How to Stand Out from the Crowd
Marketing 101  The purpose of marketing is to obtain mental real estate.
Competition is
fierce these days, as consumers are bombarded
with distractions from
every direction. How can you make sure
that your message is heard and remembered?
Communication is Key Whether it's a company brochure, a newsletter, or a flyer, the idea
is
the same. You are trying to attract the reader's attention!
When you create a company brochure, produce something
that's compelling.
Remember, your brochure will be competing
with a mountain of magazines
in the waiting room. Don't hand
out a standard overview of your company,
with a look and feel
that mirrors everything else in your industry.
Create something that
will "wow" the reader and help you stand out from
the crowd.
Newsletters are a popular marketing tool, but their effectiveness
depends upon their content. Rather than producing a
lengthy
piece that prattles on about your business, try to provide brief
bits of interesting information. Give the reader general news and
tips
they can use, or at least share with co-workers around the water
cooler.
Success stories are an especially useful communication
device. Select a
difficult transaction you've completed which had a
great outcome, and
use it to indirectly illustrate your talents to your customers.
Utilize Your Database Your client database is the most valuable resource you have. Do you
use it
to its full potential or is it merely a repository for data from past
transactions?
Each contact within your database should be classified as either an
active or passive lead.
Active leads are
those who are about to make a decision,
and they should be contacted
frequently. Rather than calling a client
to ask if they're ready to
commit, try calling to provide them with information
instead. Tell them
about an additional feature of the item you've discussed,
or bring up a
different product for their consideration. Perhaps you have a
special
offer that might interest them. By contributing something of
value to
the conversation, you're able to touch base and further establish
your
worth as a resource.
 
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Insurance Insights Is Your Roof Covered?
Most people don't read too deeply into their homeowner's insurance policies, especially when it comes to the roof. Most of us expect that, if the roof were to sustain damage from a storm or other event, our insurance will pay the costs to repair it (minus the deductible, of course).
But that's not necessarily the case. Insurance carriers have moved to an underwriting approach that, while it tends to keep premiums down, can lower the total amount available for roof repairs in the event of a claim. This method is called "actual cash value."
Here's how it works: A roof needs to be replaced every 15 to 20 years, making roofs a depreciating asset. From an accounting perspective, their cash value is highest when they are new, and they gradually decrease in value through wear and tear. An old roof is simply less valuable than a new roof because replacement is both nearer and inevitable.
If your homeowners insurance uses "actual cash value" method rather than "cost to replace" method to calculate a claim, depreciation will be deducted from your settlement amount, resulting in lower compensation from the insurance company in the event of a claim. While the upside of this is a lower monthly premium, the downside is that if you're not putting something in savings to replace your roof, you could eventually be stuck covering the rest of the repairs yourself.
It's worth a quick call to your insurance agent to double-check your coverage and make any appropriate adjustments.
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