Over the years, I’ve taught thousands of Insurance Agency Owners plus other small business owners the systems and ideas I’ve learned … and … more importantly, IMPLEMENTED from the best of these owners to run a very successful business.
I would be remiss not to credit my business coaches the great marketing legends Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer that guided me in the early years of BGI Systems to teach our successful processes and systems on a national scale.
Their small business marketing ideas helped move our insurance agency from a top 5% agency to a top 1% agency ranking within twelve months of learning the RIGHT WAY to MARKET OUR AGENCY instead of traditional marketing practices.
Over 60% of our BGI clients have been able to obtain fast and proven results. Another 20% of our clients were able to scale their improvements for 5 years or more, and the top 5% of our members have had life-changing results.
The bottom 15% that joined BGI Systems must have thought I had a magic pill they could take to get significant improvement to their business. They were constantly whining and complaining about why their agency/business is different and our materials could not be used in their world.
Why did 25% of our clients get significant and even life-altering results for 5 years or more? Why did 60% get quick results, but did not scale it for 5 years or more?
The quick answer is human beings are predictable. You can look at any group anywhere in the world and apply the 80/20 rule or the Pareto Principle.
We are able to outperform the 80/20 numbers because we are “one of the groups” teaching others just like us. Our agency/business was very successful. This was especially attractive to Insurance Agency Owners, and even more attractive to Allstaters.
The other tangible the BGI System team members and I believe was the trust we built with our clients from even before they joined our organization.
One of the ways to build trust that we’ve done is by making it personal.
Trust is earned through openness, integrity, and the consistency of your actions. One of the key points to consider here is the most important foundation that needs to be in place before your customers even make a buying decision is TRUST.
So, how can you build trust with your customers?
- Walk the Walk - Do what you say you’re going to do. Don’t make promises you never intend to fulfill. You’ll set yourself apart by simply doing this one.
- Put the Customer First - Always, always, ALWAYS. Do what is right, not what is ONLY profitable. The rest will take care of itself.
- Be Available - Your customers need to be able to reach you or a team member when they need you.
- Keep it Simple - Your customers will appreciate simplicity in understandable terms. Make it fun and easy to follow, but hard to forget.
I know one thing for sure. Trust is built over time through a consistent effort on your part. Trust is your competitive advantage because people do business with people they know, like, and trust. When your customers give you their trust, a partnership is formed that is personal, relatable, and special.
Make it personal.