If you are in need of a certified baby sitter for an infant or even a restaurant for
an important dinner meeting, are you going to open the phone book and select
the first name you see listed in that section? No, because that is not how services
are selected for those things that we hold
dear to our hearts. The same holds true for
business services.
If it is an important service for which we are
shopping, we often ask those people that we
trust and who have provided good references
in the past for advice. A word-of-mouth recommendation is the best form of advertisement a business can receive, says Jack
Landers, a commercial insurance broker
with Westland Insurance Brokers. The key to
being successful is to be the first person all
your clients want to recommend. To become
that person, you may need to go beyond your
job description for clients and help them
become successful in overall business.
Smart Business spoke with Landers about
the importance of networking with clients
and how helping develop a client’s success
leads you to your own personal success.
What does being in partnership with clients
mean?
Being in partnership with a client means
being part of that client’s team. If you are in
an industry, such as insurance, where you
work with many different industries, networking can be very easy. As you develop a
relationship with clients, you get to know
their areas of expertise and are able to recommend them to other clients in the future.
As an insurance broker, being in a partnership means far more than shopping for a customer’s insurance coverage and pricing. A
partnership requires working to develop a
long-term relationship with a client. It goes
beyond providing insurance policies, risk
management and account servicing. It is necessary to offer your expertise and general
knowledge that a client can use to enhance
their business. It becomes a partnership
because, if done properly, one can help his or
her own business grow while helping a
client’s business grow.
As a partnership develops, you will likely
become a trusted member of a client’s team
and will often be utilized for advice or references. You become more then just his or her
insurance broker; you become a valuable
resource and asset.
In what ways may clients utilize my knowledge or services in a partnership?
In a true partnership, there are endless possibilities. One may be asked to refer accountants, banks, limo services, corporate catering or even a toxicologist for the life science
industry. The point of such a relationship is
to become too valuable for your client to
replace. For example, there may be other
insurance brokers in the world offering similar plans and programs, but you should
strive to be the one your client cannot or
does not want to survive without. By taking
the extra step to make recommendations or
to help with nonwork-related services, you
become the partner that business owners
know they can turn to when they have a
question about anything.
How can being in a partnership benefit my
personal business?
It is a win-win situation because when your
clients are asked who they use for a service, such as an insurance broker, they will immediately recommend you. There is no better
form of advertisement than word-of-mouth.
People usually only trust respected friends
or business individuals they admire for such
recommendations so, if they recommend
you, it may very likely increase your personal business. If you are going above and
beyond for a client, he or she is simply not
likely to replace you with the competition.
Are there other networking methods you recommend?
Absolutely, one can join networking
groups or clubs. But choose wisely. The
group needs to fit your personality, schedule and interests. This will help you relate
to others around you and lead to the greatest results.
San Diego has many networking groups
and clubs that range from specialty organizations for different industries to Chamber
of Commerce groups, BBB, business lead tip
type groups, etc. As the members of the
group get to know you and your company
better, they now become your ‘sales team.’ If
you are networking properly and are a competitive businessperson in your industry,
your ‘sales team’ is likely to recommend you
to others, free of charge. The return on
investment with these groups is indicative of
how active you are in the groups but simply
cannot be matched in today’s market.
Do you only refer your clients?
Not always. But the more you know about
your clients’ goods and services, the easier it
is to refer their business first. Everyone wins:
Clients receive business without the costs of
direct advertising, you are happy to help
each business prosper, and you likely keep
them a client for years to come.
As they say in sales, ‘the best compliment
is a referral.’ The referrals clients give back
to you should be handled with TLC and
appreciated.
JACK LANDERS is a commercial insurance broker with Westland Insurance Brokers. Reach him at [email protected] or (619)
584-6400.
