Greetings!
It's been raining for days here in "sunny California."  I had heard that the groundhog had seen his shadow and now I believe it. It's been a couple of dark Stormy nights - that's for sure!
Anyway, I would like to welcome our new subscribers from places all over it seems! I saw Illinois, Utah, Hawaii, Wyoming, North Carolina and even Edmonton, Alberta Canada (just to name a few) as I was scanning the "who's who" of new people. Welcome!!
I am so grateful when you fill in your city information because it reminds me that networking is relevant everywhere and it inspires me to create new "long distance" services just for you!Back to business - actually, this issue wasn't supposed to go out until tomorrow. We were supposed to be in Salt Lake City Utah for a hockey tournament, but both my son and I came down with the flu, so we're here at home with the rain and all the odd night time noises that come with a winter storm in Northern California!
In my mid month issue, I answer the burning question - "How do I compete with a ton of local competition?" you'll get a bonus networking tip and it's your last chance to attend Marketing 101 here in Pleasant Hill.
Remember, if you want to check out my "internet handy-work" you can go to www.7deadlysinsofnetworking.com. This also answers the often asked question "how do I refer your business?" This new site makes it really simple. (I can't help crowing about the site. I am just so danged proud.)Till next time,
p.s. Don't forget! My blog is now interactive. Please go and post questions and stuff!
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| Ask Karen
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With over 50 Insurance Agents within 3 miles of my office, what forms of marketing would you recommend?
That is a great question and one I'll answer in three parts.
1. Competition is good.
I hear all the time "I can't do that -everyone else is, so there's too much competition." Bless your competition - it means there is a market for what you do and that people are willing to pay for it.
One of the biggest mistakes I hear about is someone developing a product or service that "has never been done before" and, well, there's a reason for that. The market doesn't really exist. Either the target audience can't or won't pay for it for whatever reason. Finding something that is a proven money maker is a much easier "road to hoe." In your case insurance is kind of a "no brainer."
2. Don't lose ground.
It is universally true that it is much cheaper to keep existing clients than it is to find new ones. That being said, when there are a gazillion people who do what you do, it can be all too easy to lose clients to competitors if you don't have strong customer loyalty. Developing customer loyalty is the most important form of marketing there is. The most effective way to do this is education based marketing.
The beauty of education marketing is it builds loyalty with existing clients and helps potential clients make the decision that you are the obvious person with whom to do business.
What is education marketing?
I like to think of it as "the drip method." A good example is an email newsletter. Each issue contains something that is educational in nature - and it has to be information that your client base really wants. It can be unrelated to your industry BUT it must be relevant to the lives and businesses of the people on your list.
Brian Buffini is a good example of someone who does educational marketing. He provides "articles of value" for his Realtor clients to use and send to their clients. Now, I won't get into what I think of his exact methods, but he is a good example of what I mean - content wise. (Newsletter publishers: Notice I put in a link at the beginning of this paragraph - I'll be able to tell who had an interest in the article based upon how many readers click)
I always recommend an email newsletter because you can see how effective your efforts are. You can see who opened it and (if you include links in your articles) what they clicked on.
3. Everyone has their people
No matter how many people are doing what you do, you will always appeal more to a certain segment of that population. I like to call it "your people."
Here's an example: Mary and Sarah both sell insurance. They both provide exactly the same service with the same company. Mary and Sarah could both do an educational talk about insurance and say the same exact thing. Some people will naturally gravitate to Mary and some to Sarah. It's not that one is better than the other, just different. Mary's people need to hear it from Mary and are waiting for her to say it in the way that only they can hear.
This is why I never worry too much about competition, because even if I say or do something identical to someone else who teaches networking, "my people" will hear me (and not so much my "competitor"). In a saturated market, like yours in insurance there's a bit more "noise" so remembering your educational marketing is key.
4. And Networking is always king!
Of course as a networking queen, I will always say that networking - taking full advantage of word of mouth - is your most cost effective method of marketing.
When you employ effective networking techniques and strategies (like the ones you'll find in my newsletter, books, live events - and soon a new home study course) you will be able to access as many clients as you will ever need.
Until next time - To your success!
-Karen
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Reminder: Marketing 101 Encore Class
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Second Chance to Attend ClassMarketing 101 - How to get your perfect clients to "show up" for your business services and workshops In this class you will learn: - Exactly how to create and publish an email newsletter that gets rave reviews
- How to get people on your email newsletter list
- How to find strategic partners and who to look for
- A system for creating amazing marketing copy for any occasion
When you're done you'll be ready to implement a marketing campaign that gets results! Please join me on: When: Saturday, February 21st - 10:00 - 1:30pm Where: The Networking Lounge 1934 Contra Costa Blvd., Pleasant Hill, CA Cost: $47 Please
use the link below to register and pay for the workshop. When you
register, you will receive and email to confirm your registration and give you
logistics. 
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Networking Tip of the Month
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Networking Groups
There are a "whole lotta" networking groups out there. How do you decide what to "join," what to use as "drop in" and when to run away?
Every group has its own style and personality. Even within chapters of the same organization, you'll notice subtle cultural differences, some more suited to your personality and goals than others.
It is VERY important that you belong to and/or visit organizations that feel like a good "fit" If you're a 'round peg' and the group is a 'square hole' - listen to your instincts! Even so, it may be difficult to know what's best for you.
Here are some guidelines:
1. Decide what you can commit to and stick with it.
Show up, participate and build relationships. If the committment seems like too much or to little - it probably is.
2. Remember that networking is more farming than hunting the whole point of any networking experience is less meeting new people and more being seen and connecting with people. If the group touts how many people you can meet or business cards you can collect, you might reconsider.
3. Before you join a group (ie pay money) ask other members about their experience with the group. How much money/how many clients do they have as a direct result of the relationships in the group.
4. Observe - Do members seem to be givers or takers? Do members seem genuinely interested in you or are they standing around telling "in jokes?" Test the waters by asking "What do you do" with several members and see what kind of response you get. If they talk endlessly about themselves - there's your answer!
5. Does the group offer education? Never join a group that doesn't offer education unless you are prepared and qualified to provide it. Even if you think you know how to network (so you don't need to take classes) if the organization doesn't offer simple training to its members on how the organization works and how to network properly, you'll have an underlying culture of people who don't know how - and think they do. While that's not all bad (especially if you're me - ha!) remember that people who don't know how can impact your results and how effective you can be when you're networking in that group.
No matter what group or kind of group you choose, be consistent in showing up, take part in leadership and give more to the community that you expect to receive.
When reviewing to find out if your investment in the group has been worthwile, make sure you take into consideration the number of hours you put in as part of the equation. I often hear, "Hey, I made my money back the first month." and they may have made back the $300 or so investment. If however they spend dozens of hours attending meetings, etc they need to consider how much their time is worth and add that in as well. Most often the time spent far outweighs the financial return. |
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