The Value of Business Systems
“The Value of Business Systems and How They Can Make You More Money.”
The Myth of Multi-Tasking
Assessing, prioritizing, assigning mental functions, tracking multiple activities, reflecting, HR issues, customer service, strategic planning, crisis management, all of these activities are vying for your time every day!
In our fast-paced workday we are likely to multitasking throughout the day, which causes us to run on adrenaline. Our bodies were never designed to constantly pump adrenaline. It is the product resulting from that “fight or flight” syndrome and is helpful in protecting us from danger. Prolonged production of adrenaline leads to physical damage. In fact when we are running on adrenaline for long periods of time we are actually less efficient than when we slow down and work on one thing at a time!
We need to find ways to lessen daily stress that can result from multitasking. Even though we think we are very capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously, the truth is that we cannot do it. It may feel that we are performing activities together, but reality is that we do one, closely followed by another, rather than simultaneously. Like a computer.
It is important that we counter this need for multitasking so let’s ask ourselves these questions:
- What system can we create to capture everything that needs to get done without trying to remember it? This will allow us to use our brain for higher level creative thinking, not for storage of things to do!
- How can we group similar activities together, such as making all of our phone calls in one block, then shifting to email, then filing papers, instead of bouncing back and forth among the different types of work?
- Could we set up a system where we block time each day (one or more hours) where we limit phone and email interruptions and focus on just the work that will move our business forward?
- What technology could we use to help remind ourselves, sort different tasks into groups and organize our day into productive chunks so that we will trust our systems and not try and remember everything?
Lastly, and most importantly, we must understand the difference between working in our business: handling calls, replying to emails, reacting to crisis, HR issues etc. versus working on our business: strategic planning, reviewing our numbers, tracking results of marketing campaigns etc.
Article shared by Your Empowered Solutions, LLC
Jamie Chavez | Katherine Clausen
www.YourEmpoweredSolutions.com | info@YourEmpoweredSolutions.com
Why People Unsubscribe from Email Lists
Emails that work for you
You’ve worked hard to build your email list and put a lot of time and effort into setting up a marketing campaign…. Then you start to see your unsubscribe numbers climbing, what’s wrong? A recent study revealed the most common reasons people unsubscribe from your list:
- 54% say emails come to frequently
- 49% state content is boring or repetitive
- 47% say the volume of total emails is overwhelming
- 25% consider the email content was irrelevant from the beginning
Let’s review some tips on how to keep your subscribers engaged, interested, and looking forward to your next email:
Don’t overwhelm subscribers with too many emails in too short a period of time. Think through what you want to accomplish with your email campaigns and the audience you are appealing to; new prospects may require more touches for a shorter period of time, and well established clients may only need periodic updates or reminders over a longer time span.
Don’t send out irrelevant content. Make sure the message is on target for that specific audience. Make sure the content is fresh and timely. Don’t let a time crunch or lack of attention on your part seduce you into simply recycling old articles!
Do use emails to create your unique brand with your subscriber list. This is an excellent opportunity to provide valuable insights and content that will increase the recipient’s inclination to open your email and never think of unsubscribing.
Do use a long term email marketing plan that incorporates an automated emailing system that assists you in delivering a consistent, timely message over a specific period of time. Not only can you determine the message, the timing and the length of time, but take the opportunity to develop a branding relationship with your email campaigns.
While you can’t control the overall volume of email subscribers receive, you can increase your open ratios by providing relevant, timely, on target content and build your brand as a valued resource!
Why Upgrade Your Selling Skills?
With all the advances in communication technology, our ability to access information 24/7 has never been greater. It would follow that it MUST be easier and quicker to make a buying decision. I submit, that in many instances, buyers face information overload and decisions are delayed or put off because the decision making process has become more complex. Additionally, the recent economic downturn has made buyers more careful with their available financial resources.
As the buying decision grows more complex, it is essential for those that sell to upgrade their selling skills. To achieve long term growth, you must constantly evolve and improve as a salesperson.
The sales environment has changed. All of us face compressed time issues. We wear multiple hats at work and spend more time interacting with work thru email and text messaging on our mobile devices, which equates to more hours of work! Not to mention normal family activities and functions, that result in a busier 24 hour+ hour day! Maximize your points of contact with a client, don’t waste their time and they will appreciate it and be more willing to listen to your message in the future.
