subject: Water Damage Marketing by:Jeffrey Cohn [print this page] Part1: Part1:
Do you know "Candy" the candy girl who markets water damage services to insurance agents? Now "Candy" is a person that I made up to demonstrate the concern I have that many restoration companies make. Water and fire damage restoration companies with no marketing knowledge believe all they need to do is send out a cute girl and " visit" insurance agents. For those who don't get the humor in "Candy" the candy girl let me explain by giving you a little water damage marketing history.
For the last 20 years the water damage industry has taught and shown that there is a standard way of getting business from agents. What most of us do is run a route. We go from agent to agent dropping candy in candy jars and acting cute so that by some act of god the insurance agency will gives us referrals. I know some of you drop off other stuff, but you get my point. Some reading this would shrug their shoulders and say so what. It works for me, I've been doing it for years and my agents just love my junk food and they refer me. My point is that I don't think it works as well as you may think so I want you to do me a favor. I want you to imagine how much your time is worth. Now don't think small, because you're just as smart as anyone else and you can be as successful as any other marketer. OK now add in how many job (claims) you received this year from agents. If you don't know ,may I suggest that you record who referred every job you get. Now add all the invoice (sales) amounts. Is it a lot? Is it worth your time for that amount of sales you took in ?
If it is worth it to you great. Honestly I have discovered that my time does not equate being a candy boy to my agents. I am worth more yes I am. So what do I do? Well I should keep seeing agents, but I have to do it in a different way. If your thinking that I need to give out a gift that they really need your wrong.
Agents don't need gifts! They need people who solve their issues. Solve or prevent issue from coming up, and they'll hand you claims. I know I do it everyday. The first problem is understanding their problems and how your services can help them. The second problem is how to get them to understand that you are their life saver. That folks is the topic of part 2 that I will send later.
About the author
Jeff Cohn is an IICRC certified in water damage restoration and ASD. He owns a water damage restoration company for 20 years and produces over 5.0 million in sales.
