After returning to the financial services industry within the last two years and running a business consulting firm since 2014, I have come to the conclusion a powerful business networking model was needed to be created to help companies in U.S. and Canada.
Here are the two reasons:
The current economy is not as robust as it was 20 years ago.
Although technology has advanced, the basics to move high priced products and services to consumers have not changed.
Social Media
Although slick and sexy, the jury is still out on social media's effectiveness for selling big-ticket products and services.
For big ticket items, social media qualified follower ratios (e.g., prospects wanting to buy and have money to buy) are approximately 1 out of 500, or less.
Social media has a natural, psychological reaction where business owners only care about likes, responses and inquiries about their products and services. Meaning, business owners are less likely to purchase products and services from other social media business accounts.
Traditional Networking
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Many popular networking groups exist in North America for small business owners to assemble and collaborate weekly or bi-monthly. However, my experience as a repeat traditional networking model participant, paying about $100 per month plus gas and time, only a few people receive referrals.
IFS Agency Networking is Free
Powerful benefits and features:
What if business owners could upload a 2-3 minute video per month highlighting their companies?
What if business owners names, websites and videos were distributed, monthly, via digital newsletters to true business owners and opt-in consumers?
What if new business owners and opt-in consumers were added to the digital newsletter distribution on a weekly basis?
Let's dig deeper on three above items
Networking members upload carefully thought out video content which could include dialogue, product demonstrations or happy client testimonials. Video and audio content are uploaded to 25 podcast platforms like Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and iHeart Podcast, just to name a few.
Your content is distributed to bona fide business owners and opt-in contacts. No more followers and bots from the Fiji Islands who care only about swimming with bull sharks.
Getting calls from digital newsletter recipients has less anxiety when a person says "I learned about your business from a digital newsletter and I loved your story about how you made it through law or medical school".
Why is the networking model free?
As a multi-state insurance broker, I speak with 50-100 business owners per week. At a minimum, business owners may share their company concerns. On occasion, they may mention a need for a product or service. Helping others businesses get what they want or need often leads to new business for my insurance brokerage.
A number of small business owners missed out on formal sales and marketing instruction due to cost, lack of time, and/or course unavailability. There are over 800 podcast episodes which help business owners slowly fill learning gaps.
Are other services available?
Yes! For company owners with sales funnel challenges, such as contacting, prospecting and closing, our consulting firm offers Fortune 500 level sales system training and business development services. If a business is our insurance client, most training and business development services are free or significantly discounted.
To get more information about our networking model, please feel free to call or send us a message from this website. Listen to the podcast episode here.
Clarence Nappier
Insurance Broker
(415) 259-5900