How to Start a Gravestone Business
- 1). Find the ideal location for your business. The location should be sizable to the area in which you hope to serve. A gravestone business in a large city will need a large manufacturing area and stone storage. However, one in a small town can be operated out of a garage on the backside of a house with a large yard for display.
- 2). Register business with Department of Treasury for your state. Some states, such as New York, will not supply a business license until the business has a location. The application process can take weeks or even months and the business space must be leased during that time.
- 3). Contact stone suppliers. In the gravestone business, you will need access to granite and bronze slabs for cemetery markers (used in memorial parks) as well as various types of stone used for headstones in traditional cemeteries. Compare the price of multiple suppliers before making a decision. If you are starting a business on a small budget or do not have space to store mass quantities, you will be more interested in a supplier that offers smaller loads at a good price as opposed to large quantities at steep discounts.
- 4). Purchase equipment and set up a shop. A Hoyer lift, engraving machine, sand-blasting machine and stone cutter are all necessary for creating gravestones and cemetery markers. Newer model machinery can be controlled through a computer program for precision engraving. New equipment includes a computer and necessary software to accompany the machinery. The workshop should be set up so that the stone moves from one machine to another in order, using the Hoyer lift.
- 5). Market the business. The first step in being successful is having a well organized display of gravestones. Place the sample stones in an order that helps consumers find what they are looking for quickly. Arrange stones ranging from the lowest priced to the highest priced ones and by various shades, sizes and designs. Use creative marketing techniques such as a Halloween-themed open house (any time of the year) to introduce businesses and consumers to your gravestone business. Also, offer special discounts for pre-arranged headstones and for a set period of time of a new business contract.
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