Are you about starting a private cemetery?

If YES, here is a complete sample private

cemetery business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a private cemetery. We also
took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample private cemetery service marketing plan
template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for private cemetery
organizations. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.
Why Start a Private Cemetery?
It is an undeniable fact that death is one inevitable part in the equation of human existence,
and so the need to prepare for it cannot be overlooked. Some people go as far as buying
insurance to take care of their own funeral when they die; whilst others state clearly in
their ‘will’ the type of funeral they would prefer. This goes to show that the funeral home
business will always thrive as long as human exist.
If you are in need of a business that will always provide services that would never go into
extinction, then delving into cemetery services business should be a business you need to
consider. Although most people would rather do some other form of businesses rather than
opt for cemetery services business because of its delicate and emotional nature. However,
fact remains that this business is a money spinner and it will always stand the test of time.
If you are sure this type of business is what you truly want to do after you must have
conducted your feasibility studies and market research, then the next step to follow is to
write a good business plan. Below is a sample cemetery services business plan template
that will help you successfully write yours without much stress;

A Sample Cemetery Service Business Plan Template

 Industry Overview

The cemetery services industry comprises of businesses that primarily operate sites or
constructions reserved solely for the interment of human or animal remains. The industry
also includes companies that offer cremation services.
If you are a closer watcher of the Cemetery Services industry, you will rightly observe that
the industry is one of few industries that successfully dug it out of the recessionary woes
that once plagued its companies during the recession period in the United States.
With increasing disposable income and a growing proportion of US citizens reaching 65
years and older, families have become far more likely to purchase high-value industry
merchandise and burial services, thereby increasing the revenue generated in the industry.
These factors are expected to continue going forward. Nevertheless, experts projected the
number of cremations is going to rise, hence threatening the growth in the cemetery
services industry.
The Cemetery Services industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in
all parts of the world especially in developed countries such as United States of America,
Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia and Italy et al.
Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 7,112 licensed
and cemetery services companies scattered all across the United States of America and
they are responsible for employing about 33,518 employees.
The industry rakes in a whooping sum of $4bn annually with an annual growth rate
projected at 4.1 percent within 2011 and 2016. The establishments with the lion share of the
available share in the industry are SCI and StoneMor.
A recent report published by IBISWORLD reveals that the regions with the greatest
concentration of cemeteries and crematories in the United States are the Mid-Atlantic, the
Southeast and the Great Lakes. The distribution of cemeteries and crematories is related to
population trends and age structure. Additionally, consumer preferences for cremation,
opposed to burials, are another important factor that can influence the share of
establishments.
The report further stated that the Mid-Atlantic has the greatest share of cemeteries in the
United States in 2016, estimated at 26.5 percent of the total. Pennsylvania is the most
heavily concentrated state in the country in terms of industry establishments, holding an
estimated 10.9 percent of cemeteries and crematories in 2016. New York follows as a close
second with 9.6 percent of establishments.
No doubt, as the population ages, it is obvious that the number of deaths in the United
States and all over the world is anticipated to increase and this will in turn create market for
the cemetery services industry. Nonetheless, continued competition from discount retailers
and the ease of online ordering from casket manufacturers, as well as a rise in low-priced
cremations, are expected to curtail prices for funeral home operators.
If you are contemplating starting your own cemetery services business in the United States,
you should ensure that you carry out a thorough market survey and feasibility studies. If you
get some key factors wrong before starting your own cemetery services business, then you
are likely going to struggle to stay afloat.

