My Morning WalkNew day, uninterrupted thoughts

How do you go about obtaining leads from internet lead providers? Buy them every week, have them sent to your e-mail inbox, and you or your team member quote the prospects, right? Hopefully you “earn” the business because of your “johnny-on-the-spot” technique. It’s even more likely if you impress them with your knowledge and background. Historically, that was enough to allow you to encourage the customer to be loyal enough to keep them from looking for a cheaper rate through at least ONE renewal cycle. NOT.

When you buy leads from internet vendors, can anyone confirm what happens at the 6-month or annual renewal? It’s an unconfirmed rumor that they are sent, by the lead aggregator, no matter if they are insured by your company or someone else, a REMINDER TO SHOP FOR RATES. So, let’s say you insure a customer with company X. They may be getting a REMINDER to shop rates not only at Companies A,B, C, and D, but also with your Company X, and the representative with Company X may NOT be from YOUR OFFICE.

How do companies overcome this potentially devastating breakdown in loyalty perpetuated by lead aggregators? Build loyalty through relationships BEFORE they can be destroyed by reminders to start shopping again.

It’s not going to work much longer.  During a wonderful discussion with one of my clients this morning, it came out that the old way of doing things (Calling or interrupting a semi-receptive audience to provide a quote or set an appointment) is soon to be overtaken by the same audience looking online to discover a different type of relationship with their service providers.  So what does that mean from an employer standpoint?

It means we as business owners may be looking for a relationship strategist instead of a receptionist.  It may mean we will be looking for a trust agent instead of a salesperson.  It may mean we will be looking for a Linchpin instead of a marketing account executive.  When this new wave for creating and maintaining relationships strikes, the business world as we now know it will be turned upside-down. 

Who are YOU hiring to create these systems?

So, you want to get started on social media. You really want to obtain more than that ONE LinkedIn contact…you know, that person that told you it’s the “future” and you accepted the invitation just to shut them up.  You see your company adding technology at light speed.   You’re finding it hard to breathe between all the e-mails introducing the changes and invitations to join the virtual training classes to help you learn about it .  In the meantime you’re trying to run your business the way you have always run it.  How is it possible to do all of this AND run your business?   It’s not, so stop doing it.  Step away…it’s the only way to prepare your mind for what is coming and to silence the “it’s not possible” voice inside your head. 

There is no more “the way you have always run it”. That’s how most people react to this evolution, by thinking it will go away. Ignorance is bliss, right? WRONG. It’s inevitable. Change is coming. It’s on the horizon, and if you haven’t thought about attempting to do business in a way that doesn’t constantly interrupt people to get your point across, the forward-thinking minds out there are going to bury you in your own traditions.

Instead of falling by the wayside, why not embrace it and become an active member of this tribe of change?  It would be better for everyone, including your clients.  And if you don’t know how to start, talk to Robyn at CaptiveAgents.com.  Sure she has an insurance background, but her information is applicable to just about any type of service organization out there.