• Nearly every consolidator, from Arbor, Park Lawn, and SCI, has invested in reception rooms. Families appreciate the benefits of an on-site reception service, particularly cremation families. Yes, reception rooms require an investment, but if you continue to have a casket selection room, you can accomplish the same digitally, and convert the room for receptions. Once a caterer(s) is selected, providing a reception is no more difficult than ordering a vault placement and bussers to bus the room, which is included in your reception room charge.
• Cremation businesses, augmented with an ecommerce cremation arrangement website. Large corporations pay a premium for market share as they are confident in their ability to upgrade cremation families; maybe not immediately, but sooner or later the family will want memorials or receptions, and the large consolidators want to be positioned to sell it to them.
• Pet disposition was a questionable business for traditional funeral homes, but many providers have created very profitable secondary businesses that may lead to additional human pre-need and at-need business.
• Cremation niches on funeral home property, or even in the funeral home. Many states allow niches at churches, football stadiums, funeral homes, even small roadside cemeteries. Not legal in every state, which brings us to the issue of antiquated state laws which have been the subject of many previous articles.
• Diversify your clientele. Segregation has a long history in traditional Funeral service. It served a purpose when the nation was ethnically divided, and many firms were founded upon a particular ethnic or religious group’s tradition. And, of course, these ethnic based firms continue to exist, but many of them are smaller volume firms, many of which do a poor job of serving their specific community either through exploitive pricing, poor service, neglected facilities, etc. Again, looking at what the consolidators have paid premium multiples for, many of the largest sales have been to businesses with branches that serve ethnic communities; IE: Hispanic, Italians, Greeks, African American, Jewish, Asian, etc. 
• Advertising strategy to position the firm as specialists in serving veterans. Amazingly, few firms located near, or relatively close to national cemeteries, position themselves as the firm specializing in veteran services. Many veterans select cremation even though they would prefer burial, but they or their family are ignorant of the benefits of burial in a national cemetery.  Advertising programs exist to position your firm to capture that business. 
• An in-house florist display will keep floral orders in your business, and your website can promote your in-house florist.

The most common excuse for not moving a business forward is that it’s all you can do to accomplish your current job, which is likely true. Given the job you have assigned to yourself, it is unlikely you could do more. The objective is to promote yourself to a bigger job by becoming a bigger business. Yes, there is risk, but it is manageable risk. Each of the above listed business building options have proven successful for other businesses. Start with the strategy requiring the least staff and offering the most success with the lowest investment. A cremation arrangement website can generate anywhere from 100 to 1000 cases annually and the only promotion cost is pay per click.  As the business grows, you will add one or two first call drivers and a crematory (assuming state law allows) and a crematory operator.  

Summary:

What makes this decision difficult is the lack of commitment to grow your business. It’s much easier to continue keeping the job you have and kid yourself that the business will never sell. Someone in the near future will be selling your funeral home; the only question is who will benefit and will it generate sufficient funds to meet your family’s needs. Have questions or want to learn more? Contact the JCG team today! 

Written by: MKJ Marketing

The post Creating The Business You Need appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

According to the CX Network, 93 percent of customers who receive an enjoyable customer experience are likely to return to that brand. The article goes on to say that things like personalization and individualization really matter to people. This is good news for the funeral profession, meeting people where they are and providing a personalized experience are paramount to the field.

We hear a lot about loyalty and loyalty programs when diving into customer service education and enrichment. Ensure consistent customer retention by really focusing on the family experience and training and supporting your staff to be able to do the same, at every level and every possible touchpoint. Another way to build loyalty is to participate within your community. Attend community events and partner with other organizations where it makes sense. Become a comforting and known name within your community.  

But how do you balance all of this and stay aware of the fine details? One thing we stand by at JCG is having the tools to help you achieve your business goals. Performance Tracker X is a great addition to your toolkit when it comes to keeping track of family satisfaction and helpful information to improve staff engagement. Having these two areas of your business functioning in good standing will lead to long-term success.

