At its core, marketing is about strengthening and communicating an organizational brand. Everyone has one; it's a matter of whether yours is intentional or accidental. While a brand is assigned by others based on their experiences, marketing is a chance to influence the brand.

Kevin Trokey is founding partner and coach at St. Louis-based Q4intelligence.

To further complicate things, brands are layered. You have a personal, organizational and industry brand. If a prospect doesn't know you personally, they'll assume you fit the image they have of your agency. If they don't know the agency, they'll assume you fit the image they have of the industry. Now, I love our industry, but I'm guessing very few of you want to accept the stereotypical label of being an insurance broker.

Tell them before you show them

If your marketing hasn't prepared prospects to look for examples of how you're different, they will come to the meeting assuming you are like every other broker. They'll look for anything that makes you look and sound like everyone else.

Use this to your advantage. On your website, in your blog, social media, emails or the way you set the meeting, be very specific about what makes you different in a way that would benefit them if they became a client.

Because your marketing prepared them, they are expecting points of differentiation during your conversation. Because they still want to prove themselves right, they will focus on that part of the experience and assign a brand that differentiates you from your competition.

How did we get here?

Marketing is not a new business idea, but in many ways, it is for insurance agencies. Agencies have long depended on carriers' products as their primary deliverable, and on the carriers' commission and bonus programs as their source of revenue. Changes to this dependence are forcing agencies into the world of marketing. In some cases, the break in dependence is being forced by the likes of ACA and MLR. Increasingly, agencies are working very intentionally to break this dependence.

It's one thing to recognize the need to embrace marketing; it's another to take it on successfully. Many agencies lack the knowledge, skillset and bandwidth. These obstacles can be overcome; however, a lack of patience is much harder to remove.

Marketing takes time. Especially early on, it can feel as though you are throwing your hard work into a black hole. If you don't service clients, you see an immediate result. However, whether you market or not, the results (or lack of) aren't immediately apparent. This is especially challenging for those whose personality is fueled by instant gratification.

You have to commit to marketing

Just like servicing clients and selling new business, marketing is a critical daily function of running a business.

Like other parts of your business, you have to approach marketing strategically.

Create a vision
Be very clear with yourself and your team about why you have to commit
Devise a plan to organize activities
Approach that plan with disciplined execution
Find someone who will hold you accountable

When you commit to marketing, do it well, and do it consistently, prospects will start coming to you.

How is that for motivation?

Read more:

Instant Insights /

Why marketing is a critical daily function

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