As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, I planned to shut down access to my free video series on the 22nd. Well, my website design team has a schedule conflict that won’t allow this to happen until the 29th. I guess that means there is one more week for you to access the series.

When I started coaching agents and creating videos, I was confident that I could help others transform their agencies and careers. I still am. But what I have been most surprised at is the belief that many have that it’s just one thing that makes all the difference. Yes, one big idea can have tremendous impact, but it’s many, many things that transform a career.

The biggest idea is this: do one thing and do it very well. Narrow that one thing until it’s an even smaller one thing. Narrow further. You see, in a world where a resourceful person can reach your prospect with a tailored message from anywhere in the world via email, Twitter, Facebook, why would they do business with you, a generalist? Because you’re a nice guy isn’t enough.

One of the main ideas I discuss in my video series is that of niches. Choosing a niche is not just a powerful strategy to focus your efforts, it’s critical to your success (and mine). My advice to others: focus on just one thing and then do many things to build your value proposition for that one thing. Learn to choose.

In my agent coaching business, the most frequently asked question I receive following the introduction of a new concept or strategy is this: “That’s great, but how do I find people to share it with?” That’s a wonderful and perfectly valid response.

Here’s how to create a new market with a single phone call or email. Think about what type of person would best benefit from this new strategy or product. Who do you know that already knows you, likes you, and trusts you that fits the profile? Contact them and consider saying the following:

“Joe, how are you? (small talk ensues…) Hey, I was wondering if I could ask for your help on something. I’m working on a new offering in my business and you came to mind as someone who may be helpful to talk with. Can I buy you a cup of coffee and get your insight on this? It would really be helpful for me and who knows, you may learn something as well.”

Notice what happened here. You didn’t ask Joe to buy anything or do anything other than offer his insight. I am yet to meet someone that doesn’t enjoy being asked to offer their insight. While enjoying the cup of coffee you paid for and thinking through this new offering, Joe is very likely to try the solution on for himself, since you already guessed that he may be a suitable candidate. As a result, I have often found that they will either 1. ask if you can help them with their problem, or 2. suggest someone else that may want to hear about it.

When we simply ask for help from those that not only care about us, but can also benefit from our solutions, we open up new markets, discover new prospective clients, and offer a humility-based approach that is very attractive to people that are used to being pitched-to by salespeople.

I do a fair amount of coaching and teaching of other agents. I do it for several reasons: 1. It’s fun to inspire others, 2. I believe the greater public is underserved by the insurance and financial services industry, and 3. There are principles that are transcendent and should be known by all of us agents, so why not give back?

One of the most frustrating aspects of coaching is the inevitable push-back. Let’s call them objections. They usually sound like: “That’s really great stuff Adam, but I think your market and mine are different. The people I work with don’t…” Or, “When my business grows, then I will…”

You see, one of the best reasons to pursue coaching is to learn what has worked in various markets and in more developed practices than yours. If you are taking your cues from others that are in the same spot as you, then you’re not learning, you’re simply talking.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received and I repeatedly offer others is to clearly define the market you wish to serve and write it down. Such a simple exercise that few of us do regularly. Why is this so important? If you just bought a new red car, are you now shocked to realize how many other red cars are on the road? They’re everywhere!

In the same way, when you define your ideal client, you begin to see them everywhere and you get really good at serving them…

…even before you’re fully in that market.

You wake up one day and realize that a growing percentage of your book of business is made up of ideal clients. There is no better way to scale your business than by creating it on paper first and opening your eyes to all the red cars on the road.

Are you serious about growing your agency? Ask yourself these seven questions:

1. Do I know precisely who my ideal client is and why?
2. Do I have a strategy to reach my ideal prospect written down?
3. Have I thought through all of the client “touch-points” in my business to ensure that they resonate with my ideal prospect?
4. Am I (or is my process/solution) interesting to my ideal prospect?
5. Have I differentiated myself and my process in order to make it impossible for others to offer the same commodity to my ideal prospect (and cheaper)?
6. Once I make my ideal prospect into a client, do I have a plan to keep them ecstatic with my product/process/solution/team etc.?
7. Do I really care enough to spend the time to figure this stuff out, or am I happy enough just selling anything to anybody?

Answer these questions and you will set yourself apart from your once-competitors in many, many ways.