The key to any successful business is Marketing (PERIOD). Yet, is marketing a simple easy to understand term?
Marketing can mean many different things to many different people. For simplification I will define Marketing as such. “Any and all efforts that promote your business, brand, or product to the marketplace with the ultimate goal of generating leads and/or prospects.”
Once you can accept that definition then I believe you need to know there are only two types of Marketing:
- Passive
- Active
Most Insurance Agencies that I know LOVE passive Marketing. And what is passive marketing:
- Referrals
- COIs (Centers of Influence)
- Networking Groups
- Chamber of Commerce
Who doesn’t love referrals? YET, I challenge you that too much passive marketing will lead to failure. PASSIVE means just that, passive not active and IMMEASURABLE. There is not one person reading this that can tell me with 100% certainty how many leads and/or prospects you will get from your referral sources, coi’s, networking groups and/or Chamber meetings. Although, great leads when they do come through. Would you be willing to risk your livelihood and future on the passive efforts of others?
Where as Active marketing gives you control. Marketing such as:
- Lead Purchases
- Cold Calls
- Direct Mail
- Email Marketing
- Facebook Advertising
Over time, these ACTIVE marketing sources will give you measurable, trackable, repeatable results. I can coach you with certainty to know how many leads, will generate how many prospects, and generate how many sales with almost 100% certainty. The active marketing results will not be the same for every Agency but what will be the same is that it is measurable, controllable, repeatable and gives you and your Agency control.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER TODAY: Do you have at minimum 5 Active Marketing initiatives going in your Agency today? You are 18 days away from the first of the month, do you want to put your expenses and future on the back of immeasurable systems? Passive marketing is good for sure but be honest with yourself, do you spend more time here than you do on pursuing Active Marketing Systems that can be measurable for you? Is your Agency struggling because you live in a Passive Marketing Environment and have lived a false sense of security that could be removed at any time OR MAYBE ALREADY HAS? Answer this question; If it can be measured and tracked it is ACTIVE, if it can’t it is PASSIVE.
John Lucero, is a successful business owner with over 20 years of experience in multi-line insurance agency operations for several major National Brands. With an expertise in Recruiting, Educating, Coaching, Developing and Product Knowledge, his passion and drive to ELEVATE Insurance Agencies to higher levels of success is what keeps him inspired about the future and motivated about making a difference.