The consulting team at Johnson Consulting Group can assist you in taking a high-level look at your entire business. Our people have a wealth of experience in the death care field and can offer support in all areas of your business. Let JCG help you grow into the business of your dreams.

The post Build Lasting Relationships with Quality Customer Service appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

As we near the end of the calendar year, you might be thinking about the status of your business. Are you growing in the ways you had hoped? Are you meeting or exceeding goals? Is your staff aligned with the goals you’ve set? These are just some questions to consider when you are assessing the growth of your business. Keep reading to learn some methods of growing and building value.

Methods of growing and building value:

Reviewing your business plan:

Start by taking some time to review your business plan. If you don’t have one, it’s time to create one. The business lifecycle is always on our mind at Johnson Consulting Group and evaluating your plan as you go is a great way to see if you are meeting the growth goals that will take your business to the next level. You might be surprised by what you find. It’s possible you could see a specific area of your business taking the lead, an indication you should put focus there. Taking the next step of an in depth SWOT analysis for your funeral business could lead you to the right growth opportunities at the right time.

In sync staff:

Having a staff that is truly in sync with your business goals is another key to growth. There are tactics you can implement to help your team feel connected to the success of your business such as incentive programs. Another way to take a broad look at overall success is with Performance Tracker X. This service allows you to hear directly from your families on a variety of customizable metrics that may impact your growth. It’s a great way to balance sales with the compassion and sensitive needs of your customers.

Mindset:

We’ve touched on some of the more concrete, analytic things that are important to business growth, so let’s turn to some ideas that are a little more intangible. Bringing a positive mindset with you each day is very important. This article from Entrepreneur expands on the idea that thinking positively when it comes to yourself and your business can have a big impact on those around you as well as on the ultimate success of your business.

As a business owner in the funeral profession, you have a lot on your plate. Taking care of and empowering your staff while building meaningful connections with your families is often the top priority. The team of consultants at Johnson Consulting Group are a fantastic asset when it comes to growth strategy and the background details of running a funeral business. The JCG experts bring years of experience in the funeral profession and are constantly following the trends that are important and helpful to you.

The post Grow and Build Value: The Business Lifecycle in Action. appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

If you’re keeping up with the world of business news, there’s no doubt you’ve heard about quiet quitting. It’s a new buzz term that strikes fear in the hearts of business owners and managers, but once you take a look at the idea, it’s clear that it’s really about a healthy work/life balance and being able to work at work without feeling a 24/7 connection to the job.

Perhaps the best way to put quiet quitting worries to rest is to create a workplace where staff feels comfortable and valued during their working hours. Incentive plans, trust, and an opportunity for career growth are great ways to help your funeral business staff feel valued.

How to improve workplace relations:

One of the best ways, according to Forbes, to improve workplace relations and take quiet quitting off the table is to lead by example. Honor your own work/life boundaries as well as those of your staff. Show them that work stays at work by abiding by the same ideology yourself. It will improve anxiety and give you and your staff the time they need to rest and be the most productive versions of themselves during work hours.

The article also serves as a reminder that it’s okay to rethink what the workplace should look like from time to time. Just because this is the way it’s always been done, doesn’t mean it needs to stay that way. Speak openly with your staff about their needs and what is important to them at the workplace. This doesn’t mean you need to change everything or accept every bit of information provided but showing an openness to listening and implementing reasonable change goes a long way with people.

Johnson Consulting Group can help with this through business consulting services and leadership and management courses. As experts in the profession, our consultants are aware of the trends and can provide the guidance you need to keep your staff as happy as your families and customers.

The post Overcome quiet quitting worries with these workplace improvements. appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

Scottsdale, AZ [October 31st, 2022]

After 22 years of business consulting in the funeral profession, Johnson Consulting Group attributes its success to earning and maintaining the trust of their clients. Over its life span, the firm has provided mergers & acquisition services for funeral business in every state in the U.S.

