Retool: Agencies looking to drive increased sales and retention using social networking and other electronic marketing tools often set as a goal driving traffic to the agency Web site. There, they complete a form or make a call for a quote or more info. Does your agency Web site support quick access? Or do visitors need to search for contact info? Consider tweaking your site to make it easy for visitors to get quotes. Look at agency workflows, as well. Do internal processes lend themselves to speedy response? Do phone calls or emails for quote take precedence? (They should, if you want to reach Internet shoppers.) Can account reps get quotes from multiple carriers quickly? If not, consider how and whether using Real Time (getrealtime.org) quoting might move you forward.

Retrain: An updated way of marketing and managing leads will probably require some new employee approaches. As with any change, it’s important to let staff know the agency’s direction—and why the shift is taking place. Make sure employees support the focus and are prepared to respond. Internal training may be sufficient, but consider outside sales and marketing training resources.  If you believe the new direction represents a sizeable enough shift in agency thinking, perhaps change management training, such as is available through ACORD’s POWER of Change (www.acord.org/resources/poc) curriculum, is in order. Regardless of how it’s done, management is responsible for ensuring staff buy-in and enthusiasm.

Recruit: Deployment of an electronic marketing strategy and use of social networking tools need not be a solo endeavor. By dividing the work, managers can get more done. Expertise exists throughout the office; enlist a variety of staff members to write blog content. Find someone—inside the agency or outside—to clean it up, if you wish. Chances are someone within the office is a Facebook or Twitter whiz. Harness that expertise and interest for the benefit of the agency. Encourage employees to share your agency posts, blogs and Tweets with their own circle of friends and ask them to ask friends to “like” your agency Facebook page! Also, encourage employees to write reviews of client businesses they like on online directories that elicit such reviews. This creates stronger customer bonds and contributes to client success—something every agency owner wants.

Respond: Management needs to be ready to meet Internet shoppers’ needs. For the most part, they expect speedy response, whether they’re shopping at 9 a.m. or nine at night. Granted, calling a prospect when most of us are asleep is probably wrong for a number of reasons. However, shooting back an acknowledgement—a real email, not just an auto-response—shows shoppers you think and operate how they do. In the response, tell when you’ll call them directly, and consider stressing the value of dealing with a local agent that represents a number of companies. Then, call when you say you will or have someone on staff do it. Make sure employees understand the need for speed, whether they’re on the receiving end of a phone call or an email query. Keep your management hat on and make sure prospects are getting the attention you promised.

Recognize: As managers, we know the value of recognizing and rewarding the behavior we want. Do you want to increase the number of policies per client? Then reward employees for getting email addresses you can use to send cross-selling messages. Do you want to drive more traffic to your Web site? Then recognize when employees share information with their friends that leads them to do so. Do you expect phone calls from prospects to take precedence? Do you want to increase conversion rates on leads? You get the drill. Recognition can take the form of something as simple as acknowledgment at staff meetings or departmental tracking charts to surprise distribution of gift cards when you see someone exhibit the behavior you want or formal incentive programs designed to boost (fill in the blank.)

Rethink: Finally, look at what you’re doing. Have the management processes you’ve put in place led to the changes you want? Track data, of course, but also engage employees. Ask how changes have affected workflows and processes. See what effect they’ve had on those you’ve asked to take part. Take that feedback and assess next steps. If something is not working, tweak it. Ask employees for suggestions on what to do. If changes are making a difference, let people know. Then consider how your agency might leverage those changes for even greater success.

By learning about the tools and, as important, by devoting attention to management issues and electronic marketing activities, principals will position their agencies for yet another “R”—Reward.

This quote, from an unknown source, points to the understanding of human nature that successful salespeople develop.  Steak is steak.  But, how you package that steak is what makes it sell.  It’s the sizzle.  The sizzle, where the steak metaphor is concerned, may include the atmosphere of the restaurant, the statements regarding aging of the beef, or the other accouterment associated with the dining experience.  What constitutes “sizzle” in a typical insurance agency experience?

Sometimes we get too busy to “sell the sizzle” with our agency clients on a daily basis.