Private Cemetery Service Business Plan – Executive Summary

Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is a registered and licensed cemetery business that
will be located in the outskirt of Cape May – New Jersey in a neatly renovated and secured
government approved facility; a facility that is specifically designed and equipped with the
needed facility for a world – class cemetery services.
We will offer services such as interment services, sale of graves, plots and other spaces,
cemetery maintenance and upkeep, mausoleum operation, crematory operation,
columbarium operation, memorial garden supervision, animal and pet cemetery
management amongst other related services.
Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is a family owned and managed business that
believe in the passionate pursuit of excellence and financial success with uncompromising
services and integrity which is why we have decided to venture into the cemetery services
industry by establishing our own cemetery services company.
We are certain that our values will help us drive the business to enviable heights and also
help us attract the numbers of clients that will make our business breakeven within the
shortest time frame possible.
At Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. we will arrange services in accordance with the
wishes of surviving friends and family members of the deceased, whether immediate next of
kin or an executor so named in a legal will. We will take care of the necessary paperwork,
permits, and other details, such as making arrangements with the cemetery, and providing
obituaries to the news media. We will go as far as posting obituaries online and use
materials submitted by families to create memorial websites
We are going to be a customer-centric cemetery services business with a service culture
that will be deeply rooted in the fabric of our organizational structure and indeed at all levels
of the organization. With that, we know that we will be enables to consistently achieve our
set business goals, increase our profitability and reinforce our positive long-term
relationships with our clientele, partners (vendors), and all our employees as well.
Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. will at all times demonstrate her commitment to
sustainability, both individually and as a firm, by actively participating in our communities
and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.
We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our
customers’ needs precisely and completely whenever they patronize our products. We will
cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a
living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our customers.
Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is a family business that is owned and managed by
Clement Jenkins and his immediate family members. Clement Jenkins has college degrees
in Mortuary Science and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He has over 10
years of hands on experience working in the cemetery services industry both at state and
national level before starting Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc.

 Our Services and Amenities

Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is set to operate a standard cemetery services
company in. The fact that we want to become a force to reckon with in the cemetery
services industry means that we will go all the way out to give our clients a lasting and
pleasant memory of their bereaved family members and friend.
We will render services that that will make them want to come back as well as recommend
our cemetery services to their friends, family members and business partners. These are
the services and amenities that will be made available to our clients;

 Cemetery maintenance and upkeep / Providing graveside committal services

 Mausoleum operation
 Columbarium operation
 Memorial garden supervision
 Animal and pet cemetery management
 Interment services /Providing funeral services
 Sale of graves, plots and other spaces
 Providing embalming services
 Providing mortician services
 Selling funeral merchandise (e.g. caskets, flowers and obituary notices)
 Transporting the deceased
Our Vision Statement
Our vision is to establish a cemetery services brand that will become the number one
choice for residence in the whole of Cape May – New Jersey and other cities in the United
States. Our vision reflects our values: integrity, service, safety, excellence and teamwork.

 Our Mission Statement

Our mission is to deliver reliable, genuinely, caring and excellent cemetery services superior
to what our competitions can offer in any location where our cemetery services will be
situated and to ensure that we work hard to grow our cemetery services company to be
listed amongst the top 10 cemetery services company in the United States of America.

 Our Business Structure

The success of any business is to a larger extent dependent on the business structure of
the organization and the people who occupy the available role in the organization. Although
Glorious Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is a family run business, we will still work with a
business structure that will give room to the minimal employees (mostly part – time
employees) to explore their creativity, feel belong and full integrate into the organization’s
philosophy.
We are aware that when recruiting for a business such as cemetery services company, your
aim should be to look for people who can handle grieving and bereaved people not just
people looking for a job in other to be able to pay their bills and that is exactly what we will
look out for. We will only recruit people with good customers’ service skills, people with
compassion, people who can empathize, who love this line of business and people who
don’t have any problem handling dead bodies.
We will not make the mistake of recruiting people with the wrong skill sets, because we
know they can ruin our business before it even gets started. This is why we will make sure
we recruit smartly and wisely; people with the right mindset to help us achieve our business
goals and objectives in record time.
In view of that, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the
following positions;

