Posts Tagged ‘Marketing’
CALLING IT QUITS
Mike Modano, the star forward for the Dallas Stars hockey team, has probably played his last professional hockey game. I was one of the fortunate few to be in the stands for his last Home game appearance. What a night to remember: Modano had an assist on a goal, scored the game tying goal late in the 3rd period and scored a goal in the overtime shoot out to win the game against his nemisis the Anaheim Ducks! Talk about a story book ending to a career….. And a perfect end to a career spent with one organization for his entire career, playing key roles as leading scorer, team captain and mentor and elder statesman in the locker room as his career ended. A truly humble player and man, Mike gave back to hockey and the community; generous with his time, money and talents, the city of Dallas is better for his involvement over the last 16 years. The Dallas Stars have some mighty big skates to fill with Mo’s departure.
In our careers, we’ve all know a few Mike Modano’s. People that embody the spirit of our company, contributing at the highest level, team players, always encouraging those around them and bringing out the best performance of others through their example in action. You just can’t imagine how you’d survive without that person! Unfortunately, most organizations don’t plan ahead in anticipation of key personnel eventually leaving. Do you as a business owner have key personnel that you depend on to carry the load? We all do, but do you have a plan on how to move forward if/when they leave? Succession planning is usually way down the list of strategic planning activities, but it is vital to the sustained growth of an organization that you have a plan for replacing key employees. To keep your company vibrant, forward thinking and prepared, having a potential talent pool of internal or external resources is not only smart, it will save you and your organization a lot of heart ache when the day comes for a key employee to be replaced. As a owner/manager, it’s important to recognize the Modano’s in your organization and look ahead on how to deal with the void after their last “game”.
TUMBLING DOWN
Ever hear the John Mellencamp song “Tumbling Down”? That’s what I thought of when the old Texas Stadium in Irving, TX was demolished recently. Being a native of the area and a huge Cowboys fan as long as I can remember, I could not convince myself to join all those who watched in person or on TV the destruction of a place that held so many memories. Landry, Staubach, Lilly, Aikman, Irvin, Smith, the Ring of Honor, NFC Championship games…. The list goes on and on. And yes, I do believe the hole in the roof was there so God could watch His team play! What was once a state of the art facility featured in numerous movies and mesmerized Sunday football viewers on TV, had, over the years, suffered from age, neglect and a public that demanded new heights of technology to keep their intrest. No lingering, slow demise for this former showcase, Jerry Jones, the eternal promoter, made Texas Stadium’s last hurrah another money making deal. It was even sponsored by Kraft Foods (I don’t get it… but they ponied up the cash, the single largest requirement). Faster than you can say “Kraft macaroni and cheese”, Texas Stadium disappeared in a cloud of dust, soon to be a distant memory of those who will remember her in her glory days!
Yes friends, even those monuments that seem indestructible on their christening day, have their eventual fall from favor and are replaced. So it is with the tools we use to run our business. Technology changes constantly, computers and communication systems require constant review and the software we use to manage our data is always undergoing tweaks and updates. Over the next few weeks and months, you will be receiving notices of important enhancements to the AgencyIQ operating system. Future blogs and newsletters will detail these enhancements that will make your lead management efforts more effective, efficient and increase your book of business. AgencyIQ is committed to delivering to our clients the tools you need to grow your business. Please look for these announcements and let us know what you think!!
Hidden Dangers
I noticed on the Internet yesterday that President Obama’s results from his first health check up as Commander –in-Chief were released. Good news! President Obama was declared in “excellent health” by the examining doctors. The 48 year old Obama reportedly works out 6 mornings a week, plays basketball regularly and appears to be the picture of good health. Read further into the report and you discover he has tendinitis of the knee, borderline high cholesterol (total cholesterol at 209, with the “bad” LDL cholesterol very high) and has yet to stop that persistent, lingering cigarette habit! I wish President Obama well in his efforts to reduce his cholesterol levels and kick the cigarette habit.
But this does bring to mind two thoughts regarding how we determine how “healthy” things are in our lives. The first thought relates to the health of your clients. Not just their physical health, but their insurance coverage health. Do you let them come to you if they feel like they need a coverage review every 5-10 years or are you proactive, providing them an annual review of their coverage’s? Do you bring them current information on policy updates or coverage changes that could impact them negatively if an accident occurs? I would encourage you to build a lasting bond with your clients by providing those services and help them understand you are truly interested in their welfare.
The second thought relates to the relative “health” of your business. When was the last time you gave your business a check up? Do you just figure everything is “good to go” as long as nothing breaks down? Do you schedule a periodic review of your business practices, new trends in the market, changes in the economy or society that could impact the health of your business? Being aware of changes and trends early on will provide an opportunity to address those issues and make any necessary adjustments or changes to ensure the continued good health of your business.
The bottom line is this: we all have small, hidden areas of our “health” that can be addressed. If you ignore those areas, then potentially BAD KARMA will ensue. On the other hand, if you investigate, discover and address those areas for improvement…. Odds are the GOOD KARMA will continue to follow you! AgencyIQ wants to help you with those GOOD KARMA opportunities. Give us a call or look us up on the Internet at www.agencyiq.com and see how our robust, proactive lead management and email marketing programs will bring the GOOD KARMA to your agency!
“Plan? …We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Plan”
Humphrey Bogart
Unfortunately that famous line from Humphrey Bogart’s movie The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, “Badges? We an’t got not no badges. We don’t need no badges! I don’t have to show you no stinkin’badges!” is often one of the most misquoted lines in movie history, in fact, when I first started writing this, I had to correct myself when using the quote! That being said, let’s get to the point of this blog……. Planning. Our last blog discussed planning on a global, big picture scale. Let’s focus on what it means to you, as an individual running your business! The first step is to realize “WE NEED A PLAN!” How do you go about developing a plan that will be meaningful and effective for your business? There are many templates and programs that will assist you with the fundamentals, a simple Google search will provide a wealth of information. It’s what you put in the plan that counts! Following are some ideas and thoughts that you may want to consider as you develop your plan:
• What is changing in your industry?