For example, our staff members efficiently provide price quotes, but do they make a conscious effort to take a few moments to state that “included in this premium quote are discounts in the amount of   %  for [fill in the blank]”?   During marketing sessions I facilitate, I often reference some of the direct writer commercials I see on television.  For example, one particular company’s ad touts the auto-home discount like it’s something totally new to the industry.  They’re selling the sizzle, which causes others viewing the ad to wonder “do I have that discount on my insurance policy?”

We need to learn to sell the sizzle, at some level, during every “conversation” our agency has with our clients.  Take the few extra moments to remind them of “what’s included” when they do business with “us” – the independent agency; “us” – the [your agency name here] Insurance Agency.  These conversations may take place on the phone, via email, as the result of the client visiting our website, or via social media.

Talk about this concept at your next agency / department staff meeting.  What sort of services does your agency provide that clients should routinely be reminded of?   What are the policy features that your agency has available that translate into benefits to your clients?  How can your agency routinely “sell the sizzle” during client conversations?

My luck made me think about what might happen if what I fell into was cultivated into an actual strategy.  My hope is that my happenstance might provide some answers to insurance agents who wonder whether engaging in the social networking scene is right for them.

Here’s what happened. Earlier this week, I authored the AIMS Society’s bi-weekly ”Quik Sales Tip” e-newsletter.  The featured “tip” was all about the National Flood Insurance Program and the marketing tools they’ve made available to agents via the Agents.FloodSmart.gov program.  (Check it out if you haven’t already!)  I also encouraged AIMS Society members / readers to “follow” flood insurance expert, Rita Hollada, on Twitter for timely flood information.  (Rita’s handle is divaofdisaster if you’d like to follow her.)

We’ve all heard about the devastating floods that occurred in Tennessee this week.  My heart goes out to all who are dealing with all of the loss.  Sadly, many property owners there do not have flood insurance.  Due to the minimal number of flood insurance policyholders in the area, Rita Hollada was asked to appear on FOXBusiness.com LIVE during today’s 12 – 1 p.m. broadcast.  Her topic?  The fact that the risk of flood exists most anywhere and every property owner should consider flood insurance; what remedies there may be for the uninsured; and NFIP basics.

Rita tweeted this interview information out to her Twitter followers. Because I’m a follower of divaofdisaster, and keep a program called TweetDeck open when I’m in my office, I immediately saw Rita’s tweet and retweeted it to my followers.  Several of my followers retweeted to their followers.  Get the drift?  All of this in the span of about an hour.  Then, tweets of some key points went out during the interview with links to resources.  Next, I’ll see about getting a copy of the video so we can tweet / post that, too.

It was fortuitous for me in that the AIMS Society editorial calendar had a FloodSmart.gov topic scheduled for this week.  Mother nature then did her thing, which led the rest to play out.  But, can you see how this scenario could work as a marketing strategy?   For example, you could tell the story of a claim that was quickly reported and successfully settled.  Or, you could retweet the tweet of a new client and their business news.  Ideas and opportunities are as limited as your imagination.

The first step, however, is to “get in the game”. Create your Twitter account.  Select a handle that means something to people you would want to have following you or your agency.  Start following other individuals or businesses that might be of interest to you.  I, personally, follow Royal Caribbean, several vineyards, my grocery store as well as other speakers / trainers / consultants who share interesting ideas.  You can “follow” without having to engage much at all.  Watch awhile.  See how it’s done, then try a few informational / helpful idea “tweets” of your own.  You never know.  You might get lucky!

Follow Kitty on Twitter

The Agents Council for Technology (ACT) is a great resource for more on Social Media for Insurance Agents.

For instance, a tip he shared recently discussed setting up an agency blog. The email provided a brief overview of some of the top blog publishing tools and explained how to get started. A tip in January reviewed a new Outlook plug-in that makes the process of capturing and maintaining contact information within Outlook “ridiculously easy,” as he describes it. In October, he touched on search engine optimization and explained that agencies can improve their search result placement using Google’s Local Business Center.

If you haven’t signed up to receive the tips, do so. But leave your credit card in your wallet. The newsletter is free! Steve explains why: “This is my way of supporting insurance agents in these trying economic times — not to mention that I really do love finding the latest gizmos and gadgets that can increase productivity — just ask my wife!” To start receiving the newsletter, fill out the form below “steve’s • tech • tips” on the right side of his Web site.