Prospects are more savvy. They grow immune to the same old worn out phrases, expressions and pitches; at some point it just becomes background noise. Find a way to brand yourself as a unique resource, an industry expert and person that provides value and a solution to their needs.
It requires multiple contacts to get the prospect to a point to make the buying decision. Your competition is out their working too! It can take 6-10 points of contact over an extended period of time to get the sale. Utilizing a customizable Drip Email Campaign provides timely, consistent communication with a prospect as they work through the decision making process.
Contact us at AgencyIQ and let us assist you with designing a unique, powerful drip email campaign for prospects, cross selling to existing clients and higher retention ratios for long term customer relationships.
Young Agents Speak out on Generation Differences and Technology Needs
Young agents talk about the generational differences among agency employees and consumers and point to ways in which the generations can work better together and how they can help their agencies attract more young customers. They speak to the inefficiencies in current agency technology and the need to have improved automation to meet their customers’ expectations for a real-time response. The young agents also discuss additional value added services their agencies could provide their customers, as well as urge carriers to provide readily available underwriters.
Check out the full article here…Independent Agents and Brokers of America
Top Online Marketing Trends for 2012
If you don’t have an online presence, 2011 was the year for you to make the move online! If you still don’t have an online presence, things let’s get focused for 2012 and review the list below to see how you can maximize your impact with online marketing.
- Social media marketing goes mainstream. Corporate use of social media has reached a tipping point and will continue to grow inside organizations, especially in customer service. Social ad spending has grown from $2.52 billion in 2009 to $4.26 billion projected in 2011.
- Gone mobile. The evolution and adoption smartphones has taken the market to a very mobile environment. Over 30% of cell phones are smartphones and that category is growing. While email remains the dominate use of smartphones, the explosion of mobile apps creates a tremendous opportunity for mobile marketing. The ability to search on the go is providing a huge marketing opportunity for those willing to participate.
- Online retail is gaining traction. Online retailers continue to take market share from the traditional brick-and-mortar retail stores. While still a small percentage of total retail revenue, it is projected to grow from $166 billion to $235 billion in 2013. Social media will continue to expand its influence due to its ability to target and appeal to consumers early, often and in a cost effective manner throughout the decision making phase.
- Intergration is a reality. Social media marketing is no longer a nice afterthought or “toy” to play with. The new paradigm is a total marketing plan that incorporates social media, mobile, email and traditional methods (TV, print, radio, etc…). All of these methods will mesh together to present a new comprehensive marketing environment.
- Measuring the results. As the dollars invested in social media marketing increase, tracking, measuring and analyzing results will be required. Better social media metrics will be developed to justify the financial investment based on ROI,
As you begin your marketing initiatives for 2012, keep these trends in mind and incorporate online, social media and mobile device marketing campaigns in your plan.
New Year – NEW FEATURES in 2012!
New AgencyIQ Features
Happy New Year 2012! A new year brings new OPPORTUNITIES…. and AgencyIQ has rolled out New Features that will have a positive impact on your marketing in 2012. The best news is….. they’re FREE!
*Upgraded Email Certificate – promotes improved deliverablity and open ratios for emails to your prospects and clients….FREE!
*Newsletters - send a monthly Newsletter to up to 2,000 recepients per month….FREE!
*Mirrored Emails - receive emails to any email address outside of AgencyIQ… great for mobile applications or remote use and keeps a record of all of your correspondence…FREE!
ALL of these New Features are fully integrated into the AgencyIQ workflow platform and create a fully robust Marketing System for your agency!
Check out these new features in our “Lunch-n-Learn” webinars on Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00pm CST. You can also learn more about Newsletters by clicking on the following link Webinar Schedule
AgencyIQ is excited to bring these Powerful, New Tools to you for 2012….
Let us help you Grow with our AgencyIQ Marketing System!
Developing Lifelong Customers
As a business, we invest a lot of resources to find, develop and sell new customers. Once we obtain the gratification of a sale, what do we do then? Hope they come back? Maybe buy from us again? Don’t let that treasured client disappear! Follow the steps outlined below and maintain that relationship for life!
