Starter list for planning. What do you do?

Elementary, but a good exercise at the start of developing your business plan is to make an exhaustive list all the things your organization does. These activities will be examined later in the process during the step where we answer the question, "Are we dong the right things?" A starter list is below. Think of distinct activities that can be separated from one another. After you decide on the right things to be doing and, important as well, not doing, we will work on the assessment answering the question, "Are we doing things right?" Look over the list. What can you add to the list? What don't you do? What might you want to do in the future? Print your list and keep it for future planning. Starter Checklist of Activities for Funeral Homes and Cemeteries o Cremate bodies o Bury bodies o Conduct events – offsite o Conduct events – onsite o Conduct graveside services o Conduct memorial services o Conduct facility tours o Console families o Grounds management – historic preservation o Grounds management – conservation o Grounds management – upkeep o Marketing and advertising o Prepare bodies for burial o Raise funds – endowments o Raise funds – endowments lot care o Raise funds – endowments other o Raise funds – conservation and restoration o Raise funds – other o Sell cemetery property o Sell funeral-related services o Sell funeral services o Sell funeral goods (e.g., caskets, vaults) o Sell monuments o Historic preservation o Educate/inform the public o Administration – Human Resources o Administration – Legal o Administration Accounting/Finance o Community relations o Government relations o Land planning o Investment management o Facilities management Johnson-Woodford, management consultants to the deathcare industry Postscript This post and others on the Johnson-Woodford Blog will be compiled into a Free, downloadable E-book, which will also be available in hard copy. A final thought. We can all learn from one another. Your thoughts, ideas, and sharing are important to us and others. Please send your notes and comments to blogger@johnson-woodford.com or log on to www.johnson-woodford.com.