The Business Of Easing Grief

The Business of Easing Grief

Pets are beloved members of millions of families. In fact, more than 63.4 million people in the United States have at least one pet. Eventually, however, all pet owners must face the inevitable.

Whether it's expected or sudden, losing a pet is a heart-wrenching experience that can take months, or even years, to overcome. For some, losing a pet is so traumatic they turn to community support groups. Pets are beloved members of millions of families. In fact, more than 63.4 million people in the United States have at least one pet.

Eventually, however, all pet owners must face the inevitable. Gone are the days of burying pets in the backyard. People want to keep their pets, even when they are gone, close to them.

If you love animals and can sympathize with grieving pet owners, then you might consider starting a small business selling urns for pets. Many people are now opting to cremate their pets rather than having them buried. Even ‘Dear Abby’ has advised cremation over burial. That way, if the pet owner moves, she can take her beloved pet's urn with her. Some pet owners, once they are settled and own a home, bury their pet's ashes while others keep their pet's urn in a special place in the house.

Pet urns aren't just for dogs and cats either. You can also sell urns for rabbits, birds, hamsters, ferrets, horses and other animals. You can research what type of urns and memorial items others are selling by visiting http://dmoz.org/Shopping/Pets/Loss/. It's also a good idea to research the average price others are charging for urns. Unless you have the necessary skills, you will also want to start researching urn manufacturers online.

Your market is all around you. Thumb through the yellow pages and make a list of all the veterinarians in your area. Then, when you're ready to start, contact them and tell them about your new business. Offer to team up with them: for every referral they give you, you will pay them a commission.

Create a brochure detailing the different styles of urns you offer (wooden, bronze, metal etc) along with pricing and a few photos. You can save money by producing your own brochures. If you have Microsoft Publisher, PageMaker, or another design program, you can create your brochure in no time.

You can either have your brochure printed professionally, or purchase high quality paper and print them yourself. You can order paper at your local business supply store or online. Here are a few companies that ship professional brochure paper:

MCG Paper
Marco Paper
Staples
Office Depot
Office Max

With the importance of the Internet in today’s society, you'll probably also want to create a website. In addition to photos of the urns and other products you sell, you might want to have a section dedicated to your clients. Allow them to send in their pet’s photographs and thoughts to be posted on a "Memorial" page. This page will serve as a memorial site for your clients and a sort of testimonial page for potential clients.

Since you're starting such an unusual - albeit much-needed-business, send out a press release to the local newspapers. They are always on the lookout for unique stories about the hometown folks.

Finally, remember you will be dealing with people who have just suffered a loss. A kind word goes a long way and will likely be remembered. If your clients remember you for your quality product and kindness, they are likely to recommend you to friends and family when they suffer the loss of a loved pet also.

Helpful Resources:

http://www.bayviewcaskets.com/urns.htm

http://www.urnmall.com/pets.shtml

http://www.allaboutpeturns.com/

http://www.urnsofwood.com/