• What is changing in technology and how does it impact your ability to connect with customers
• What is changing with your customers?
• What is changing in the economy?
We all know the traditional ways to reach out to customers….. mailings, telemarketing, mass emails and others. But what is going to grab your customer’s attention, how can you convince them to choose you over all the other alternatives in the market? Think about the following:
• Provide value, beyond the product – value in personal attention and customization
• Make yourself unique – find a way to differentiate yourself from the competition
• Build Relationships – showing the customer you really are invested in helping them make the best decisions and choices with your expertise. They will count on you to make sure their best interests are being looked after!
• Network in the community…. Join the Chamber of Commerce, sponsor a youth activity, help with a charity event, get involved in local professional groups
The key is your plan should focus on cultivating a two-way relationship with your customers. Yes, the new technology of Social Media is important, but so is an act so simple most of us have forgotten it…. Pick up the phone or stop by to say a personal “Hello”. AgencyIQ is here to assist you with all of your customer relationship management activities, we wish you the best with your 2010 Plan!
The Art of (Business) War
Have any of you ever heard the old saying “War is hell”? This statement has been attributed to General Sherman during the Civil War. I’d wager many of you feel the same way about this past year of 2009! GOOD NEWS, the calendar has turned and we have a new year with new opportunities in 2010…. YEA!
Starting a new year is a great time to step back and assess where we’ve been, where we are and where we want to go. A more formal way of stating this activity is called GOAL SETTING! Groan……. Many of us would rather endure a root canal without pain meds than go thru a session on Goal Setting. But, it is a valuable tool vital to the success of your business. Instead of using the traditional methods, I have an alternative you may find more enjoyable and effective. I recently found a book “The Art of War in Business” by Mark McNeilly.
Mark has taken the well know book “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, a successful Chinese general in 400 B.C. and related the principles of Sun Tzu and linked them to business strategies. Following are the six principles discussed in his book:
- Win All Without Fighting – Capturing Your market Without Destroying It
- Avoid Strength, Attack Weakness – Striking Where They Least Expect It
- Deception and Foreknowledge – Maximizing the Power of Market Information
- Speed and Preparation – Moving Swiftly to Overcome Your Competitors
- Shape Your Opponent – Employing Strategy to Master the Competition
- Character-Based Leadership – Providing Effective Leadership in Turbulent Times
Join us January 13, 2010 at 10:00 am CST for an informative webinar about how to overcome these challenges in building your business this year. Register online today to make sure you reserver your spot! This webinar will fill up! Register Here
Whatever challenges you and your business face in 2010, AgencyIQ is here to provide effective, innovative tools to assist you in growing your business! We have many new features and enhancements coming online that we are very excited to add to our lead management platform. Let us know what you think!!
March Webinar Schedule
Webinar Schedule:
| M-F 2:00 PM CST | Training Webinar for new agents first setting up their accounts with AgencyIQ |
| WED 10:00 AM CST | Webinar introduction for agents interested in the AgencyIQ System |
| TH 10:00 AM CST | Training on specific features to the AgencyIQ System. This is a webinar for current clients to learn more about how the AgencyIQ System can benefit their agency at a deeper level. |
| February 19, 10:00 AM CST |
Mastering the Auto Responder: Attend this webinar for informational tips on how to word your auto responders and format them to reach more prospects. |
| February 26 10:00 AM CST |
Working Your Leads with AgencyIQ: Tips and tricks for accessing your information and working your leads faster and more effectively in the AgencyIQ System. |
| March 5 10:00 AM CST |
Marketing Your Agency in a Slow Economy: Tools for reaching out to your prospects faster and easier. Email wording suggestions, formatting suggestions, and tips for work flow to close more sales in 2009. |
Sign up for one of our webinar’s at suzannemcdaniels@net-lead.net or call (877) 985-7400
Define the Goal of your Auto Responder
The AgencyIQ System is equipped with the ability to have immediate auto responders as well as drip emails which will be delivered to your prospects according to the schedule you create. These are incredibly helpful in reaching your prospects and save a lot of time in the process. We have had some agents say that because of the volume of leads that they subscribe to that the feature is like hiring a marketing assistant for the subscription fee! We are excited that the auto responders are so successful and to help you increase your success with this tool, here are some important things to consider when creating your auto responders.
Of course your number one goal is to increase your ability to close the sale, but there are many steps to accomplish before the sale can be even considered.
Building Relationships: Remember the number one key to reaching more prospects is relationship. This principal applies to internet sales as well as those with clients who you meet through networking. Give your prospect the chance to make that attachment and you will reap the benefits of your hard work.
Establishing Your Brand: Make sure your auto responders include any tag lines, slogans, or identifiers that might trigger an association with your agency. Keep your business plan in mind when choosing your brand identification points and let those elements shine through your emails and connect with your prospects.
Make the most of the Cross Selling Opportunity: Use the opportunity to let your prospects know about the diversity and focus of your agency. A full selection of companies and products can make the difference when choosing an insurance agency. Highlight the assets of your agency and sell a well rounded portfolio and this will make your agency’s productivity soar.
These are just a few items to focus on. Make sure to expect your auto responders to succeed just as you expect your agents to succeed. Focus all correspondence with your prospects around your goals and see how your prospects will turn into client faster.