“I like to finish a client conversation with saying, ‘I appreciate your trust,’” said Jake Johnson, CEO of Johnson Consulting Group. “It’s an honor to be able to serve all of our clients and I appreciate the confidence they place in our team.”

As a company with roots steeped in being a family business, it’s only fitting that a commitment to improving the family experience remains a driving force for JCG. The team of experts at JCG keep a close pulse on the ever-changing funeral profession with an ability to work hand-in-glove with the client team. This partnership style allows the JCG team to work within the needs and goals of each client providing them with increased profitability and enterprise value with success at every stage of the business lifecycle. “I tell the team and our clients to think big and never ever apologize for thinking outside the box” …” Your success is limited by your vision,” said Johnson.

Twenty-two years brought with it both the expected and the unexpected. Lasting client relationships, over $2 billion in funeral business transactions, web-based accounting platforms, business coaching, leadership programs, technology offerings, and more. “I set high visions for our company and our team has always been up to this mighty challenge,” Johnson said. “We head into the next 22 years with an eye fixed on advancing our offerings for our clients. It’s an exciting time for JCG, we love growth as much as our clients do.”

“When we decided to take the next step for our business, there was only one company we considered to help us, Johnson Consulting. We have known the Johnson family for years and our respect and trust for them runs deep,” said Randy Shoedinger of Schoedinger Funeral and Cremation. “Their team was excellent at keeping everything on track through closing and we greatly appreciate their expertise throughout.”

About Johnson Consulting Group:

Johnson Consulting Group is committed to providing intelligent business solutions that meet business owners wherever they are in their business life cycle. Whether you want to grow your business and enterprise value or plan your exit strategy, our funeral home consultants can assist. With over two decades of creating personalized partnerships and growing revenue with funeral and cemetery business owners, managers and staff, JCG has the expertise and dedication to assist funeral home and cemetery businesses grow in their current operations, start their succession planning, or take their business to market.

The post Johnson Consulting Group Marks 22nd Anniversary appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

It would be an understatement to say the past few years have been unusual. A variety of factors indicate the U.S. is headed for recession, but it’s not here just yet. If you keep up with Johnson Consulting Group regularly, you know we speak about the business lifecycle often. This is important because regardless of any outside input, the business lifecycle is a constant. We always want you thinking about your business’s valuation and your exit strategy.

Securing a Succession Plan

We already know from prior research that many funeral industry professionals do not have an exit strategy or succession plan in place. JCG aims to fix that. With proper planning you give yourself the ability to shift and pivot as factors change and fluctuate, both internally and externally.

Consistently looking at the valuation of your business works hand-in-glove with your exit strategy to make it possible for you to execute the sale of your business at any time. Specifically, when the time is right for you.

Whether you’re interested in selling to a family member or trusted staff member, a solid look at your value is needed. The experts at JCG will consider all aspects of your business alongside the market and the most up-to-date tax regulations. We want you to have confidence in your planned exit and knowing the state of factors such as cash flow, your risks, and growth opportunities all fit into your valuation. Through these items you give your potential buyer a sneak peek into the realistic future of the business and potentially improve the profitability of your sale.

Perfecting Your Exit Strategy

Working on exit with the JCG team of consultants puts you and your goals at the front of the process. Our team will be with you for every step of this milestone experience. We will:

• Maximize your value
• Ensure your legacy is preserved
• Create engaging marketing to entice buyers quickly
• Carefully select only serious and qualified buyers
• Provide a seamless process through every detail

The exit process is lengthy and requires you to review and assess it often. So, while the immediate market conditions might not seem ideal, getting this process underway is important. The market is only one factor in the big picture of your business lifecycle. Don’t let fear of the unknown cause you to hesitate on the next steps for you and your business. We like this Inc. story about understanding your fears and how to plan broadly.

Funeral profession owners who sell with JCG realize 7-10% more in value than those who sell direct. We are the experts when it comes to making the sale of your business simple and easy.

Start planning with JCG today.

Sell your business with JCG!

The post Is it time to sell? JCG experts say, “Yes.” appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.