People cherish their pets and consider them members of their family. Instead of kennels, pet owners opt for doggy day cares which provide the best socialization, playtime, and even scheduled naps and meals. You can now take your pet to a doggy day spa and even purchase designer clothing for them. All of these trends are parts of why the pet product industry brought in $58.04 billion in 2014 and more than $60 billion in 2015. But what about pet memorialization products?
Lack of Options
With so many options for pets available, the lack of memorialization options for our furry friends who have left the earth is surprising. Many vet clinics offer cremation services, but for the most part, owners aren’t given many other options for coping with the loss of a beloved companion.
For many families, the loss of a beloved pet is the equivalent of losing their own flesh and blood. The range and series of emotions felt are often the same: denial, anger, sadness, and acceptance. It doesn’t matter if the pet in question is a hamster or a horse; grief is independent of size.
Transitioning to the final step of acceptance can be quite a journey; it takes different people different lengths of time to pass through the stages of grief to come to peace with the passing. Just as a funeral service and permanent memorialization for a loved one can greatly help in the grieving process, it offers the same comfort when a loved one has four legs instead of two.
One of the common concerns, when a companion passes, is that the pet will eventually be forgotten or replaced as time passes. Just as we create a final resting place in a cemetery solely dedicated to a family member, the same can be done for a pet. Creating a permanent, meaningful place where we can go to feel close to a pet, and remember their impact on our lives reminds us that while our furry, feathery, or scaly friend may be gone, they will certainly not be forgotten.
Pet Memorialization Options
There are a wide variety of pet memorialization options available today. From cremation urns and jewelry to mini granite memorials, all of these tributes can be designed with the same care and compassion as a monument created for any family member.
Pet cremation urns start at around $40 and go up from there. We have even spotted a hand-blown glass cat urn for an impressive $345. Personalizing any urn increases the value exponentially, and can create a steady, impressive revenue stream.
Granite Pet Memorials
Easily engraved by a laser engraving machine, a granite memorial is an excellent way to commemorate a pet just as you would a family member. There are many styles of memorials available from mini upright monuments and shaped flat markers to plaques which are perfect for displaying on a mantle inside your home. Today’s technology allows for laser engraving any photo or artwork onto a black granite memorial that will be admired for decades to come. A granite distributor such as SuperNova International can assist you in your quest to offer granite pet memorials.
Pet Cremation Jewelry
Another important aspect of pet memorialization: personalization. Personalized pet cremation jewelry is another great way to keep a pet close to ones’ heart. These can be simple and low-cost for the more spend-averse, or expensive and ornate; offer everything from metal dog tags that start at roughly $75 to fancier keepsake charms going for $165 and up, and you will hit customers on every point of the budget spectrum. Personalize with names, dates, photos, and more to create a one of a kind keepsake for your customers. Custom gifts start at around $40 and go up from there.
Promoting Pet Memorial Products
If your goal is to offer pet memorial items, a good place to start is getting the word out that you offer them. Here are a few ideas of ways to promote pet memorials:
– Display them in your showroom
Because pet memorials are a small, lower-cost item that doesn’t take up much space, it would be practical to set up a small display area in your showroom. With hundreds of people in your establishment for viewings, the word will get out fast that you offer such products and services. While the initial cost may still seem preventative, consider this type of display an incredibly effective investment. Create an atmosphere where your customers can truly see what they want, and the product will sell itself.
– Team up with local pet stores and vet clinics
Many pet businesses would welcome this idea, as the pet industry is actively struggling with a lack of memorial options. There is a huge market just waiting to be discovered, and there is a marked lack of companies taking advantage. Become the “go-to” business in your community for this market, and brand yourself as the business that can truly meet all the needs of its customers.
– Utilize pre-designed marketing materials
SuperNova International works with buyers on another level, providing their customers with free marketing materials such as online catalogs, printed brochures, and showroom posters, all free of charge. Discover the companies who are offering marketing materials and services such as these, and avoid re-inventing the wheel. Every time you take advantage of pre-designed marketing materials, you are saving yourself both time and money that can be better spent elsewhere. Work smarter, and save.
Memorialization is an important step in the grieving process. When we lose a pet, just like the role a memorial for a human loved one plays in our lives, a pet memorial can help us cope with the loss. It can also facilitate a celebration of the wonderful impact the beloved pet has had on our lives. With the multitude of memorial options available today, and due to the fact that three out of five Americans own pets, it is important to capitalize on this shockingly untapped market to create a new revenue stream for your funeral home. There is most definitely a market for pet memorials, personalized pet products, and pet services right at your doorstep.
Interested in delving into the world of pet memorialization?
Reach out to our laser experts for more info!
As a pet loss professional and a funeral home owner – I have seen first hand the need for families to honor their furry, feathered or reptilian family member. There is no “wrong” way to honor them. It can be something as simple as a custom urn, garden stone or even a jewelry – what’s important is that they are given permission to grief and know that this is normal/
Pets materialization in pets is the number one you need to consider when planning for their final arrangement. Like in The Pet Loss Center -Hampton Roads they customized the remaining of urn of our beloved. The heartache of losing a dog is simply awful.