The Internet is changing the way we do business. That’s true. Unfortunately, the hoopla over the Internet has caused people to forget that it’s only a tool, nothing more. It’s not the magic answer, nor should it be a primary focus. Jack Burke reminds us that it’s just one of many tools at our disposal to help build the relationships that drive business.
I was recently drawn into a nostalgic conversation about my early years in the automotive business. Some salesmen (not many women were selling cars back then) simply waited for an “up” to come in the door. We referred to these salesmen as “floor whores” because their livelihoods depended on traffic brought into the dealership by advertising and/or location. They seldom lasted long.
By contrast, the elder statesmen rarely worried about floor traffic. Over the years, they had learned the secret of relationships. Their sales derived from repeat and referral customers. These sales pros had an aura about them. They liked people and people liked them. People were drawn to their personalities, and they bent over backwards to keep customers happy. If you asked them how they became so successful, they would say that it took a lot of hard work to build a book of business that they could rely on.
Having started working in a dealership at age 12 in the parts department, it took me a while to mature enough to join the sales force. Wanting to be like the pros, I began a regimen of prospecting that has helped me to this day.
THE BASICS
I was introduced to the Criss-Cross Directory. With this reverse listing resource, I looked up every customer who had bought a car recently and saw the names, addresses, and phone numbers of their neighbors. These people would all see their neighbor’s shiny new car, so I sent letters to the 20 closest neighbors. I also learned to send a handwritten thank-you note to each customer that included a request for referrals. I mined the service department files for customers with older cars and sent them postcards about new models. I searched through the paper every day for announcements of life changes and sent congratulatory cards to the people mentioned in the articles. I used the telephone to keep in touch with my customers periodically and to make cold calls. At the end of two years, I was honored as the top salesman at the dealership.
These basic principles of marketing still work today — with and without the Internet.
When was the last time you foraged through the listings of new businesses in your area and sent them an introductory/congratulatory note? Some of them might grow into “dream clients.” This is an opportunity to develop a relationship that can grow as they grow.
Do you proactively ask your clients for referrals — or better yet, introductions? Do you take time to review the needs of your current clients and offer them solutions with other forms of insurance that you can offer? I’m not talking about a minimal review of their existing coverage — but a complete review of their overall needs in both Commercial and Personal Lines.
Do you have a list of your top five prospects? I’m not referring to the five hottest leads you’re currently working — but the five largest and best prospects in your area that you would literally do anything to insure. Until you target them and develop an individualized long-term marketing approach to their businesses, you’re not likely to write them.
How frequently do you jot a quick thank-you note to a customer? People like to be appreciated, and a handwritten note letting them know you appreciate their business goes a long way in solidifying a relationship.
All too often, we get so wrapped up in the business of business that we forget the basics of marketing that earned us the success we enjoy today.
My favorite commercial of all time was about a business that was going downhill. The boss came into a meeting and handed everyone airline tickets, saying that it was time to get back to meeting the clients on a face-to-face basis.
Extrapolated down to its essence, business still means one person interacting with another. Stick to the basics, focus on building and nurturing relationships, and rest assured that your business will thrive.