When working with so many independent professionals, we get all kinds of great suggestions on how to improve our product and make it even more powerful. When we started to get requests from health insurance brokers in Utah that a new Uniform Application was coming out and that all the Utah carriers would except that app, we listened. We began brainstorming all of the neat ways that we could incorporate an application to our MAS system.
As of July 1st, 2009, we will have the Utah Uniform Application (for small groups and individuals) available on our MAS system. Not only will you be able to have the applicants fill out everything online, and not only will that information be kept year after year so that renewals are simplified, but we connect all that data you are collecting on the app and put the non- sensitive information right into our marketing automation software.
Think about it, now there is an easy way to communicate with everyone that you do business with. Your upselling, cross selling, referral gathering and retention efforts will become simpler because all of the information needed to effectively marketing will be entered in by the individual.
So hold on Utah health brokers, our goal is to become the premier provider of online health applications in Utah. This will be a fun ride!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Target Market
One of the very first things that anyone who is looking to build their marketing effort it to clearly define a target market. An often overlooked task, defining a target market will help you in every aspect of your marketing plan.
Why is this?
I think the primary reason is you begin to see yourself as a provider of goods and services to a specific set of needs and wants. Everything you do should communicate a clear message. This becomes very difficult if you try to be something to everyone.
Something we've done in our business is we've begun to break up our "target market" (independent professionals) into smaller groups (i.e. insurance agents, financial planners, real estate agents...). We then tailored our marketing kits to these smaller segments. We'll see if the tactic proves profitable. But if nothing else, it has helped us understand better the different niches we serve, and that has been eye opening.
Why is this?
I think the primary reason is you begin to see yourself as a provider of goods and services to a specific set of needs and wants. Everything you do should communicate a clear message. This becomes very difficult if you try to be something to everyone.
Something we've done in our business is we've begun to break up our "target market" (independent professionals) into smaller groups (i.e. insurance agents, financial planners, real estate agents...). We then tailored our marketing kits to these smaller segments. We'll see if the tactic proves profitable. But if nothing else, it has helped us understand better the different niches we serve, and that has been eye opening.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Timing and Sales
So we've all heard of the importance of timing in a sale. Sometimes a potential client is ready to buy right now, sometimes it's not for a year, sometimes longer. One advantage that independent professionals have is that rarely will there never be a time. In other words, the product or service that you are offering is generally something that a potential customer will be looking to utilize at some point in his/her life. Unlike a car or restaurant or many other consumer goods, services like insurance, home loans, home purchases or retirement planning are services that most individuals will want at some point in their life.
So find a way to take timing out of your sales equation and you will be a step ahead of the game!
So find a way to take timing out of your sales equation and you will be a step ahead of the game!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Automating a Marketing Strategy
I have the opportunity to talk with independent professionals almost on a daily basis. I love this breed of people. Big dreams and lots of ambition. But as I talk to them, many of them express very similar concerns when it comes to meeting their career goals and building the lifestyle that they've envisioned. Most of the frustration is directly related to a lack of direction with their marketing and sales efforts.
So I always ask them, "So tell me about your marketing strategy". Most tell me at first that they really don't have a formal strategy in place. So I ask them to just tell me what efforts they see as effective in bringing in potential business. And here is where I get some great, very thought out answers. I generally get answers that would impress any MBA professor, filled with referral strategies, retention strategies, cold calling strategies and every other strategy you can think of. I'm usually impressed by the answers I get. So then I ask the natural question, "How do you implement those strategies?" And herein lies the frustration.
Sales people in general need systems in order to effectively and consistently grow their business. Otherwise growth comes in spurts. You'll get motivated one week, fill your pipeline full of potential business and exhaust yourself for the next 2 months trying to close that business and have to start all over again. This would be frustrating for anyone in any profession. So what do successful agents and consultants do? Well to put it simply, they build a system that works for them week in and week out. They find a way to keep a sales pipeline full every day of the week. They have a system for getting referrals, for client retention, for bringing in outside business. Then as time goes on, they are simply making the systems they've put into place better and better. Then one day they wake up and they're making a lot of money, they are able to go on vacation without being attached to their computers and they are able to enjoy they're career the way they've always envisioned....it's a beautiful thing to see.
Think of your business as a machine that is working for you and not the other way around and you are on your way to reaching your goals.
So I always ask them, "So tell me about your marketing strategy". Most tell me at first that they really don't have a formal strategy in place. So I ask them to just tell me what efforts they see as effective in bringing in potential business. And here is where I get some great, very thought out answers. I generally get answers that would impress any MBA professor, filled with referral strategies, retention strategies, cold calling strategies and every other strategy you can think of. I'm usually impressed by the answers I get. So then I ask the natural question, "How do you implement those strategies?" And herein lies the frustration.
