Marketing - Providing Value

[scott]

There are many posts here asking how to market and how to differentiate yourself.

My refrain is to build the perception that you are valuable.

Here is a web page you can send to every commercial client.

http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/qanda_s ... ments.html

This is an EEOC advisory on severance agreements (layoffs and terminations) that came out in July. Even though it is geared to employees, every employer who offers severance packages should have a working knowledge of this material.

Even if your client does not use severance agreements, you will have provided value and be seen as different.

Another chance to get your name in front of clients and prospects.

[scott]

Everyone is familiar with A.M. Best Ratings. They have been around for over 100 years. Your clients have undoubtedly heard of Best Ratings.

Telling a client that you only work with insurance companies that have a Best Rating of A or better puts you in the same league as everyone else. Boring!

Tell your prospect that you use a variety of services to determine the strength of insurers. Tell them that 95% of all insurance companies have a Best Rating of A or better. Tell them that you can not fathom that 95% of any group is excellent. Tell them that you use ratings from TheStreet.com (formerly Weiss Ratings) as they are an unbiased source of insurer evaluations.

Differentiate yourself.

Remember the teacher you had in school that was an easy grader - you were almost sure to get an A if you attended class and did the homework. That’s how it seems to be with Best Ratings.

You also had a teacher who was a tough grader. You felt lucky to get by with a C, no matter how hard you worked. That’s TheStreet.com. I’ll do business with a C rated TheStreet insurer all day long. I would never do business with a company with a C Best Rating.

Go to TheStreet.com and read up on their process. Review their ratings and start talking about them with your clients and prospects.

Be different. Offer unique value. Don’t be boring!

http://www.TheStreet.com/static/about/index.html

Excerpted from my new book, 6 Figure Insurance Commissions