Seth Godin and His Purple Cows 

You’re either a Purple Cow or you’re not.  You’re either remarkable or invisible.  Make your choice.  That’s the opening statement on the dustcover of change agent, professional speaker and author Seth Godin’s Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable.  The copy goes on to say “Cows, after you’ve seen one or two or ten, are boring.  A Purple Cow, though…now that would be something. 

 In 145 fast-paced pages, Godin makes his case for the need today to “stand out in the crowd”, no matter what your business is, large or small.  I have plucked a nugget from page 67 to share with you. 

Positively Herberg

Our associate Frank Herberg has a wonderful comment about his upbeat, optimistic approach to business and all aspects of his life. 

I am so optimistic that I would go after Moby Dick in a rowboat with a knife and fork and a bottle of tartar sauce!

Look at projects as investments, not costs 

I find that far too many agents consider advertising, direct mail and other marketing communication a cost.  Some even see it as a luxury.  At best, most see it as a necessary evil.  These views are causing agents to lose new business and existing customer to more aggressive competitors. 

As marketing consultant Bob Lauterborn puts it in a discussion about setting budgets with business marketers:  “We don’t have budget problems.  We have perception problems.  And it is usually our own fault.”

Lauterborn advocates the use of a task method as the only appropriate way to budget.  We agree.  Here are the basics of the task method. 

Worth considering at your agency 

Radio host Mike Carruthers recently interviewed Chester Elton, author of The Carrot Principle.  The subject was the need to attract and keep good workers, and the role of recognition and praise.  Here are a couple of Elton’s comments excerpted from their discussion. 

Dov Seidman interviewed by Friedman and Rose 

Dov Seidman, CEO of LRN, a governance, ethics and compliance services company, has a hot new book HOW: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything…In Business (And In Life).  He recently held discussions with The World Is Flat author Tom Friedman at the National Press Club, and with Charlie Rose on his PBS show.  What Seidman has to say about managing and getting things done in today’s world of connectedness is provocative.  And it has application for your agency and your family too.

Keep in touch with your customers 

I found this jewel in the Handbook of Cost Reduction Techniques by David Henry. While the handbook was not written with insurance agencies in mind, it was written with service organizations in mind. 

Three factors account for the loss of 91% of customers.  Lack of interest on the part of the selling company’s employees (68%).  Unresolved complaints (14%). Better pricing from a competitor (9%).

Lesson:  Proper attention to customers should be the number one priority after you make the initial sale. 

Ed Comment: Right on!