Florida Association of Licensed Investigators Presentation - Succeed Where Others Fail, Marketing Your Investigation Business in a Down Economy

Succeeding While Others Fail:Grow Your Investigation Business in Difficult Times
Pinow.com
Adam Camras, Co-Founder

Good News & Bad News

Bad News
60,000 Investigators
40,000
Getting harder to compete
Not just new firms failing
Refusing to embrace change
We are not always perceived as professionals or have the best reputation

Bad Press

Good News
This is not YOU!

Even Better News
You are here!
You are the 1% of the industry that recognizes the importance of education & investing in your business
Investigation types with growth
Now is a great time to build a business
Identify the tools and / or remind how to use them

Why Am I Here?
Launched our first trusted legal network in 2001
ServeNow.com launched in 2004
PInow.com launched in 2005
Acquired ProcessServers.com
Serve Report newsletter
PI News Round-Up
PInow Yahoo Group
ServeManager in 2009

Tools for Success
Integrity
Telephone
Customer Service
Branding
Sales / Marketing
Technology
Social Media

Garner Trust by Being Honest

Telephone Basics
Answer the phone!
Roll over lines
Forward calls to cell phones
Phone etiquette
“Hello” vs. “XYZ Investigations how can I help you”
Get a business line
Toll free

Customer Service
Anyone is a potential customer
Respond to all inquiries in a timely manner
Fix your mistakes, don’t hide from them
Disputes
Difficult customers
Treat your customers the way you want to be treated (Customer is always RIGHT)
Know when to hire help

Corporate Identity
Logo
Business Cards, Letterhead, Envelopes, Fax Covers, Invoices, Advertisements, Reports, Web Sites and Giveaways
Anything else that has your company name

Branding
Consistent Message
Your Office
Employees
Appearance

Who Would You Rather Have Representing Your Company?
Umm… Hi… Umm… Do you need an Investigator

…or, this guy?
Good afternoon sir. I am from ZYX Investigations

What Should You Spend on Advertising?
8 to 15% of revenue
“If you're in a services business, you might want to bump your starting point to 8%…I've seen companies spend upwards of 15% when warranted—especially young companies that need to invest to build their brand.”
Business Week Article - February 2009

Things you should be doing
B.A.M. (Be a Marketer)
Do not need to be the best investigator
Networking and Associations
Speaking / presentations
Traditional Marketing
database/direct mail, print ads, trade shows, billboard, radio, TV
Web / email
Online advertising, web site, email campaigns, blogs, social media
Marketing Effectiveness

Things you could be doing
Up-sell your other services
Don’t be scared to ask
“the sale”, feedback, referrals, referral fees
Compete on service not price
Identify Industries that need Investigators
Insurance, legal, debt / collection, subrogation
Types of Investigations growing
Domestic, child support, workers comp, background checks, data discovery, asset searches & skip tracing
Vendor lists
Government Contracts / RFP’s

What Else?
Provide more service offerings
process service
Repeatable, trainable, volume services
pre-employment, background, asset searches, skips
Hire other Investigators
create a network
“own” the clients

Technology
Web-based email
Domain name in email
acamras@pinow.com
Have a professional web site
Use software
Have a smart phone
Backup your data
Be receptive to change

Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
MySpace
Ning
TweetLaw
LinkedIn

Community Outreach
Legal Events
Business Events
Political Events
Reach out to Legislators
Start a Company Blog
Stay Informed with RSS feeds
Share Your Importance and Expertise
Do Not Stop Learning

Professionalism Checklist

Thank you. Questions?
Contact:
Adam Camras | (888) 997-4669 x704
acamras@pinow.com

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Florida Association of Licensed Investigators Presentation - Succeed Where Others Fail, Marketing Your Investigation Business in a Down Economy

by PInow.com on May 26, 2010

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Florida Association of Licensed Investigators Presentation - Succeed Where Others Fail, Marketing Your Investigation Business in a Down Economy — Presentation Transcript