Marketing

Traditional ways of marketing and selling won’t work in the near-term, and maybe even in the long-term as some new behaviors are likely to stick beyond the pandemic. Digital and virtual tools can help agents succeed in this environment.

CEO Newsletter: In a time when people may be suffering from economic impacts, as well as information overload from news and other sources, it can be difficult to know what’s even appropriate for promoting your business and staying front and center.

From the Front Line: Now more than ever agents must resist the temptation to slash marketing budgets. It seems counterintuitive, but when times are hard, that is when you actually should invest more into marketing. This doesn’t mean you have to spend more money (although you should consider increasing your budget if possible). There are many marketing avenues that don’t cost a thing!

Social distancing is leading to a continued surge in RV sales. Here are some tips and tools to take advantage.

Four months ago, Jill attended a seminar on how to keep her customers and prospects thinking of her, and not her competition. One simple method was sending a personal thank you note to everyone who met with her.

Who would have thought we would be facing such an uncertain future just a few short months ago? I think many of us believed this would be a temporary disruption, and now many states are facing an undetermined amount of time that businesses will be shut down, which is a scary prospect for much of the population.

There is a prevailing thought amongst P&C agents that Excess, Surplus and Specialty lines markets are only used for those one-off type risks, or poor and high risk business. While E&S is certainly used for placing one-off risks, it is also a good home for risks that have been denied by a standard carrier for a variety of reasons.

I first met Theron about 15 years ago when I was switching from a nice dependable job like teaching to something strange and unusual called sales. I suppose you could say that Theron was, in many ways, a mentor for me. Back then, he had 15 years of sales experience and I was always amazed at how easy he made selling look. For whatever reason, perhaps out of pity, he took to suggesting things for me to do and try.

The last several months have been an unprecedented time in our nation’s history. Certainly, none of us can remember anything quite like it. Who would have thought it was possible to shut an entire economy down in a few short weeks?

These days, digital engagement is a key part of marketing your agency and serving your customers. Millennials especially use digital channels to find and engage with agents. Here are a few practical ways independent agents can reach more millennial customers online.

The new day is dawning on my sales career, decided Andy. As he drove to work, basking in the afterglow of the outstanding sales training seminar he had attended the day before, he couldn’t wait to start. The entire training seminar was on making new contacts. Andy was careful to remember it was no longer called “cold calling,” it was “making new contacts.” He had underlined that spot in the training manual. You have to have a new attitude, he said to himself.

Fourth quarter is an excellent time to start planning your long-term and short-term goals for your agency. Perhaps your agency is positioned to experience exponential growth in the next 12 months. Or, maybe you’re hoping to retire soon and need a plan for selling your agency. Whatever your goal is, your State Director is here to help you.