How to Create Marketing & Sales Systems for Highly Profitable Private Investigation Agencies

Have you ever wondered about the success of fanchises like McDonalds? I recently read the story of Ray Kroc and it was fascinating!

You see, the executives at McDonalds and other franchises are faced with a challenge similar to yours when running a large PI Agency. They are trying to build a brand, increase sales and create a consistent experience for their customers.

But, their employee turnover is so high that this is almost impossible without impeccable systems for the smallest things…like how much ice to put in cups and where to place the burger on the wrapper.

Without these systems, the franchise business model would not be nearly as successful as it is.

In this article, I'll be focusing on the marketing and sales systems you need to make your remote office profitable and stress free.

There are 5 basic marketing and sales systems that I'd like to focus on in this article. They are:

1. Lead Generation Systems. How is it that you make your phone ring? How do you put your website in front of the right people to generate an e-mail inquiry? How much should you expect to pay for a lead from each advertising medium you use?

Each of those questions should be answered as a part of your lead generation system. Every market is different in the private investigator field. Some agencies thrive by paying less than $20 per lead. Some are forced to pay upwards of $200.

To establish these answers, you need a combination of good management software and marketing tracking efforts. Call your local phone company and inquire about marketing tracking phone numbers. They give you an unbiased look at advertising mediums and will help you determine what works for you and what doesn't.

In some markets, yellow page advertising works exceptionally well. In others it doesn't even come close to paying for itself.

Creating this system will help you and your managers understand your marketing efforts much better and - as an added benefit - help you sleep better at night because you have a proven system to follow for success.

2. Lead Capturing Systems. Generating a lead is one thing, effectively capturing it is another. If you follow my earlier advice about getting tracking phone numbers, you'll see what I mean. Many offices are missing a large percentage of the leads they pay good money to generate.

If you miss a phone call because your office staff is out to lunch or busy with another customer, you've missed an opportunity. If you don't have your manager check, and appropriately respond to e-mail inquiries every day, you're missing opportunities.

Create systems to capture every lead you pay to generate. If you don't have one of the great call centers in this industry answering your after hours and roll over phone calls, you should consider using them.

If you pay $100+ to generate a lead that is possibly worth +/- $700, missing more than a few per month is a costly mistake. Make sure your staff knows to check the office e-mail every day at lunch and before going home. Create a response oriented template for them to use when responding. This saves them time and will give you control over what is said to prospects inquiring via e-mail.

Before spending another penny trying to increase your response make sure you're capitalizing on all of your existing response first. Do this by creating a lead capturing system. Designate phone answering systems, e-mail reply systems and walk-in traffic systems.

Make sure you capture as much information about people. Get their contact information so you can appropriately follow up if necessary.

3. Lead Conversion Systems. So, you've generated a lead and captured it effectively. Now you need to turn it into a paying customer! What you say and how you say it are critical at this point. Scripts are impersonal and not very effective. At the other extreme are offices that just wing it.

Rather than using a script, give those who interface with prospects an outline that covers your objectives for the call and a process to follow. Then instruct them to "make it their own" so they're comfortable with the language and can talk to people the way they deserve to be talked to.

If you do this, I guarantee your conversion ratio will go up.

If the lead comes in via e-mail, have a template that has variable fields ready for storage inquiries, billing inquiries, alliance inquiries and even complaints.

Again, consider testing a call center. These companies know what works and usually have a higher conversion ratio than facilities have on their own.

4. Lead Follow-Up Systems. A follow up system for those leads that don't convert is crucial. It's a proven fact that following up with people results in new cases. However, you must have systems in place to make this both effective and efficient for your staff. After you talk to a lead, have a multi-step system in place for following up with that person. If you are able to capture their mailing address, phone number and e-mail address.

You should send them a letter the same day. They'll get it within 3 days so the timing will be just about perfect. Let them know that you appreciate them contacting you and that you are there to serve them and help them with any investigation related needs. Give them incentive to hire you within 30 days.

7 days after the visit, make a phone call if you have their phone number. Have your manager say whatever sounds natural but tell them the objective is to tell them thank you and give them a special offer to hire you within the 30 day window. If you sent a letter, have them mention the letter.

Have an e-mail slated for 14 days after the visit with stories of how you have helped other clients - something informative, but not pesky. And finally, have another letter go out 4 weeks after the visit letting them know that you'll extend the offer for another 2 weeks and that you hope to see them soon.

To do this you need good CRM management software with calendar and letter capabilities. The more you can automate this, the better.

By doing this, you're doing everything you can to capitalize on the investment you made to generate a customer.

5. Database Marketing Systems. If you've read any of my other articles, you know that I highly advise every agency to work on increasing the lifetime value of each customer.

You can increase the value of each customer by up-selling and cross-selling related products and services. Some agencies are pretty good at doing this at the original transaction. However, very few agencies market to their database of customers frequently enough. You should be mailing your existing customers at least every 30 days.

If you mail statements to your customers, be sure that you include marketing materials in the envelope…you're already paying postage, why not enclose a newsletter with stories of how PI services save money and help people?

Every customer should be told about and reminded of your referral program and given the materials they need to fulfill it.

As part of your marketing and sales system, include a section on database marketing. Tell your staff that letters need to go out to clients every 3 or 4 weeks and give them the letters and materials they need to do this. Take all of the guess work out of this and you'll love the results.

If you have e-mail addresses, invest in an automated e-mail auto-responder that automatically sends your customers messages thanking them for their business and offering them something else of value.

You should have these systems in place no matter what. Even if you only have one office, systems will make you more money and save you a lot of stress as you hire more investigators. However, when you have more than one office they become even more important.

Take the time to write out every last detail of these systems. Include details like what kind of postage to use, what time to check e-mail, what kind of paper to use, who is authorized to contact advertising reps and so on.

After you're happy with the result, spend the time and money to have it printed out and placed in a nice binder. Your managers should study the systems closely and follow them perfectly when running your business.

Michael Gerber, the world renowned author of the E-Myth put it best when he said: "If your thinking is sloppy, your business will be sloppy. If you are disorganized, your business will be disorganized."

I promise you this - if you think accurately and critically about each of these systems, your private investigation business will be better run, more organized and most of all, make you more money with less hassle!