Marketing Introduction Business Mentors

Industry Dynamics  Claims programs  National vs. Local decisions  Agent referrals  Corporate referrals  Direct referrals  Increasing deductibles  Consolidation  Yellow pages vs. Internet  TPA’s

Creating Your Plan Create a high level of expectation - demand the best. Everyone will rise to the level of those around them.  Take a Marketing retreat  Involve key personnel  Begin with the end in mind  Create your own success "The way the world is imagined determines at any particular moment what [people] will do." Walter Lippmann

Budget  Budget  Opportunity cost  2.5 – 7% of revenue  Includes:  Salaries and all employment costs  Advertising  Promotion  Events & associations  Expense accounts  Needs to be dynamic

Company Communications  Market to your staff  Activities  Victories

Goals “ What gets measured gets done.”  Goal defined:  Quantifiable  Attainable but just out of reach  Time frame for achievement  Easy to measure and communicate  Must be in writing

Goals – Alignment  Corporate identity  Mission  Vision  Purpose  Core competencies  Congruent with corporate goals  Stirs people to action

Goals continued  Overall marketing goals should be limited to 3-5 major items  Some areas of focus:  Sales volume (sales vs. revenue)  Type of work received  Number of sources sending work  Quantity of work by source  Individual production

Acknowledgement  Celebration  Challenges  Recognition and rewards

Brand  Be different – USP  Consider going away from the crowd  What are your needs?  Volume and cash flow  Long term stability  Diversification  Create then become  Know your competition – don’t let them define your company  Match competencies

Know Your Market Client’s economic emancipation has already begun. Customer’s have complete access to information about products, prices, everything – you won’t last long if you don’t establish relationships based on trust – only way to do that is to offer clear, undisputable value… Fast Company Magazine – Ryan Underwood  Motivations  Client dynamics  Internet  Popular media  Familiar influences  Litigious pressures

Execution  Put your plan in place and consult your plan frequently  Measure progress  Adapt as needed

Target Market  Who are you trying to contact  Break down into sub groups  What types of work are you likely to receive from each group?  How are they influenced?  How can they be contacted?

Tips "Never mistake motion for action." Ernest Hemingway  Create the plan, implement the plan  Identify and schedule marketing activities and contacts  Try a focus group meeting  Create “marketing” photo portfolios  Solicit letters of recommendation  Network locally and Nationally

Tips Continued  Activity - don’t wait for the perfect plan  Goals and measurement  Consistency and Repetition  Focus your efforts for maximum results  As the owner - lead the charge

Obtaining work in the industry  Quality Production  Insurance dependency and strategy  Not all accounts are the same  Ask for the order  Provide a compelling reason to buy  Turning a contact into a client  Be prepared to start small

Claims programs  Do you want them  How to get on  How to stay on  Why insurance companies make the decisions they do  Cutting claims admin costs  Pilot programs  Competitive environment  Non-emotional business decisions

Advertising  Television is it for you?  Opportunity cost  Return on investment  Impact  Time  Emotionally Powerful and strong impact  Budget  9-12 Months

Yellow Pages  Market is Changing  Be cautious  Measure and track  Appropriate books and sections

Selecting Your Work  Can you craft your company?  Establish where you want to go  How quickly can you get there?  Establish priorities  Brand  Competencies  Vision  Marketing plan

Highly Effective Activities  Competence  Education  Solve problems  Timely paperwork and communication  Focus group  Customer service  Record keeping and process

New Activities  Internet  Web Optimization  Contact screen   Television  Disaster planning

Assessment  Record Keeping  Make decisions based on history and reality  Give you strategy a fair chance and then get off a dead horse

Summary  Have a plan and communication strategy  Match strategy to brand and competencies  It is a group effort  Use goals to focus effort  Back it up  Target and FOCUS!  Quantity of contacts  Say thank you