Memorial products these days are a multibillion-dollar industry, and you can get a share of it simply by the way you market products you’re likely already selling. Personalized bereavement gifts, memorials, and tokens of sympathy and condolence can be created from just about any item or substrate in a variety of price ranges using laser engraving, sandcarving, sublimation, or UV printing.
The purpose of a memorial or a bereavement gift is to provide comfort, preserve memories, and help create a lasting connection with the deceased while celebrating their life. Take a look around your shop and see how many of the following examples you already have on hand that you can offer your customers to fulfill that purpose.
When choosing a bereavement gift, something as simple as a keychain with a photo of the lost loved one, or maybe a quote or favorite saying, can be given to family members and friends to remember them by. Personalize a frame with a verse or date and include a cherished photo to remind them of a special event or a favorite hobby they shared. Preserve precious holiday memories by gifting a personalized glass, crystal, or sublimated memorial ornament keepsake.
A personalized guest book for a funeral or memorial service where friends and family can share condolences or memories of the departed would be a treasured gift of comfort. Engrave a favorite poem or scripture, even an image or photo, into an elegant acrylic piece, crystal, or slate to create a beautiful and lasting tribute. If your customer is looking for something a little less personal but still meaningful, a memorial candle could be a good choice.
Bereavement gifts that can forge a lasting, meaningful bond with a deceased loved o ne are ones that include something that is distinctly them. Engrave a favorite recipe they were known for, written in their handwriting, on a cutting board for a memorial gift that close family or friends will treasure forever. Their signature or handwriting on the lid of a gift box filled with smaller mementos is a lovely gift for a child or grandchild to remember a parent or grandparent by and is sure to offer solace and encourage happy memories of special times spent together.
Memory quilts have been around for a long time, and you can create another version of that with a sublimatable blanket. Have your customer choose a cherished photograph for each panel, or add in a favorite verse, poem, scripture, or quote and they can wrap themselves in the comforting warmth of those memories. Honor veterans and fallen military men and women with a memorial flag display case available in many different styles and finishes. Pay tribute to fallen first responders with a traditional plaque with an engraved or sublimated plate, or a variety of Maltese cross or shield plaques that can be personalized as a tribute to their lives and service.
A very large part of the memorial products market is for four-legged family members. People love their pets, and they look for comfort and cling to memories when illness or age takes them away. Almost any of the bereavement gifts or memorials mentioned above would also be appropriate ways to pay tribute to a much-loved pet. A shadow box that displays photos, their collar, tags, or a favorite toy would be a cherished gift or memorial. Beautiful pet urns are available and can be personalized by lasering a photo, paw print, or verse of some kind into the lid. Or others can hold a sublimated tile.
Memorial markers are also something you can offer your customers to honor a departed family member or pet with several substrates suitable for creating them. You’ll need to determine if they’ll be placed indoors or outdoors in the elements and use one that’s appropriate for the conditions.
Meditation gardens and memorial parks are a loving way to honor lost loved ones or to commemorate a place where a tragic or historical event took place, whether it’s a small garden in the back yard, or a larger community garden or park. You can provide a beautiful sign or donor plaque acknowledging a donation in someone’s memory. Items such as a park benches, water fountains, playground equipment, picnic shelters, or plants and trees are great ideas. Also consider the sponsorship of something like an art exhibit or community program.
Consider memorializing a dog park built in honor of a lost pet or an animal lover. Cast aluminum plaques in various shapes and sizes that can be directly laser engraved, or that hold an engraved plate suitable for the conditions are ideal for markers of this type and are available for wall mount or with a stake so they can be put in the ground. Use sublimatable outdoor panels to preserve and display photos, provide information, or tell the story of who the park or garden was built in honor of or what event took place on the site.
Whether your customer is looking for a meaningful memorial or bereavement gift or just an engraved plate to embellish what they already have, chances are you can provide it for them. Use what you already have available in your shop and your imagination to create a few thoughtful, tasteful tributes. What makes an elegant award or gift can also be an heirloom memorial that will be treasured just by changing how it’s personalized. Add them to your website and advertising to let customers and potential customers know that you can accommodate their memorial needs. Your options are many, and they offer you a great way to expand your business into the memorial market without making a big upfront investment.
