Returning to My Roots

I have spent the past two weeks “returning to my roots” both figuratively and literally with two wonderful Shabbat dinners, a Challah Bake with Jake Cohen, a Commonpoint Queens Board Meeting, and a women's networking event at UJA-Federation NY. As I reflect on these action packed last two weeks, I feel enormous gratitude for these opportunities, a renewed, reinvigorated sense of community, and I am reminded that one of the core tenets of Judaism to me, is that we are never alone. 

We are never alone in celebration, observance, or in mourning. Whether you are dancing the hora, observing Shabbat, or participating in a minyan, part of a minyan, you are part of something larger. 

I felt compelled to share my feelings as the past few months have brought certain challenges and risks in my personal and professional life, during which I have often felt like I was alone in my thoughts and feelings. A. Resnick Communications is my first solo venture, and while it certainly has been very exciting, I have also felt unsure of myself and quite frankly a little scared. 

However, after the past two weeks of meeting new people and reconnecting with others, I realize I have so many people in my life to bounce ideas off of, introduce to others in my network, or just grab coffee with to get out of the apartment. So, all of this is to say, we are not alone, we are part of something larger than ourselves, and if you ever want to or need to connect, I am here.

No More Excuses: How to Easily Obtain Email Addresses

Why is it so hard for my funeral home to gather email addresses?

I have been asked this question time and time again by various end-of-life professionals. In any other instance, I would never give this a second thought as I have regularly provided my email information for as long as I can remember. A space for an email address exists on almost every contact form at a doctor’s office, exercise class, legal paperwork, or to make a reservation at a restaurant. However, it is not necessarily common practice in the funeral industry yet, and obtaining email addresses is something I routinely hear is a struggle for funeral directors. I have found that once you convey the necessity for an email address, you have quelled the family’s concerns.

Here are some common questions and suggested responses. 

• Is a family wary of an abundance of emails? Explain the reasons you need their email address. You may wish to email pricing information and merchandise options, gather missing statistical information, or send any necessary paperwork to families. 

• Is there information that you will need them to send you? Families can use email to provide your location with an obituary, images of their loved one, and shiva or repast details.

• Is a family streaming their loved one’s funeral service? If a family member does not wish to publish this information online or prefers it sent to them directly, you will need their email address to share the streaming or recording link. 

• Do you need them to check the spelling of names and addresses on important paperwork? You can email them a copy of any necessary documents to review as an email attachment. In addition, they can quickly reply with any alterations or additions, expediting any changes.  

• Does your funeral home provide Aftercare to families via email? Explain the benefits of Aftercare to families, what information they will receive, and that they can opt out of emails if they no longer wish to receive them.*

Some funeral homes have added a section for email addresses to their first call sheets, while others have made it part of their funeral cards or folios. Regardless of how your funeral home obtains statistical information or whether it is handwritten or input into a case management system, there should be a space for an email address so that asking for it becomes habitual. 

If you have additional questions or want to speak further about obtaining email addresses, please do not hesitate to contact me at aresnick@aresnickcommunications.com or 516.987.8639. 

*Please note: any automatically generated emails should have an “opt-out” feature, where those who do not wish to receive any more emails can unsubscribe themselves or contact you to remove them from an email list. 

The Importance of Written Communication

When is the last time you sat down to write a note, a letter, or a blog post? Have you thought about the importance of written communication in your business? Is it commonplace for your funeral directors or team members to handwrite notes to client families or send out holiday cards to clergy members?

For as long as I can remember, my mother used to sit me and my siblings down after holidays and birthday parties to write thank you notes, which is something I still do to this day. I have found that sitting down and gathering my thoughts allows me to really think about the overall message, use appropriate language, and take time to review and edit before hitting “send” or dropping an envelope in the mail.

I was recently asked about the impact written communication has in the end-of-life industry. When posited with this question, I paused for a moment, thought about all of the content I have written, feedback I have received, and came to the conclusion that written communication provides gratitude to the author, recipients, and readers. When sitting down and putting pen to paper, one really has to consider their intentions, messaging, and word choice to ensure their correspondence has the desired effect. All too often, we are rushing to answer the next call, return an email, or are running from task to task. Sitting down to compose one’s thoughts forces us to pause and take a moment and truly think about the recipient, purpose, and effect.

I also believe that a handwritten or typed and signed note further the connections we build with the families we serve. As end-of-life industry professionals, we strive to provide families with comfort and support, and quite often, a little note saying you are there to answer any questions, or that you appreciated speaking with them following the service, goes a long way. So, the next time you are thinking of sending an email and are all too quick to hit the “send” button, consider the impact a handwritten note may have.