Agency Performance Partners has completed it’s official 2016 plan and we can’t be more excited to share it with you! We recently returned from a business retreat on Cape Cod. It was a great time to help clarify our plans and goals as well as spend some quality time with our all-star team!
Sharing your goals can be uncomfortable. Immediately fear, uncertainty and doubt can sink in. However, I feel the exact opposite; by sharing our goals with you we are creating hundreds of accountability partners that want to see us succeed! I challenge you to post your goals on this blog so everyone can help cheer you on!
We started by creating our company themes for 2016. These are principles we want to focus on, work on, and constantly talk about.
- Maximize every tool we currently have: Like many entrepreneurs I can get shiny-object syndrome. There always seems to be a latest and greatest tool, something that will make us better, more efficient and cooler. The challenge is how to incorporate them in a way that will make us more productive; we already have over 12 tools! I can tell you, we use maybe 25% of any of them. We run at a fast pace so “slowing down to speed up” is something we need to practice. Our goal is to take one tool per month and fully learn what we are currently using, learn what we should use that we aren’t, and decide what results we are trying to achieve with the tool. Basically, in 2016, no new logins (unless we merge something together or switch vendors).
- Clearly Identify Our Core Services: Yes, we do too much to varying degrees of profitability. It was a great way to launch a company 18 months ago. Today we need to focus on exactly what we do best. I personally struggle with this because we could provide so many services, but I know that’s not the best way to do business. We need to be able to clearly state what we provide, and then fine tune our marketing around what we do, not who we are.
- Focus on Results: One way we are planning on improving the services we offer is by limiting what we do to that for which we can show measurable results. This is at both our company and with our clients. Every person has to drive a profit for APP in the coming year and everything we do we should be able to show measurable results for our clients.
- Be Fiscally Conservative: Let’s just say launching a company is an investment and we made it! As we move from an infant to a toddler it’s time to start saving for college. Our 5-year plan includes purchasing a training center which means we need to start saving now. Most of the startup investments have been made, and it’s easy to keep spending if you aren’t thinking strategically. We are now focused on determining what we need and what we want.
These are the areas we want to talk about relentlessly in the coming year. But we also have some big new things we are working on for 2016. It’s important to plan for the big stuff so we want to give you a sneak peak!
- Refreshing the APP Brand: Don’t worry, black and gold will still fill your news feed but we will be refreshing our brand away from people towards emphasising processes. We have so many great case studies, strategies and results, but our brand currently is more about us as people! Our plan is, over the first quarter of 2016, we will be launching the refreshed brand. In January, we will be sending a survey to our email database and we hope you complete it! The more research we do the stronger our brand will be.
- Carrier Training: Last year we were honored to be hired by a few carriers to provide marketing rep and underwriter training. In 2016, Q2, we will make this a product line. It’s available right now but we want to launch it right! We know that carriers need training and processes, too. So watch for details in the Spring.
- Women’s Insurance Network (WIN): Being a female-run business we have attracted several amazing female-run agencies. In researching the industry, we found this is a very underserved market. We intend, in Q3, to launch WIN and create a CEO/Mastermind group for women-run agencies. Sign up now to get more details as we develop our plans.
- Agency Performance Workbooks: Not every agency is able to afford, or is ready for, our level of commitment. That’s ok! When I started this company we never wanted to be only for the big agencies. We are developing agency performance kits complete with a workbook, posters, scripts and training materials designed to bring the APP philosophy to your agency in an easy and fun format. These will be available for purchase on our website in Q4 of 2016.
Before we talk about our goals I want to address one area that may be confusing. Agency Performance Partners is here to help agencies perform and we love doing that every day. I also own a second company, Agency Appeal with Emily Brochu (Designer) and Eddy DeMelo (SEO Specialist). This company designs brands for agencies. We bring to life exactly what makes you special and then we can build your website, print pieces and more. This company launched last year and we have been testing the market. We only work with insurance agencies and love showing off our work. You will see more about Agency Appeal in 2016. To learn more check us out!
Finally this leads us to our goals. We ended the first year and a half well ahead of where I thought we would be when I made the jump from employee to owner. But we can’t stop! We have more to achieve and more agencies to help with their performance! Our goal this year is to grow by 33%, with our Big Hairy Audacious Goal of 40% growth. We know we can get there but we gotta hustle! In order to do that I’ve committed to travelling a bit less and working on the business a ton more. Our goal is to have two consultants on the road and bring on one marketing person by the end of the year. So if you know anyone, let us know!
I’m so proud to share our 2016 goals with you. Starting this company only a year and a half ago has been the best decision of my life (well, next to marrying my biggest fan). Looking at it on paper, I feel truly blessed and amazed at what is possible. Remember to dream big in your business as you can do anything you want. Just don’t get complacent; you’ll get eaten alive!
Have a great holiday and a safe New Year. Let’s wake up and make 2016 the best year yet!
Kelly Donahue-Piro
Agency Performance Partners
