Passive Marketing Won’t Work By Itself

There seems to be a lot of “unmotivated” marketers in the restoration industry. I work with many marketers each week (as part of the CREST coaching program). Many times, when I begin working with a marketer that the owner hired, I find out they have either have hired the wrong person or that person is in the wrong position.

Sometimes they hire based on looks, or friendliness, or they previously worked at another restoration company. Even worse is when they advertise for and hire a “marketer” that only wants to do passive marketing. i.e.: being in front of a computer, doing a lot of admin type work, designing brochures, and even doing SEO or PPC, or website work. Those types often want to simply email stuff out to prospects, send newsletters, and text messages. You can’t even get them to make cold phone calls.

They don’t want to go out on the road on a route, visiting existing clients, and cold call visiting with prospects. They can’t handle the rejection. They take the NO personally, and it hurts their fragile egos. Passive marketing (all by itself) is not what a restoration company needs. There must be hungry, determined, and motivated route marketers calling on (in person) up to 150 or more prospects and clients every month.

Doing passive marketing has its place. It helps push the “top-of-mind” awareness, so they think of you when they need you. It can’t be done in a vacuum, however. It requires marketers that see the vision, understand, and charge toward the written goals. It takes someone with a strong backbone, and the willingness to hear a “NO” from a prospect.

We always ask in our RMS (Restoration Marketing Specialist) classes “what’s the worst word you don’t want to hear?” That answer is usually “NO.” I maintain that the worst word is “MAYBE,” because they are probably stalling you, or trying to get rid of you – and they don’t have the guts to tell you no. They are afraid of conflict or argument and think they’re pacifying you, so you’ll go away.

Even when you cold phone call them, they will usually say something like “send me your info and I’ll look it over and get back to you!” And guess what? We mail or email them what we “think” they want – and that’s usually crap about Fire, Water, Smoke, or Mold. Those marketers seem to think prospective clients want that restoration company self-promotion literature, but when the prospect gets it, it goes in the trash.

It’s been said by many expert gurus that it takes from 20 to 100 touches before someone starts to think of you as top-of-mind. What you should offer is solutions to help them solve a problem. Not to learn about Fire or Water restoration services.

They don’t need to know how many trucks you have on the road, or how much special equipment you have. And please don’t say “we have a combined experience of ____ (150 or some number) in our company. It’s arrogant, misleading, and worthless to the client. Want help? Call me! Dick Wagner 419-202-6745

By Dick Wagner, Co-Founder The CREST Network, LLC

Nationally recognized coach, consultant, trainer, and speaker

Creator of the renowned PREP™ pre-disaster program

Owner of AskDickWagner.com BLOG