The Importance of Recognizing Clients
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Too often all of the effort is put into the courtship, with nothing saved for actual the marriage. |
BY JEB FOSTER
How often do you take the time to recognize your clients?
Let me rephrase that question: Do you recognize your clients on a regular basis, or do they morph from human being into hanging file once they convert?
If you’re like most agents, you lavish your prospects with love, leaving your clients to wonder why you never call anymore. Yes, you know the analogy I’m using: too often all of the effort is put into the courtship, with nothing saved for actual the marriage.
That’s more than a shame—it’s a bad business strategy, and if you continue leaving clients feeling unloved, you may see your divorce rate go up.
It’s easy to recognize your current clients. Something as simple as a short email every once and a while will assure your clients that you know and care that they exist, and by getting on their radar screen, they will be more likely to remember you and possibly refer your services to a friend or relative. (The agency I use for my homeowner’s insurance is so quiet—nary a holiday card has graced my mailbox—that I can barely remember their name—and would have no compunction about switching agencies if a better deal came around.)
Let me make my point with a hypothetical question that coffee drinkers can appreciate: If there are two coffee shops on your way to work, both of which offer a good brew for the same price but only shop has a barista who remembers your name and drink order, where will you stop for coffee each morning? Right. The one with barista.
And let’s suppose, after a while, after you’ve developed a great relationship with the staff at one of the cafes, their coffee quality goes down because they can’t afford the good Kenyan beans anymore. Or maybe they increase their prices in order to maintain the same high-quality cup. Would it be possible that you’d continue to patronize that particular café?
I’d say there’s a good chance you would, because now it’s now more about the connection than the coffee.
And that’s what you insurance agents are tasked with—to recognize your clients, to establish a unique connection that will become more important than the actual product you sell. Because let’s face it, an insurance policy is essential a commodity, something you usually can’t distinguish yourself with. A relationship, however, is something that can work in your favor.
Yes, prospecting will always be where the thrills are, but savvy agents know that a sale isn’t permanent, that clients reasons to stay committed through thick and thin.