 Chief Executive Officer

 Cemetery Services Director
 Human Resources and Administrative Manager
 Accountants / Cashiers
 Mortician, Undertaker and Cemetery Workers
 Marketing Officer (Contract Worker)
 Customer Service Executive
 Security Officer

Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:
  Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training,
coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies,
and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job
results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and
opinions providing educational opportunities.
 Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and
overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall
organization’s strategy.
 Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
 Responsible for providing direction for the business
 Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
 Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the magazine production and
distribution process
 Evaluates the success of the organization

Cemetery Services Director:

 Obtains information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates

or burial permits.
 Oversees the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
 Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as
obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
 Plans, schedules, or coordinates funerals, burials, or cremations, arranging details
such as floral delivery or the time and place of services.
 Arranges for clergy members to perform needed services.
 Gives instructions as it relates to the opening and closing of graves.
 Provides information on funeral service options, products, or merchandise and
maintain a casket display area.
 Informs survivors of benefits for which they may be eligible.
 Offers counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
 Discusses and negotiate prearranged funerals with clients.
 Maintains financial records, order merchandise, or prepare accounts.
 Provides or arrange transportation between sites for the remains, mourners,
pallbearers, clergy, or flowers.
 Plans placement of caskets at funeral sites or place or adjust lights, fixtures, or floral
displays.
 Directs preparations and shipment of bodies for out-of-state burial.
 Manages cemetery services operations, including the hiring, training, or supervision
of embalmers, funeral attendants, or other staff.
 Arranges for pallbearers or inform pallbearers or honorary groups of their duties.
 Receives or ushers people to their seats for services.
 Participates in community activities for cemetery services promotion or other
purposes.
 Provides emotional support to the bereaved
 Arranges for removal of the deceased’s body
 Files death certificate and other legal documents

Morticians, Undertakers and Cemetery Workers

  Performs various tasks to arrange and direct funeral services, such as coordinating
transportation of body to mortuary, cemetery maintenance and upkeep / Providing
graveside committal services, mausoleum operation, columbarium operation, and
memorial garden supervision
 Handles the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
 Handles the removal of the deceased’s body
 Performs embalming duties as necessary
 Closes caskets and lead funeral corteges to churches or burial sites.
 Prepares the remains (body)
 Interviews family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers,
aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for
mourners.

Admin and HR Manager

 Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for
the organization
 Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders;
evaluating new products.
 Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance
requirements; calling for repairs.
 Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading
professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in
professional organizations.
 Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for
accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job
accomplishments.
 Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
 Carries out staff induction for new team members
 Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
 Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
 Oversees the smooth running of the daily office activities.

Marketing and Sales Officer

 Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new partners, and business opportunities et
al
 Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts;
participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of
development projects.
 Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with company
policy
 Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies
for the business
 Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and
communicate with clients
 Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
 Documents all customer contact and information
  Represents the company in strategic meetings
 Helps to increase sales and growth for the company

Accountant / Cashier:

 Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the
organization
 Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and
accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed
projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
 Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
 Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting
 Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
 Responsible for administering payrolls
 Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
 Handles all financial transactions for the organization
 Serves as internal auditor for the organization

Client Service Executive

 Welcomes clients and potential clients by greeting them in person or on the

telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
 Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides
the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
 Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s
interest in the company’s products and services
 Manages administrative duties assigned by the general manager in an effective and
timely manner
 Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products,
promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to
clients when they make enquiries
 Receives parcels / documents for the company
 Distributes mails in the organization
 Handles any other duties as assigned by the human resources and admin manager.

Security Officer:

 Ensures that the facility is secured at all time

 Controls traffic and organize parking
 Gives security tips to staff members from time to time
 Patrols around the building on a 24-hour basis
 Submits security reports weekly
 Any other duty as assigned by the funeral home director.