Sales people in general need systems in order to effectively and consistently grow their business. Otherwise growth comes in spurts. You'll get motivated one week, fill your pipeline full of potential business and exhaust yourself for the next 2 months trying to close that business and have to start all over again. This would be frustrating for anyone in any profession. So what do successful agents and consultants do? Well to put it simply, they build a system that works for them week in and week out. They find a way to keep a sales pipeline full every day of the week. They have a system for getting referrals, for client retention, for bringing in outside business. Then as time goes on, they are simply making the systems they've put into place better and better. Then one day they wake up and they're making a lot of money, they are able to go on vacation without being attached to their computers and they are able to enjoy they're career the way they've always envisioned....it's a beautiful thing to see.
Think of your business as a machine that is working for you and not the other way around and you are on your way to reaching your goals.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Cortez On Business
After months of programming and testing, we are finally ready to launch. There is lots of excitement and stress at the office as we already are signing up users and taking on integration projects, so we are definitely rolling.
I've really learned some valuable lessons through this development process. Primarily I've learned how important persistence is in any business. I can think of a dozen times that I've thought that the project was just too hard or had to many obstacles. I fear that is why so many businesses fail, starting a business is just plain hard work.
So I've been asked, "How do you persist?", "How do you keep going?". Here is my answer almost every time. "You've got to burn your ships." After an often awkward silence, I tell the story of the conquistadors that came from Europe to conquer and claim the early Americas. After Cortez landed in the Americas one of the first things he did was ordered his men to unload and burn the ships. Apparently he did this to communicate a "do or die" mentality in his men.
So when I tell people to burn their ships, what I'm saying is take the necessary steps to commit yourself to your business. I've rarely seen a new business really thrive if there are not members of the business that are truly vested. So whether you are financially investing, investing your time, quiting your full time job or whatever else, make sure that you are committing yourself and give yourself as few "outs" as possible. In my opinion, the easier it is to exit your business plan, the more likely it is to fail...and the reverse is true as well.
I've really learned some valuable lessons through this development process. Primarily I've learned how important persistence is in any business. I can think of a dozen times that I've thought that the project was just too hard or had to many obstacles. I fear that is why so many businesses fail, starting a business is just plain hard work.
So I've been asked, "How do you persist?", "How do you keep going?". Here is my answer almost every time. "You've got to burn your ships." After an often awkward silence, I tell the story of the conquistadors that came from Europe to conquer and claim the early Americas. After Cortez landed in the Americas one of the first things he did was ordered his men to unload and burn the ships. Apparently he did this to communicate a "do or die" mentality in his men.
So when I tell people to burn their ships, what I'm saying is take the necessary steps to commit yourself to your business. I've rarely seen a new business really thrive if there are not members of the business that are truly vested. So whether you are financially investing, investing your time, quiting your full time job or whatever else, make sure that you are committing yourself and give yourself as few "outs" as possible. In my opinion, the easier it is to exit your business plan, the more likely it is to fail...and the reverse is true as well.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Almost Launch Time
Our long awaited launch date is quickly arriving. Chris (our COO) is like a kid a Christmas every time our CTO (Jared) does a build. Our programmers are working tirelessly to make sure that our system is functioning and is bug free.
We decided to move as much away from the acronym "CRM" as much as possible as we begin our first marketing campaigns. We decided that CRM , although well recognized in just about every industry, doesn't describe what our software is built to do. We decided on Marketing Automation Software and I guess you could say we hope to coin the acronym MAS. As we've spoke to independent professionals, effective marketing is always on the list of items that would "most help them reach their goals".
That's exactly why we are building the software, we literally want to automate marketing for independent professionals. I say literally because I read several software programs that claim to automate sales or marketing, but more times that not, all the software really does is help you organize your own efforts. Now don't get me wrong, there is definitely value in organizing your daily sales efforts. But why stop there...why not have a software that actually is a sales effort?
Anyways, to say the least, we are so excited to get the software out in the marketplace! We really feel that we will revolutionize the way independent professionals to business.
We decided to move as much away from the acronym "CRM" as much as possible as we begin our first marketing campaigns. We decided that CRM , although well recognized in just about every industry, doesn't describe what our software is built to do. We decided on Marketing Automation Software and I guess you could say we hope to coin the acronym MAS. As we've spoke to independent professionals, effective marketing is always on the list of items that would "most help them reach their goals".
That's exactly why we are building the software, we literally want to automate marketing for independent professionals. I say literally because I read several software programs that claim to automate sales or marketing, but more times that not, all the software really does is help you organize your own efforts. Now don't get me wrong, there is definitely value in organizing your daily sales efforts. But why stop there...why not have a software that actually is a sales effort?
Anyways, to say the least, we are so excited to get the software out in the marketplace! We really feel that we will revolutionize the way independent professionals to business.
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