Owning a BMW has always been a rite of passage for newly successful agents. Driving a new 5-series is a statement to friends and co-workers that you have arrived. I think it's fair to say the reason for this is the prestige associated with the BMW brand. Perception is reality, and if you drive a BMW, the perception is that you are a successful upward mobile business person. 

The million dollar question is: "How do consumers perceive your agency brand, and by extension, YOU?" 

This is the most important question any agency or individual agent could ask themselves. There's a concept in marketing known as "Everything Speaks." Everything you do and say reflects on your brand. 

Consider the statement "the ultimate driving machine." Everyone knows exactly what that means. There is no confusion about what BMW stands for or the quality of the product they deliver. 

What would consumers think if Wal-Mart entered the insurance business? I would personally think, "simple process, limited advice, low costs, honest." I think I would be comfortable with it because of the brand - not the person providing the service. 

This is the challenge that independent agencies face. In a market where consumers are extremely skeptical and jaded, IMAGE is everything. Said in another way, perception is reality. 

Take a minute to review your collective branding efforts. 

*What picture are you painting for your customers?
*What value are reflected?
*What is the message being sent?
*Most important of all, does your branding reflect your vision? 

Next, take a moment to consider the people who share AND are part of your brand. 

*Do they share the same values?
*Do they conduct themselves in a way that reflects positively on your brand?
*Do they promote the brand with the same passion that they promote themselves? 

After some consideration, ask yourself how what you're actually doing lines up with your vision of what you should and need to be doing? Are they the same? If not, what needs to change? 

Many agency principals express to us that they've made a series of incremental decisions that have brought them to a point that they never intended to be at. They talk about having lost their sense of identity and completely diluted the vision for their unique brand. Insurance professionals who discount the importance of brand awareness are missing out on a key element of successful marketing. In an age when every customer counts, you must eliminate the possibility of losing business due to either a lack of or negative brand awareness. 

Fortunately, more than 85% of all consumers will go to the Internet to do research before requesting an insurance quote. This is an opportunity to utilize low-cost marketing strategies to capture business and build brand awareness. A comprehensive online marketing strategy can make even the smallest of companies look like they have a million dollar marketing budget.

Owning and driving a BMW is a special experience. BEING PERCEIVED AS ONE: PRICELESS. 

At Astonish Results, our agencies love that we encourage individualism. Our way of thinking allows these same independent agencies to express their uniqueness and execute on their own ideas. The number one comment from agency owners across the country is, "I have all these great ideas; I just need help putting them into practice." Astonish Results has developed a system to assist you in developing a marketing strategy that reflects the company and the person you always INTENDED to be. 

Contact Astonish Results for a complimentary brand consultation and to discover how you can utilize the Internet to grow your agency.