To get more of Steve’s expert insight, consider attending this year’s AIMS Society PRO-to-PRO Executive Retreat in New Orleans, March 4-6. He’s speaking Friday afternoon about how agents and brokers can create sales with technology, and will present the ins and outs of using social networking for agency marketing. It’s not too late to join us! However, if you can’t make it, we’ll be Tweeting great ideas marketing and sales ideas from the PROs. Sign up to follow AIMS_Society on Twitter to receive this tips “live”.

As you might already know, the personal lines P&C sector generates some $230 billion in premiums each year. National and regional independent agent carriers only account for about one-third of those personal lines premiums. The alliance wants to equip independent agents and brokers to go after more of this business and to reach customers in our communities that are finding insurance elsewhere right now.

AIMS Society is a founding partner of the alliance—and for good reason. Not only can our members benefit from increased attention to personal lines production, but others in the industry can gain tremendous insight from the expertise and experience our society members possess. And we’re making that happen. The CPIA seminars – Insurance Success Seminars—Position for Success (CPIA 1), Implement for Success (CPIA 2) and Sustain Success (CPIA 3)—are educational programs the alliance is making available.

Keep an eye out for more information on the Personal Lines Growth Alliance and its progress. Better yet, join the organization. Membership is free for independent agents! And plan to join us at the AIMS Society PRO-to-PRO Executive Retreat in March, where we’ll provide a status update on the alliance, along with an agenda full of practical sales and marketing ideas to help your independent agency grow.

I’ve been working with a client who’s been intrigued by the insurance policy cancellations that their office has been experiencing. Historically, they would watch cancellations on a monthly basis and complain. We created an action plan to more closely investigate the situation.

Retraining the Download Processor, tracking reason codes via a weekly report and providing additional training to customer service agents on conversational servicing techniques are the three small changes that have made a big difference for this agency.

Mary Kay Ash used to say, “you can eat an elephant one bite at a time”. Sometimes, we get so completely overwhelmed by the big project that we don’t even begin. I encourage you to break things down into bite-sized, manageable steps and take action. Realize that every worthwhile “change” takes time. And, don’t give up or give in too soon!

Give it at least 21 days!!

Lots of “details” have to come together to make most anything work properly. In addition, all of the players need to understand the significance of those details. I’m an advocate for assigning responsibilities, setting SMART* goals, regularly reviewing the appropriate benchmarks and building a forum for effectively communicating the results and/or shortcomings to all of the stakeholders. Basic business, right? Nope, devilish details.

The situation I encountered yesterday started out innocently enough. “Could you add the XYZ company’s information to the agency intranet?” was the request. My response was “Is this a new direct appointment or a brokerage arrangement?” The answer – “a direct appointment”. From there, the conversation escalated into a heated discussion about “the details”.

To set the agents in the office up for success with this new carrier – with proper access, effective workflows including and understanding of Real Time and Download capabilities, proper agency management system setup, etc. I needed the details! Apparently, during the appointment process, these items were not deemed important enough to discuss. This seemed to fly in the face of all we’d been working for years to accomplish.

The lesson: “Whatever one does should be done thoroughly; details are important.” This statement appears in the description of the saying – the devil is in the details - and it pretty much sums it up.

Be sure to include the “devils” who can sort through the details. This simple act of communication and collaboration can eliminate furture errors, omissions, bottlenecks, confusion and frustration for all involved.

*SMART = Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound

I was extremely impressed with the caliber, background and interest in learning by the class as a whole. This group is a true breath of fresh air in our industry. While I always am challenged by how a seminar might evolve, wondering if I’m ever truly prepared for everything that could happen, I am often surprised at how many times we take the “basics” for granted. The basics were alot of what this group was concerned about mastering as new sales producers.

Helping new sales agents get comfortable with greeting people and making small talk is vital to their success. Unfortunately, too often, we assume because they are hired as “sales people” they’ve mastered these interpersonal relations skills. Not so fast, my friend!

We have somewhere between 7 – 17 seconds to make the first impression. We must always be prepared and use this time wisely! First noticed is skin color, age and sex – things that we really can’t do anything about! Next noticed, however, is eye contact, handshake, appearance, and posture. These we can certainly control.

