WHEELING, IL— Across industries, experts are studying what pandemic-era changes are here to stay. One that comes up again and again is one that can also mean sustainable growth for your business and our planet: environmentally conscious purchases. At the 2024 Cremation Symposium, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) invites you to uncover new ideas in business planning, marketing, product selection, and techniques that connect with families and meet this growing market. Join CANA February 14-16, 2024, at The LINQ Hotel + Experience in Las Vegas to find your place on the green spectrum!
The fastest-growing segment of the eco-conscious market is also the one making decisions for the aging population: Gen X and Millennials. These generations are making changes that make a difference for the environment and your business model. So, what do you need to consider in your business planning?
In a special two-part session dedicated to Exploring Green, practitioners and suppliers will take turns sharing research and best practices into this eco-conscious market. Taelor Johnson, a funeral communication and branding expert, shares her experience in deciding to launch a distinct funeral service brand from her family funeral home dedicated to sustainability. She will delve into language that speaks to these generations so you can earn their business.
Landon Elder, Director of Operations at Starmark Local, closes Part 1 with new research on Ceremonial Rental Casket use and services. This evidence-based approach demonstrates how every funeral home can benefit from offerings that reduce stress on the environment.
Exploring Green Part 2 picks up this data-driven session with Jessica Wakefield, General Manager at Sacred Tidings Holistic Funeral Care and Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery and Keaton’s Mortuaries, listening to the community to make changes that resonate. Jess will describe the concepts and vision of SCI’s new holistic funeral home and their path from discussions with the community so you can see how determining who to hire, the services to offer and how to promote services all play a part in growing your business.
Darren Crouch, Founder of Passages International, wraps the session with the results of a two-year case study of a large privately-owned funeral home. When they replaced cardboard cremation containers with bamboo, they emphasized value and increased revenue. From their success, you can see how an investment in eco-friendly products can mean sustainable growth for your business.
But that’s not all! The Symposium is filled with sessions that offer practical takeaways you can put to work for you:
- The Keynote session will help you lead through the Stressors of our Time and How We Can Thrive Despite Them from leadership coach Janice Honeycutt Herring.
- Liza Altenburg shares a suite of tools in Selling with Sensitivity to cultivate authentic and meaningful relationships during the arrangement conference.
- The Supplier Solutions Panel places innovation center stage with a broad spectrum of eco-conscious solutions from our panelists: Tim Collison of The Dodge Company, Darren Crouch of Passages International, August Esposito of Implant Recycling, Rachel Essig of The Green Burial Council, and Neil Sherrin of Plotbox.
- Lindsey Ballard of Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home and Nicki Mikolai of Resomation co-facilitate a discussion among attendees Lessons Learned: Business and Marketing Strategies for Going Green — and offer their own experience on adding alkaline hydrolysis to a business.
- Because the CANA Symposium is your chance to explore solutions for your business, the experience closes with everyone’s favorite Roundtable Discussions.
The speakers and the location are only a sliver of the experience that awaits at CANA’s Cremation Symposium. We plant networking at the root of the event to bring practitioners together to share their problems and collaborate on solutions. Plus, with evenings free to take in the sights and sounds of Las Vegas, this is the event to grow friendships and revitalize for the year ahead. Bring your sweetheart at a special, discounted rate for a Valentine’s Day trip that mixes business with pleasure and excitement!
What data deserves your attention when making business decisions? Explore green at the CANA Symposium and connect with others who have been where you are. Join CANA for the 2024 Cremation Symposium February 14-16, 2024 at The LINQ Hotel + Experience in Las Vegas. Visit goCANA.org/green and register to explore green solutions that work for your business and your families.
About CANA
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,500 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.
