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...ding: estimated age, existence of a bar or drive-up window, etc. Use cold calls to screen out undesirable and/or ineligible business and then update your prospect profile. Clu...ce the agency is positioned for growth and able to take advantage of opportuni...

... for examples: A major-market TV station scheduled a free event for fans to meet one of the actors in a national TV show aimed at teenagers. Even with great PR, only a handful of people showed up. No one thought that holding the promo in a bar might not be an appropriate place for kids. Then there's the Solstice, the sleek, two-seater sports car from Pontiac that weighs in at $2K. Both the design and the price get rave reviews, but experts question whether it will make the hearts of ... what was touted as one of the outstanding new golf courses in the nation, with breathtaking views of Boston. But what came out of the envelope was anything but impressive. It was a "homemade" flyer produced on a poor quality printer regarding the venue's new restaurant and meeting rooms. Evidently, management didn't feel it was important to produce a first-class promotional piece that could properly reflect the quality of the facility. By trying to cut corners, they sent the wrong message. If you say you're first-class, then act first-class ... enthusiasm with his question, "Who's going to make the coffee?" Bruce knew that success lies in the details, not in the grandiose ideas. If it isn't clear who's going to do what to whom and when, all the talk is irrelevant and the program will fail. It isn't necessary to look very far for examples: A major-market TV station scheduled a free event for fans to meet one of the actors in a national TV show aimed at teenagers. Even with great PR, only a handful of people showed ...

... 2. If you or your producer are making cold calls, take along a camera and take a picture of each one you call on. While you are there, estimate the building size and other physical characteristics of the building: estimated age, existence of a bar or drive-up window, etc. Use cold calls to screen out undesirable and/or ineligible business and then update your prospect profile. Cluster cold calls in an area you need to be in anyway. Use the travel route as a cold-call route for prospects on ... market or two with competitive pricing and enhanced Property or Liability coverage forms. This tells you the carrier wants that class of business. Build your initial marketing around that area. For example, let's assume the agency has a good program and market for family-style and fast-food restaurants and is located in a growth area. If the program is relatively new and the carrier does not have a large group of agents in the agency's marketing area, prices will probably be competitive. This class of business is a focused-strength area that you would do ... strategy to be used to take advantage of opportunities that occur along the way. This represents only a small portion of the activities required to get an agency back on track, but positions the agency to devote some financial resources to the development and implementation of a marketing program. While the agency needs to recognize its problems, it must go to its strengths and zero in on areas where it can realize some short-term success. Success breeds success, and small, short-term victories can be built upon. First, let's start with markets ...

... for making sales. Although bad news infects the very air we breathe, it remains true that more than 90% of the workforce is on the job, the freeways are packed morning and night, homes are being bought and sold, and on Friday nights the bars and restaurants are filled to capacity in many places. In spite of all the bad news, the economy keeps on going. No matter how much bad news there is, the cup is far more than half full. 6. Avoid trying to convince customers ... to buy. The best way to lose a sale is to tell the customer that you have what they need. That might have worked in the past, but it's the wrong message now. A sales rep from a major radio station in the Boston market called, attempting to arrange a "20-minute" meeting. "I think we're a good fit for your client," she stated. Unfortunately, she didn't get the memo making it clear that what a salesperson "thinks" doesn't count. She made no attempt to ... that she understood the client's goals. Even worse, the "product" she wanted us to recommend to our client was being touted to a variety of businesses. The bottom line was that the station expected the client to fit their program. What might be "a good fit" for the radio station might not meet the client's requirements. 7. Educate endlessly. The fact that today's customers are more suspicious and less trusting than in the past isn't a message that salespeople want to hear. Like it or not, it ...