- If shy, challenge yourself to make eye contact and practice everywhere you go.
-The handshake is the only really appropriate physical contact in the business world today. The person who has the confidence to extend their hand first earns a measure of control. Be sure to capture it when you can! Men and women are equals in this.
- Learn what it means to “look the part”. Knowing what “business attire”, “business casual”, and “casual” means for the business world will certainly keep your appearance appropriate in any situation.
- Work to present an air of confidence, but not cockiness. This entails the smile, the eye contact, the posture, the dress – basically the whole visual package and how you occupy your personal space.

After the first few seconds when all of the visual is being taken in, it’s time to speak. Be sure to have something to say! Remember to delay speaking your name until several seconds into the greeting so that it’s more likely to be remembered. Say your name too early and the other person’s too busy with all the visual analysis going on to catch it.

“Mirroring” is a huge people-skill to learn. It takes practice to master it. Mirroring is basically reflecting the style and mannerisms of the other person – not mimic, reflect. If they’re quiet and reserved and you happen to be boisterous by nature, be a bit more quiet and reserved, for example.

One of the biggest challenges for people who are very businesslike, is the art of small talk. Whether you are the person doing the approaching, or someone approaches you at a function, remember to find ways to focus on the other person. Get them talking. Cliches are actually okay as conversation starters. For example, it’s okay to comment on the weather. If you’re challenged with this, take some time to think of some good “openers” and commit them to memory before your next big networking event.

A book that I’ve found helpful with these business basics is entitled “The First Five Minutes – How to Make a Great First Impression in Any Business Situation” by Mary Mitchell, president of Uncommon Courtesies.

Success in anything is in the preparation and practice! Sometimes, we just choose not to invest time in preparation and as a result, cheat ourselves!

In Michael Jordan’s memoir, “I Can’t Accept Not Trying”, he states “the minute you move away from the basics, the bottom falls out of your game.” I hope this reminder to stay focused on the “basics” helps you continue to improve your game!

I attribute part of my love for the game to my grandmother. She was an avid Baltimore Orioles fan, and used to take me to games at Memorial Stadium when I was really young. When we weren’t at a game, we were listening on the radio. I learned the strategies of baseball and how to keep score way back then. I played softball in high school and college (intramural) and still throw with my sons from time-to-time. When watching my son’s games, I still keep a score book just to help him identify trends with his hitting and pitching.

Each year as the season gets underway, I’m reminded of some parallels between baseball and business. Following are a few ideas that come to mind:

Conditioning – Inevitably, at the start of each year, we hear about serious injuries that have afflicted players. Often, the pundits will explain that these injuries are a result of the player not being “game ready”. A disciplined approach to pre-season and in-season conditioning is a must to stay healthy. Depending on the position, the conditioning workout will include some combination of weight training, running / sprinting, and stretching. All three components are vital to player health and game readiness.

Thinking about our businesses, do we have a disciplined approach to staying healthy? What are the components we must incorporate into the daily routines of our players (pre-sale, during the sale, and post-sale) that keep us off of the injured reserve list?

Pre-sale workouts include a combination of networking, prospecting, and pre-qualification by Producers; and planning and goal-setting by Owners / Managers. During the sale, we must build technical skills as well as interpersonal relations skills in order to effectively risk manage for our clients and build relationships with both clients and carrier personnel. After the sale, is where the discipline really pays off! We must continue to stay in the minds of our clients through a variety of pro-active account development techniques.

Equipment – My youngest son is currently a J.V. ballplayer, who’s been playing baseball at very competitive levels since he was nine. He’s on every mailing list for every equipment provider known to man. Each year, beginning in January if not before, we are inundated with catalogs and emails from equipment vendors touting the latest and greatest bats, gloves, uniforms, etc. And, baseball equipment is not inexpensive! Early on, he learned the value of maintaining his equipment. For example, he has learned to dry out his batting glove when necessary, and to re-string his fielding glove when needed. My son knows I’m into technology, as long as it works to help reach a goal. So, his argument, each year, is that he needs the newest technology to make the most of his skills. Sometimes, I buy the argument – and the newest equipment! But….as I tell him, if you can’t make solid contact with the baseball, it really doesn’t matter what the bat is made of! The same thought can be applied in our offices.

