A small range of well-proportioned designs can make quoting and repeat orders easier. Choose the shapes, colors and finishes your customers regularly request. On a simple monument, uneven edges, dull patches and crowded lettering are easy to notice, so keep workmanship central to the choice. Fewer details do not automatically mean a higher profit.
Keep your product range easy to order
| Option | Commercial control |
|---|---|
| Size and profile | Use a limited approved drawing family |
| Granite | Offer current, sample-approved materials |
| Finish | Define every visible face and transition |
| Lettering | Set usable fields, type hierarchy and approval rules |
| Accessories | Add only where cemetery rules and customer demand support them |
Include all costs when working out your margin
Include freight, handling, storage, lettering and any remakes when working out your margin. A simple design can still be expensive if it uses a large piece of stone or needs a lot of finishing work.
Quality checks matter more on simple forms
Inspect symmetry, flatness, edge transitions, polish consistency, lettering placement and base fit. Small differences can be visually prominent when decoration is limited.
Simplicity is a design choice, not a margin guarantee
Bryan Poirier’s Connection Through Simplicity, published in MBNews in April 2021, links restrained memorial design with personal meaning. His discussion suggests that a simple form need not be impersonal. It does not establish a current sales forecast, a universal customer preference or a measured profit uplift.
For a retailer, begin with the family’s priorities: which name, inscription or design detail should carry the attention? Then approve the spacing, surface transitions and material sample. Reducing ornament is not a reason to relax finishing checks, and a large plain monument may use more stone than a smaller decorated one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do minimalist monuments always cost less?
No. Material, size, finish, lettering, packing and quantity still determine cost.
How many options should a retailer offer?
Use enough options to fit verified demand while keeping drawing, quoting and inventory control manageable.
What should I keep for repeat orders?
Keep approved drawings, finish samples, material references, inspection images and sell-through data.
Sources and further reading
- MBNews — Publisher archive: Bryan Poirier, Quincy Memorials, “Connection Through Simplicity,” April 2021, pp. 14–17. Historical design commentary, not a current demand or margin forecast.
Updated October 5, 2026. Check the current requirements for your destination and order.