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Finding Great Partners 4/20/2009
There are fantastic resources at your fingertips. Find companies to work with that will support your business and help you and your clients.
You cannot do it alone. Investment companies spend millions each year trying to market their services. One of the best way is through their wholesalers and marketers of products. Find wholesalers or insurance marketers who will help you grow your business, not just product or technical knowledge.
Strategy: I was taught by a great veteran of the business to develop relationships with wholesalers. They can help your business grow in more ways that you could imagine. Find business builders who love to do marketing and not talk about technical knowledge or products all day.
Here are some ways that you can develop a win-win approach with wholesalers.
Ask them questions:
What are top representatives doing for marketing and building their business?
Are there any representatives in your area that I can talk to about marketing and your business building ideas?
Do you have any samples of marketing ideas that you have helped implement and or have seen work?
Does you company have a catalog of marketing ideas or materials?
What is your commitment to helping build my business?
What amount of time do you spend with top advisors on marketing each year? Ask them for their time commitment.
Do you have any good books on marketing ideas?
Does your company sponsor marketing events or have any affiliation or recommendation to top marketing people?
Website: Does your company have an intranet to access on your website for marketing ideas and materials?
Do you sponsor marketing materials such as newsletters?
What are your Co-Op policies and procedures?
Do you have a system or manual?
How can you help me with ideas and co-op for client appreciation?
Grant's Tip: Some of the best ideas that I have used have come from one on one business building meetings with wholesalers. I would ask your top wholesaler to be on your board of directors and ask for ? day two times per year to go over your business plans, marketing plans and upcoming ideas. This is in addition to our regular quarterly meetings and updates
Ask for feedback on your plans. Give them a copy in confidence and make yourself accountable to the wholesaler by reviewing your results and plans with them. Sometimes feedback can be invaluable. You don't want to climb the ladder of success and find out that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.
Make sure that you get a commitment from them over the course of one year of not only their ideas, but their time and feedback. In your peer group, ask other top producers how they work with their wholesaler and the ideas and support that they bring to the table.
An easy way to find a great wholesaler is one that has a written business and marketing plan that covers more than one year. Most wholesalers don't have ten year business plans, which they should, but the ones that have their commitment on paper and can share that commitment with you are worth their weight in gold.