New technology (equipment) is a must to stay current with our various constituencies and to run more efficiently. However, it’s just as important to care for and utilize our existing equipment to its fullest. Employing the most efficient workflows, implementing agency procedures, installing updates in a timely fashion, and conducting / attending training on a regular basis are all methods for keeping our “technology” current. Remember, it really doesn’t matter how great the equipment is if the “players” don’t know how to use it most effectively.

Teamwork – Watching a good ball club play is sort of like watching a ballet (I guess? – I’m not a big ballet follower!). Without saying a word, in many cases, the play is made and positive results are achieved. Think about the third base coach signaling the batter and the base runner to execute a hit-and-run or a steal. Consider how the catcher communicates what type of pitch the pitcher should throw to a particular batter based on tendencies they’ve identified. Contemplate how the pitcher communicates a forthcoming pickoff attempt to the infield without tipping off the runner(s). Watch how a catcher signals to the field when there are base runners on the corners. Observe the various players moving into their backup positions depending on where a ball is hit. It’s interesting to see how these plays are executed, without a “huddle”, in most cases.

Now, let’s think about our offices. Are our personnel so well coached that each time there’s a client call; they know exactly where the play will be made and where their backup position is? Do the producers and service personnel communicate like pitchers, catchers and infielders? Are producers confident that when they signal, the players will be in position? Even if you’re not much of a baseball fan, I think you can understand how working toward seamless, intuitive communication among our team members can breed tremendous results for the entire “club”. This begins with selecting the right players in the first place. Then, continuously training and coaching them to build their skill levels and play their positions.

Statistics - It goes without saying that we have to keep score to win. I’m always intrigued by the commentators, for any sport, that come up with the most obscure statistics. With baseball, statisticians track everything! Stats are how players are recognized and awarded scholarships, big signing bonuses, championship rings, golden gloves and a plaque on the wall of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY!

We must keep stats in our offices! Without tracking a variety of statistics, how do we know when we’ve won? It might be revenue growth, “spread”, policy count, loss ratio, or share of market, but we have to keep a variety of statistics to measure what’s getting done. If, we are regularly reviewing the statistics – in the off-season and during the season – we can be prepared to re-tool our teams as needed or make trades.

Hopefully, this short article will help you take a fresh look at your organization. Consider conditioning, equipment, teamwork and statistics and get game ready!

If you need some help, the AIMS Society is in a position to help you select and provide training needed to build strong “players”. Visit www.aimssociety.org or give me a call – 877-674-2742 (CPIA) – to learn more about all we can do to help with growth and profitability!

The demolition and reconstruction portion of this major undertaking began a few weeks ago. Things are going smoothly so far. The reason I share this with you is to tell you about my contractor, Rick.

Rick is in his early 30s and a master electrician by trade. He has expanded his knowledge into many areas of contracting including laying tile and fine carpentry. He shared with me his newest interest – landscaping.

It struck me the other day, while we were contemplating the kitchen lighting options, that Rick is everything any insurance agency owner would look for in a fantastic saleperson. He’s a natural.

What are the qualities that stand out?

- He’s genuine – a nice guy who takes extreme pride in his work. Rick has taken complete ownership of the project – like it’s his own kitchen in his own house.

- He takes the time to understand the desired outcome. My kitchen is central to my entire home and we do a lot of entertaining. He made sure he understood what the traffic flow and usage would be. He then made very helpful, insightful suggestions that improved upon the plans we had drawn up.

- He instills confidence with his knowledge of the various solutions available. For example, Rick asked very good questions that helped me choose, what I perceive, is the best lighting solution for our situation.

- He communicates the timeline for decision-making. Some decisions can be pondered for awhile or changed down the line, others are important to make quickly so the project can proceed. Rick constantly keeps me aware of next steps so there haven’t been any surprises or hold-ups.

- Above everything else, he always has a smile and a pleasant attitude – even when his 6 month old has kept him up half the night!

The very things that Rick embodies as he pursues his profession, are the very things that make for an outstanding insurance advisor. While Rick is a natural, I’m sure he’s practiced his people skills right along with his trade skills. If soft skill development is successful for contractors, how might the committment to developing these qualities across your staff work to solidify relationships with your clients?

The AIMS Society’s “Insurance Success Seminars” are designed to help insurance personnel combine marketing and sales skill development with technical knowledge and risk management techniques. Visit www.aimssociety.com to learn more and to see a scheduled of workshops!