- Deliver on promises – sounds simple, but by following through with a commitment, you show your integrity, that the customer is important, and that you have their best interests in mind.
- Exceed expectations – don’t do the minimum! Take the extra step to put an exclamation at the end of their customer experience. Make them think “WOW!” when they walk out the door.
- Make the Customer #1 – don’t sacrifice a long term relationship for a short term profit gain. Do what is right for the customer and keep the door open to additional business opportunities. There is a great deal of truth in the old adage “the customer is always right”.
- Nurture your staff – they are the face of your company! Keeping a loyal, happy, empowered, long tenured staff is one of the single best steps to keeping lifelong customers. Treat your staff as well as you expect them to treat the customers….
- Choose the right lifelong customers – I know this seems crazy, but some customers are just not worth keeping around. Knowing the cost to keeping a customer long term is essential. If you are putting more resources into keeping the customer around than you can ever hope to recover in revenue, it’s necessary to cut them loose. Re-invest those resources into customers that a good fit for your business.
Monitoring your customer’s experience with your company and listening to what they say will help keep you on track in your efforts. Informal surveys, personal observation and simple conversations with clients will provide invaluable clues to how good a job you are doing. Southwest Airlines and Chick-fil-A are doing something right!!
AgencyIQ Newsletters are AVAILABLE!
AgencyIQ Newsletters
AgencyIQ has rolled out another powerful tool to engage your prospects and clients while building your brand. Newsletters are the perfect compliment to an on-going drip email campaign. With AgencyIQ, you now have the ability to coordinate your drip email efforts with the “POP” of a well timed Newsletter.
Newsletters are a great way to:
*Cross-sell
*Send reminders to review coverages
*Provide emergency contact info in case of a disaster
*Seasonal and Holiday greetings
*Build your Brand and Relationships
As an AgencyIQ subscriber, you have the ability to send a Newsletter to 2,000 receipents per month….. FREE! Additional mailings are available, contact us for rates.
We want to help you with implementing your Newsletter campaigns, so visit our webinar schedule and register online! Our Webinar Schedule will feature a series of Sessions devoted to Newsletters!
Mirrored Emails….What’s That?
View Training Video
When the Tech Team came out with this feature, I was like…Uh-Oh… What is it and how do I explain it? Turns out it’s Very Simple and VERY COOL! This new feature allows you to store all of your email correspondence inside AgencyIQ AND in another email address. So, for example, you receive an email into AgencyIQ, it will also show up in your Outlook or other email address. Many of you have requested this feature and now its functioning inside your AgencyIQ account. Follow these steps to activate this feature in AgencyIQ:
*Go to “My Settings” in the top right hand corner
*Click on the “Email Configuration” Tab
*Type in your “Mirrored Email Address” in the 2nd Box
*Click “Save”
That’s it! Now, anything you do inside AgencyIQ or your other email address server will be “mirrored” in both accounts. If you’re on the move or don’t have time to sign into AgencyIQ, you can still see all of your correspondence inside your other email address. This also provides accurate tracking of ALL of your email correspondence with clients, no matter if it orignates from AgencyIQ or your other email address!’
If you have any questions about this NEW feature or any of our other NEW features that have rolled out in the last few weeks, visit our website www.agencyiq.net and contact us for assistance or an overview of all of our new features!
Improved Email Deliverability in 2012
Increase Your Exposure
AgencyIQ has recently UPGRADED our email delivery performance by partnering with SendGrid. This new partnership will dramaticaly increase email deliverability and open ratios for emails sent through AgencyIQ. Without boring you with a lot of technical details, simply put, this higher certification rating will result in more emails getting through filters and security because of our “good email citizenship” rating with this certificiation platform.
So what does this mean for you and your agency?
(MORE DELIVERIES + MORE OPENS)+MORE CLIENTS = $$
The best news is that all of this happens behind the scenes, so you don’t have to do anything different…AND… IT’S FREE! By being a subscriber to the AgencyIQ system, you are the beneficiary of our constant, on-going efforts to bring you the most up-to-date, innovative technology and workflow tools to help you grow your business!
Contact us today at AgencyIQ
