Another aspect to consider when thinking about our customers is if they have anything in common – besides having the best insurance agency in town, of course!
Try to find the common thread that links you to many of your customers. Do many of them go to the same church as you or have kids that play on the same sports team as your kids? You can use that information to attract new clients, and interest current clients in new policies.
A while back, an agency wanted to better understand the differences between the books of their seven office locations. Many of these locations resided in towns of similar size and populations, and each of them had been a separate acquisition over the last 30 years of the agency’s history. After some digging, it was discovered that there were about 500 motorcycle policies across their seven offices, but more than 300 of those had been written out of a single office. There was a simple reason for it: the retired principal of that office had been a long-time member of a motorcycle club, and he’d done a good job of letting folks know what he did for a living!
Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to go buy a Harley to get more clients. But it does show how your relationships can build business. You have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, which cultivate trust. Business relationships often originate from attending events we’re interested in, staying active in groups and organizations, and engaging in other social gatherings. Therefore, keeping yourself involved in groups and events outside of work offers you an easy way to connect with others and nourish the growth of your business. Even when you are off the clock, you are always at least a passive representative for your company. Keep a business card handy in case someone wants to keep in touch or expresses interest about your business, since networking opportunities can happen anytime, anywhere.
Stay tuned for the next installment of this series, which focuses on how customers find you.