Page A18 September 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A www.vischerfuneralsupplies.com Trusted, premier supplier of cremation supplies, funeral home products, urns, cemetery products and services throughout New England, New York, and America. Family owned and operated since 1995 800-664-8365 necremation@metrocast.net www.necremation.com Free Supplies. FREE Operator Training Video. Settlements can now be used to purchase cremation supplies from our affiliate company, New England Cremation Supply. Customer Loyalty Rewards Program Family Owned and Operated since 1995 Cremation Metal Recycling 800-664-8365 cremation metal recycling - responsible recycling charitable foundation cmr@metrocast.net www.cremationmetalrecycling.com Social Media Marketing is a necessary evil in today’s business environment. Now, that is a provocative statement and I am quite sure I have ruffled some feathers already. Does that mean that I don’t believe in social media marketing and refuse to participate in it? Not at all. Over the years, I have continually posted content online and engaged with other’s content to create attention, influence, and results toward my objectives. But, I still say it is a necessary business evil. Why? Because it is not Direct Marketing. I am a big believer of what the late marketing guru Dan Kennedy preached for years. And, that is that the best marketing is one that goes directly to the buyer. Direct Marketing communicates with the prospect or customer one on one or eyeball to eyeball. That is why it is hard to beat a sales letter in the hands of a customer or a sales professional sitting down with a prospect. Direct Marketing is always the best type of marketing! No doubt about it! If that is the case, and it is, then why do so many small businesses shy away from those direct marketing endeavors into the world of social media marketing? The answer is … Cost! Pure and simple. It is all about the cost. For example, a direct mail campaign can be very expensive. You have to obtain a mailing list, hire a copywriter (or write it yourself ), print the piece, buy the postage, prepare the mailer ... all before you send your marketing piece out the door toward the prosBright Ideas for Funeral Directors with Mark Bowser Social Media Marketing vs. Direct Marketing! What Is Best for Your Small Business? this time and then launch it. You will never know until you launch it. 3. What will success look like? Be crystal clear on what success should look like and then track the data of your marketing results. 4. Keep It Simple. One of the most common mistakes I see as a sales and marketing consultant is that people don’t make it easy to succeed. If the process is complicated, then in time, most people quit doing it. Create a simple process you can put in motion consistently. There you have it. Now, it is your turn. Go and make it happen! F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columnsonline at Mark Bowser grew up in the funeral industry and knows the challenges and rewards of running a small business. Mark has been a Professional Speaker since 1993 and is one of America’s premier Sales and Success speakers today. He is the author of several books including Sales Success with Zig Ziglar. He is the host of the popular podcast “Let Me Tell You a Story with Mark Bowser.” To book him to speak at your next event then contact him at www.MarkBowser.com or email info@MarkBowser.com. pect. On the other hand, Social Media Marketing is free or relatively inexpensive, except for your time. Let me ask you a question – is free really free if it doesn’t get you the results you are looking for? It is not, is it? Social Media Marketing can suck you dry from time and still not get you visible results. Again, I am not anti-social media marketing. It definitely has a place in the small business marketing toolbox. It just shouldn’t encompass the entire toolbox any more than direct marketing should. There is always a balance to marketing that has to be considered. My main point is to encourage small businesses and individuals to not throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water. The great failure is when we choose one over the other. The truth is for you to reach your full exposure and results you need both Direct Marketing and Social Media Marketing. Having said that, let me give you four quick steps on how to make your marketing and selling more effective for both Social Media Marketing and Direct Marketing. 1. Know Your Audience. It doesn’t matter how good your bait is if you land in the wrong pond. You have to go where the fish are who love your bait. Selling to the wrong audience wastes time and money. 2. Choose the Right Marketing Medium. What will work best to reach your customer? Is it direct mail, an ad in a local magazine, three social media posts a day? Decide what will be best for your business at Sparrow Announces New Collection of Urns with BZIPPY B RO O K LY N , N Y — Sparrow is proud to announce the launch of a new urn collection in collaboration with BZIPPY. BZIPPY founder and artist Bari Ziperstein is known for finding creative, joyful alternatives within her studio and life. She expressed her approach, “We believe that a major design update to this category of funerary objects has been a long time coming, and are extremely grateful to Erica Hill, founder of Sparrow, for her collaboration.” The BZIPPY x Sparrow collection is sold exclusively at Sparrow and is part of Sparrow’s broad collection of handmade urns. founder Erica Hill noted, “Our custom urns are part of Sparrow’s mission to help people find ways to celebrate life within death – warm, welcoming and uniquely full of character, the urns we offer are one of a kind and embrace those you hold you dear within your home.” Sparrow is a full-service contemporary funeral home with offerings ranging from the traditional to the unique. Located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Sparrow is a light-filled space, consisting of two ‘celebration rooms’, a street facing retail store, and a staff that is compassionate, thoughtful and thorough. Read more about Sparrow and shop the collection of urns at www.Sparrowny.com Park Lawn Releases Second Quarter Results and Announces Appointment of New Directors to the Board TORONTO,ONTARIO— Park Lawn Corporation (TSX: PLC; PLC.U) announced its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. For the three-month period ended June 30, 2022, net revenue increased by 5.4% and adjusted EBITDA decreased by 15.8%, compared to the three-month period ended June 30, 2021. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of PLC remained flat. “As the death rate normalized over the second quarter, we experienced a meaningful decrease in national mortality which affected our cemetery operations more significantly than our funeral homes,” said J. Bradley Green, Chief Executive Officer of PLC. Appointment of New Directors to the Board The Company also announced the appointment of two new directors to its Board of Directors: John A. Nies and Elijio V. Serrano to replace Paul G. Smith and Amy Freedman, who have tendered their resignations. “We are pleased to welcome John and Elijio as new directors to the Park Lawn Board,” said Deborah Robinson, who was also announced as new Chair of the Board. “We look forward to their diverse skills, perspectives and expertise contributing to the ongoing success of Park Lawn. Their addition to our team aligns with the Board’s desire to include a greater representation of U.S. based directors and Park Lawn’s commitment to ongoing board refreshment to ensure a strong balance of qualifications, experience, diversity and tenure.” John A. Nies is a Managing Partner of JMH Capital, a private equity firm based in Boston. Prior to JMH, Mr. Nies was a held director positions at Parthenon Capital and Kenexa, and was a founding member of The Parthenon Group. He also served as the transitional CEO and Executive Chairman of Service Radio Rentals. Mr. Nies earned a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College, and a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Elijio V. Serrano has served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TETRA Technologies Inc. since 2012. He also served as Chief Financial Officer of CSI Compressco LP and UniversalPegasus International. He previously held numerous leadership positions at Paradigm BV, EGL, and Schlumberger and Tesco Corporation. Mr. Serrano received his B.B.A. degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Texas at El Paso. PLC provides goods and services associated with the disposition and memorialization of human remains. PLC and its subsidiaries own and operate businesses including cemeteries, crematoria, funeral homes, chapels, planning offices and a transfer service. PLC operates in three Canadian provinces and seventeen U.S. states. For more information, visit www.parklawncorp.com. 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