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This is the step most often skipped by slippery marketeers and anxious agents. We all have a hidden desire for instant gratification on any investment of time and attention and we can easily be swayed into believing that if we can create the next great mailer, advertisement, or marketing gimmick, success is just around the corner. So, the dance begins. Marketeer shows agent a pretty picture or crafty letter. Agent is impressed and sees name in lights. Marketeer speaks to the stunning results that can be achieved. Agent is mesmerized, thinking “if we get half of those results… production problem solved”. Marketeer suggests we move quickly, the opportunity is now. Agent is anxious, does not want to get beaten to the market. Marketeer presents quote. Agent winces, grows skeptical, and thinks “we’ve tried this before”. Marketeer points back to stunning results. Agent winces again, thinks “maybe this time…” Marketeer reminds agent of need to move quickly, opportunity fading. Agent is overwhelmed by sense of urgency, no time to think, must act, Nike commercial comes to mind, tells marketeer to “just do it”.
The outcome is predictable and far too common. The marketeer comes up with a “new” way to say “We’re bigger, better, faster, cheaper…” The letters go out, the ad is run, and the results are far less than stunning. Final step in this dance—marketeer blames agent for lack of follow-up and/or staff incompetence.
Start by asking yourself and your team what your agency brings to the table. What do you do or what can you do better than any other agency? What is it about your organization that makes it more unique and attractive than your competition and why would a client want to do business with you instead of them? Who is your client and what makes them attractive to you? The answers to these questions form the foundation of your marketing strategy and, ultimately your value-proposition. Any marketeer that doesn’t engage you at this level is, we promise, looking for a quick buck rather than a partner.
In order to be heard, your marketing message must be distinctive and support your agency’s unique operating culture and business practices. Surprise! To be unique and truly differentiated within the market requires that you actually are unique and do conduct yourself differently. Knowing that every agency is distinctive is one thing, knowing exactly what makes your agency special and how to market you is a challenge that marketeers cannot rise above. They are aware of it so…out of necessity … they skip this lesson.
The votes are in my friends —over 10,000,000 people on the national “do-not-call” list can’t be wrong. Nobody likes to get cold calls and, honestly, few people like to make them. They are always intrusive, sometimes disrespectful, and rarely effective.
What they can do for you is create a lot of activity—non contributing activity that is inefficient and ineffective. Yes indeed, the paper will be flying, the phones might be ringing, but the book will not be growing. Instead, you will squander your most valuable resources—your time and attention—on fruitless follow-up, wasted quotes, meaningless appointments and the like. You also stand a very good chance of “upsetting” your carrier partners.
- Question: Who is most likely to respond to a cold call?
- Answer: Someone that needs you more than you need them.
- Question: Who is most likely going to respond to a mass-mailing?
- Answer: Same as above.
There is an old rule of thumb in our industry—clients will leave you for the same reason that they came to you. If they come to you on price, you’ll lose them on price. If they come to you for service and you fail to meet their service expectations, they will look for someone that will. Steer a wide birth from the marketeer that claims ownership and authorship of the next great cold-calling-lead-getting-appointment-making-strategy. We promise— it’s an old-school strategy whose day has come and gone. Get rid of them or they will burn you out quicker than you can say “we just got canceled for non-payment, come on over”.
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