The amazing marketing secret of a desperate undertaker from South Africa

Although I have used my own words to tell this story, it is 100% true.

I recently talked to the owner of a NOW big undertaker service based in South Africa. He bought the business as a franchise and he does extremely well. In the last year, he has paid off his mortgage, bought a farm and his enjoying live.

But it was not always like that. He told me that barely 4 years ago, he could hardly afford even basic things like fuel for his car. They really struggled to stay afloat and the situation was desperate.

Being a marketer, I was really interested in how they turned it around. So I asked him what his secret was. I leaned a bit closer expecting to hear some sort of breakthrough method that enabled him to save his business and go on to prosper.

He unleashed his secret: "All I have today, all we have achieved over the past couple of years all comes down to one simple action. We have helped enough other people to get what they want to finally receive all that for which we have dreamed for, for so many years.

Don't discredit this because you've heard it before. This is one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) "secret" to achieve that of which you dream.

He told me how it all got started. Sitting in his office on a hot South African summers day with bills piled up to the roof and desperation piled up even further, an elderly lady walked into the shop. Her husband had just passed away and she needed the services of an undertaker. Only problem was, she had very little money, not even enough to cover the service at cost price.

My friend looked at the lady and saw the sad in her eyes. He could really identify with her situation as he was in the same boat struggling to stay afloat. Then, in a moment of inspiration, he asked her "How much can you afford?" Came her answer "$12". "Then we will do the funeral for $12" he declared much to the surprise of his wife and 2 staff.

They did the funeral and something strange happened. Very slowly orders started to come in. But the story is not quite finished. More and more "charity" cases arrived at the shop as word of mouth spread among the community. All their profit went into helping these people. At the same time an even stranger thing was going on. They where staying afloat. The profit orders where enough to cover costs and help the charity orders.

Then one day a man walked into the shop. His wife of 52 years has passed away and he needed an undertaker. Brushing aside the price lists of the different options my friend handed to him, he reached into his jacket pocket and gave him a check for $27,000 and said simply "She was the best part of my life for more than half a century".

The cost of the funeral came to just over $14,000. My friend informed the man of this and he said "Then the rest is for your pocket". Writing it off as a one time thing, my friend carried on with his business as usual after the funeral. Then it happened....

Once, then again and again and again. More and more situations like the one with the old man. Each with his own unique tale. For each charity funeral he did, he did 2 funerals where the profit was ridiculous.

He had accidentally stumbled on to the biggest wealth creation secret know to man. He told me that he later learned of the "secret" and credit his success to this, but he had no idea that when he was helping those people in need to get what they want, he was actually helping himself to eventually achieve what he wants.

His story really grabbed me and I thought I'd share it here.

Sam Dunning