In today’s episode, we spoke to Emma Bradford and Samantha Katchen, two licensed insurance agents of Advocate Financial Partners, a brokerage in the insurance industry, who also specialize in retirement planning. Their expertise in their industry as well as marketing has led to them gaining success from a variety of marketing methods including using a combination of social media, calling people, hosting seminars, sending out mailers, and referrals from loyal clients who they have been working with for a long time. Bradford and Katchen discuss the importance of maintaining close and trustworthy relationships with clients. Tune in for all of this and more in this week’s episode of Staying Relevant!

In today’s episode, we talked about Excel Incorporated, a business that specializes in helping companies grow through business-to-business telemarketing. Excel Incorporated has found success in their unique ability to assign a specific member of their team to a client. As a result, that specific team member will work closely with the client and their needs to make them successful. Mitch was able to find out a lot about the multi-faceted company who has expertise in marketing and conducting business with all sorts of professionals ranging from accountants to manufacturing industries. Tune in for this and more in this week’s episode of Staying Relevant.

In today’s episode we talked about 27 Houses Interior Design’s efforts in consistency regarding social media posts. 27 Houses Interior Design has found successes in strategically planning when and where to post and found challenges in marketing to clients who may think that interior design is too expensive. Mitch was able to give insight into how founder Michelle Motyka maintains a strong social media presence while maintaining collaboration and budget-friendly services, and we even talked a little bit about how she came up with the unique name for her business! Tune in for this and more in this week’s episode of Staying Relevant.

Audrey Wancket Studios is a photography company located in Spring Grove, Illinois. At Wancket Studios, clients who wish to have a portrait taken can expect a museum style and quality in the final result. Audrey realizes that to some, taking a portrait can be daunting, but the end result is something that can last you and your family a lifetime to remember generations past. Audrey prides herself on being with her clients through every step of the way. She examines their homes to see if they prefer a more modern or traditional style, advises on where to best hang photos, and consults about their wardrobe of choice for the photoshoot. Audrey’s ideal client has a place in their heart for art, creativity, and family. Those who are looking for a unique piece of art that is unlike what most families have hanging on their walls would be well-advised to set up an appointment with Wancket Studios.

DeKind Computer Consultants proudly commit to the slogan “Determined, Dedicated, Dependable, DeKind.” Their determination, dedication, and dependability are of high importance considering the level of importance of IT in businesses. Founder Brian DeKind asserts that in order for your business to function properly, your IT needs to follow that example. They understand the importance of troubleshooting due to the widespread knowledge base among DeKind team members. Issues that the company frequently solves range from fixing to budgeting to planning to replacing. One of the benefits of their versatility is that they are able to do a lot of remote work, but are also able to come in on site and help solve issues in person. They enjoy providing that help in person and building relationships with clients. One of the challenges DeKind Computer Consultants faces is also their biggest asset: since their technicians are able to solve a multitude of problems that range in areas of expertise, technicians must be fluid in navigating from solving one issue to the next. Technicians must not only be skilled technical workers, but someone who is efficient across all fields including conversations and descriptions for clients who are not fluent in technology-filled language. Those who DeKind Computer Consultants is prepared to help include companies with anywhere from 5-500 workstations that are critical to what they do throughout the day.

Bankers Life Insurance Company’s mission is to help clients protect their financial security through providing information on how clients can manage their assets. Insurance and retirement are the company’s areas of expertise. With the target market of Bankers being clients from ages 50-85, a marketing challenge the company faces is how to reach their clients. To combat this challenge, Bankers provides tremendous support by sending literature about the company to people’s homes and also providing clients with personalized help. Despite the size and success of the company, the pride themselves on maintaining the feeling of a small, personalized grassroots business by going the extra mile.

Business Network International—more commonly referred to as BNI—is a business referral organization that gets you connected with people who have expertise in the area you are seeking. Whether a client is in need of a contractor, a group of people to give feedback on a sales pitch, or anything in between, BNI is well-suited to provide quality and reliable referrals and business advice to clients. BNI prides itself not only on referrals, but also building meaningful, long-term relationships - which is really what networking is all about. BNI’s target market is both businesses, and anyone who is looking to grow their business at all. Currently, there are 53 chapters to choose from in the Chicago suburbs. BNI is always looking for more leadership to get people to start chapters so that these networking opportunities can continue to help communities flourish.

Minuteman Press has an impressive reputation. The printing franchise boasts over 1,000 stores globally and 700 in America. Entrepreneur labeled Minuteman as the number one rated printed and marketing service in 2019. They have earned that title 28 times overall and 16 consecutive years in a row. The experienced team at Minuteman Press in Barrington, Illinois helps clients produce exactly the material they need to market their brand. One challenge the printing business faces is the ever present competition of online businesses. However, printing can be complicated. When shopping online, one may not know exactly the feel or color of the product they are purchasing. When one steps into Minuteman in Barrington, however, team members are able to help clients come up with their dream design by physically going to the stock shelves and presenting ideas to the client.

The show covers topics ranging from B2B and B2C companies, individuals starting up their own ventures, to how each of them can stay relevant within their industries. We discuss strategies they have executed – both successes and learning moments, as well as some new ideas that we will delve into on the show! We will get to know each of our guests on a more personal level as we discuss how they got into their roles, how they create change in their industry, and more.