattering and your blog is a fun read. Keep up the good work.

The Good Funeral Guide

Mr. Lynch’s Complaint

December 5, 2008

my Touchscreen Computer

Posted by finalembrace under Technology, What in the World Wide Web?, Who Are We?
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I needed to spend a little cash before tax time rolls around so I decided to upgrade my computer. To make conventions easier, I bought a touchscreen by HP. It’s got a huge 22″ screen and a sleek flat design.

Here’s the one I bought:

Actually, I’m writing this post on the screen instead of typing it.

I can still type faster than I can write, but it’ s interesting to write this stuff out and see the software deduce what I mean the say. It’ s pretty accurate.

But how will it help me at conventions? I plan to create a touchscreen version of our catalog that we can let our visitors use to discover all the great products we offer. The touchscreen will help us when we are busy helping other customers and will give us a space to market other items to convention attendees.

December 4, 2008

Mixed Signals at the FAIL Blog

Posted by finalembrace under Client Relations, What in the World Wide Web?
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The FAIL Blog gathers pictures and videos of bad ideas or crazy juxtapositions. For some of these examples, I’ve added a real world admonition that you can apply to your own business. For others, I was laughing to hard to write anything intelligible. Enjoy!

“Going out of business” or “clearance” sales can be effective gimmicks to boost revenue. Just don’t confuse people with other signage:

fail owned pwned pictures