Thought leadershipBranding
According to Bureau of Labor statistics, there are more than 385,000 insurance sales agents in the US, with an average income of just over $67,000. Of course, it’s not perfectly linear, but if we just divide the 385,000 out of 50, we would have an average of 7,700 agents per state, but that’s not how it works. In some states like Florida, California and Texas there are more than 30,000 agents.
As the numbers show, there is a lot of competition in the industry. That is evidenced by a large amount of white noise. So what are prospects really listening to? Can they patiently eliminate the white noise and find the answers they need?
No and No, they can’t, so they take the simplest default position which is to log out. It’s much easier to completely ignore problems than it is to fight white noise and confusion. Unfortunately, this is our fault. The public needs the financial solutions we provide and it is imperative that we find a way to communicate these issues in order to provide the right solutions.
We live in the richest nation in the world, many say the richest nation in the history of human civilization. And yet we suffer from the highest rate of financial illiteracy in the world. This difficult paradox leads to results such as 95% of all those who reach the age of 65 or older are dead, bankrupt or financially dependent and, worse still, totally financially dependent on the government. Only 5% reach age 65 in a state of financial independence. We are the gatekeepers responsible for helping people achieve financial independence. Forget retirement and all the other phrases caught up in white noise. It is and has always been about simply helping people create financial independence, everything else is nonsense.
So how do you get out of the bloated crowd promoting all the white noise? What makes you different? How obvious is that difference? Does it connect, inform, resonate and motivate?
I present to you that the most effective and efficient differentiation is the perception of authority. People look for authorities, trust authority. When I mention authority, I am not referring to some level of bureaucratic power, I am referring to a sense of intellectual leadership. You become the recognized authority in your local community. Through proper positioning, you can carry your essence of authority across the country.
If this has opened your mind to this strategy, look for the next article in this series, where I’ll lay out a strategic plan on how to create a thought leadership brand position.