Private Cemetery Service Business Plan – SWOT Analysis

Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is fully aware that they are coming into an industry that can
be highly competitive which is why they have decided to pay attention to the SWOT analysis
for the organization. We know that once we are able to identify our strength, our weakness,
our threats and the opportunity that is available to us, we will be able to come up with good
business strategies that will help us achieve all our business goals and objectives.
We know that if we get things right before starting our cemetery services business, we will
not have to struggle before attract loyal clients and building our membership base to a level
where we can easily breakeven in record time. We hired the services of Dr. Cosmos
Princeville, a HR and Business consultant with bias in business structuring to help us
conduct SWOT analysis for our company and he did a pretty good job for us.
Here is a preview of the result we got from the SWOT analysis that was conducted on
behalf of Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc.;

 Strength:

Our area of strength cannot be farfetched; the location of our cemetery services company is
perfect for such business, our management team has robust experience in the cemetery
services industry, our customer’s services is second to none in the whole of Cape May – NJ
and our facility is top notch and highly secured 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

 Weakness:

We critically looked into our business model and we were able to identify two major
weakness. One is the fact that we are a new business and the second is the fact that we
may not have the financial resources required to match up with existing and leading
cemetery services companies in Cape May – New Jersey and also generating the needed
hypes that can drive traffic towards our facility.

 Opportunities:

One thing is certain, people will always die and they would need the services of cemetery
services industry. Our cemetery services facility is well – located in busy area, hence there
are loads of business opportunities for us. Besides we are the only cemetery services within
a 45 miles’ radius where ours is located.

 Threat:

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a cemetery services business
operating in the United States are unfavorable government policies – the government, the
arrival of a competitor within our location of operations and global economic downturn which
usually affects purchasing / spending power. There is hardly anything we can do as regards
these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.
Private Cemetery Service Business Plan – MARKET ANALYSIS

 Market Trends

If you are a closer watcher of the trends in the Cemetery Services industry, you will rightly
observe that the industry is one of few industries that successfully dug itself out of the
recessionary woes that once plagued its companies during the recession period in the
United States.
With increasing disposable income and a growing proportion of US citizens reaching 65
years and older, families have become far more likely to purchase high-value industry
merchandise and burial services, thereby increasing the revenue generated in the industry.
These factors are expected to continue going forward. Nevertheless, experts projected the
number of cremations is going to rise, hence threatening the growth in the cemetery
services industry.
Lastly, cemetery services businesses in the United States of America are traditionally run by
families except for few instances and there are various insurance companies that have
funeral insurance policies for their clients. Building a good working relationship with them
will position your cemetery services business to help them handle some of their policy
holders.
You can also help them market their funeral insurance cover with the agreement that you
will be the one to handle the funerals of the customers you bring to them. This is of course
will be a win-win for both parties, and every business person would want to go into such
agreement.

 Our Target Market

It will be safe to say that the target market for cemetery services cuts across people of all
class, race, religion, and culture as long as they value their deceased loved ones and would
want to give them befitting burial or cremation as required.
In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various corporate
organizations and individual clients who we know can’t afford to do without our services. We
have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that our cemetery
services company is well accepted in the market place.
These are the groups of people we intend marketing our cemetery services to;

 Insurance companies
 Owners of mortuaries
 Hospitals
 Retirees and Pensioners
 Households
 Corporate Executives
 Government Officials
 Business People
 Celebrities
 Military Men and Women
 Sports Men and Women
 Everyone who resides in our target locations.

Private Cemetery Service Business Plan – Competitive Advantage

A close study of the cemetery services industry reveals that the market has become much
more intensely competitive over the last decade. As a matter of fact, you have to be highly
creative, customer centric and proactive if you must survive in this industry. We are aware
of the stiffer competition and we are well prepared to compete favorably with other leading
cemetery services companies in Cape May – New Jersey and throughout the United States
and Canada.
Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is launching a standard cemetery services provider that will
indeed become the preferred choice of residence of Cape May – New Jersey. We have
enough parking spaces that can accommodate well over 50 cars per time.
As a matter of fact, the location of our cemetery services company is perfect for such
business, our management team has robust experience in the cemetery services industry,
our customer’s services is second to none in the whole of Cape May – NJ and our facility is
top notch and highly secured 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among
the best within our category (startups cemetery services providers) in the industry meaning
that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set
goals and achieve all our aims and objectives. We will also give good working conditions
and commissions to freelance sales agents that we will recruit from time to time.
Private Cemetery Service Business Plan – SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

 Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

It is important to clearly state that in this dispensation, customers use the Internet to find
cemetery services providers, to read reviews, to view facility available and the location of
the cemetery services provider; loads of processes have gone digital. Which is why most
cemetery services companies are increasingly adopting technology and the internet for
marketing and advertising their business and we are not going to be left out.
We are quite aware that one of the ways to get people to patronize your cemetery services
company is to build good business relationship with owners of mortuaries, insurance
companies and hospitals et al. Having a good working relationship with people mortuaries
will enable them refers people to you; since their job is to preserve corpses and yours is to
conduct a befitting burial.
We will go all out to strike a deal with them that will ensure that they get a commission for
any referral we get from them. In summary, Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. will adopt the
following sales and marketing approach to win customers over;

 Building strong partnerships within our industry and with other stakeholders across
the United States of America
 Ensure that we put our market scale and knowledge to good use
 Continuously Improving the efficiency of our cemetery services and operating
processes
 Delivering consistent customer experiences to all our clients; making our first
impression count positively
 Hire the services of experts to make our brands the first choice for families and
corporate organizations
 Continuously Improving the performance of our brands
  Promote our business online via our official website and all available social media
platform
 Advertise our cemetery services business in relevant magazines, national dailies,
Satellite TV stations and Radio station
 Open our cemetery services business in a grand style with a party for all.
 Make use of attractive hand bills to create awareness and also to give direction to
our cemetery services facility
 Position our signage / flexi banners at strategic places in and around Cape – May,
New Jersey
 Create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our corporate clients such as
insurance companies and owners of mortuaries
 Engage on road shows within our neighborhood to create awareness for our
cemetery services business.

Sources of Income
Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the
cemetery services industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it
takes to attract guests on a regular basis and sign retainer – ship with most of our corporate
clients.
Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. will generate income by offering the following services for
individuals, families and for corporate organizations;

 Cemetery maintenance and upkeep / Providing graveside committal services

 Mausoleum operation
 Columbarium operation
 Memorial garden supervision
 Animal and pet cemetery management
 Interment services /Providing funeral services
 Sale of graves, plots and other spaces
 Providing embalming services
 Providing mortician services
 Selling funeral merchandise (e.g. caskets, flowers and obituary notices)
 Transporting the deceased

Sales Forecast
One thing is certain when it comes to providing cemetery services, if your facility is well
secured well positioned and you have the right business network, you will always attract
customers cum sales and that will sure translate to increase in revenue generation for the
business.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in Cape May – New Jersey and we
are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits
from the first six month of operations and grow the business and our clientele base.
We have been able to critically examine the cemetery services industry and we have
analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following
sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and
some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in Cape May – New Jersey.
Below are the sales projections for Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. it is based on the location
of our business and other factors as it relates to cemetery services providers start – ups in
the United States;

 First Fiscal Year-: $250,000

 Second Fiscal Year-: $450,000
 Third Fiscal Year-: $750,000

N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the
assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major
competitor offering same facility and services and customer care services as we do within
same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it
might be higher.

 Our Pricing Strategy

Our pricing system is going to be based on what is obtainable in the industry, we don’t
intend to charge more (except for premium and customized services) and we don’t intend to
charge less than our competitors are offering in the United States of America.
Be that as it may, we have put plans in place to discount our products and services once in
a while and also to reward our loyal customers (corporate clients such as insurance
companies and owners of mortuaries).

 Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is all inclusive because we
are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but
at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the
United States of America.
Here are the payment options that Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. will make available to her
clients;

 Payment via bank transfer

 Payment with cash
 Payment via POS
 Payment via mobile money platform
 Payment via online bank transfer
 Payment via check
 Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make
payment for services and products without any stress on their part. Our bank account
numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who
may want to deposit cash or make online transfer for our services and products.
Private Cemetery Service Business Plan – Publicity and Advertising Strategy
Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is in the cemetery services industry to make profit and we
can only make profit if we steadily increase our customer base. No doubt, in order to remain
relevant in the cemetery services industry in Cape May – New Jersey, we will continue to
create hype around our business brand.
We will ensure that we leverage on all conventional and non – conventional publicity and
advertising technique to promote our cemetery services brand. Here are the platforms we
intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc.;

 Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media
platforms
 Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
 Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook,
twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our services
 Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around Cape May – New Jersey
 Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
 Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
 Contact corporate organizations by calling them up and informing them of Exit®
Cemetery Services, Inc. and the services we offer
 List our cemetery services company in local directories / yellow pages
 Advertise our cemetery services company in our official website and employ
strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
 Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are
well branded with our company logo et al.

Start – Up Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to starting a cemetery services business, loads of factors influences the
amount that will be required to successful launch the business. Factors like the location you
intend starting the business, the size of the cemetery services business you want to start
i.e. the number of employees and facilities et al, and of course the state of the economy as
at when you intend start the business.
Here are the key areas where we intend spending our start – up capital;

 The fee for registering the business in the United States of America – $725.
 Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits as well as the accounting
services (software, P.O.S machines and other software) – $3,300.
 Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Exit® Cemetery Services,
Inc. in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per
copy) for the total amount of $3,580
 The cost of leasing a facility with government approval for the kind of business we
want to run – $100,000
 The amount needed to renovate our facility (electrical, furnishings, plumbing,
painting and landscaping) – $10,000.
 The cost for the purchase of furniture and equipment – $10,000
 Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
 Phone and utility deposits – $3,500
  The cost for initial inventories and supplies – $10,000.
 The Cost of launching a Website – $600
 The cost opening party – $5,000 (optional)
 The cost for payment of salaries for the first 3 months of operations – $50,000
 Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al)
– $5,000

Going by the report from our research and feasibility studies, we will need an average
of $200,000 to start a small scale but standard cemetery services business in the United
States of America.
Generating Funds / Startup Capital for Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc.
Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is a family business that will be owned by Mr. Clement
Jenkins and his immediate family members. They are the sole financial of the business
which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to
just three major sources.
These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

 Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
 Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family
members
 Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 (Personal savings $45,000 and soft
loan from family members $5,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility
of $200,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and
submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be
credited.
Private Cemetery Service Business Plan – Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have the capacity
and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If
all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before
the business close shop.
One of our major goals of starting Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. is to build a business that
will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources
once the business is officially running. We know that one of the ways of gaining approval
and winning customers over is to offer our cemetery services a little bit cheaper than what is
obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a
while.
Exit® Cemetery Services, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and
processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s
corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re –
training of our workforce is at the top burner.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our
management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or
more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the
best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the
business of our dreams.
Check List / Milestone

 Business Name Availability Check: Completed

 Business Registration: Completed
 Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
 Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
 Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
 Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
 Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
 Application for business license and permit: Completed
 Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
 Securing a standard facility with government approval: Completed
 Remodeling our facility: In Progress
 Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
 Generating capital from family members: Completed
 Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
 Writing of Business Plan: Completed
 Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
 Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
 Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
 Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: In
Progress
 Recruitment of employees: In Progress
 Purchase of the needed furniture, mattress, bed sheets, pillows, duvets, electronic
appliances, office appliances and kitchen utensils: In progress
 Creating official website for the company: Completed
 Creating awareness for the business both online and in the neighborhood: In
Progress
 Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
 Opening party / launching party planning: In Progress
 Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various
industries: In Progress