10 Ways for Bail Agencies to Thrive in 2010

• December 15, 2009
• by Collateral Staff
• Business Tips

All of the presents have been opened and the champagne bottles readied. 2009 has come to a close and it has been a trying year for many. It is in times like these that it is imperative to evaluate how your business has been performing and how it can be improved. The bail industry has been increasingly competitive and the same will be true in 2010. Your business can take these ten small steps to ensure that you will be celebrating this time next year.

1. Re-evaluate your goals from 2009.
Dust off your goals from 2009 and evaluate them. Did you take the necessary steps to achieve those goals? What did you hope to accomplish that you did not? Are there still a few goals left on your list? Determine if those goals are still relevant and add them to your list for this year. Once you have set and reviewed your goals, add weekly, monthly and quarterly reminders to your calendar. For example, add action items to your calendar such as 'track website hits' or 'make introduction with one criminal attorney this week'. Setting attainable goals on your calendar will remind you throughout the year to work towards those goals you set at the beginning of the year.

2. Focus on the Little Things When it Comes to Customer Service.
Customers are the most important aspect of any business, and one of the best competitive advantages that a company can have. This may sound basic, but many companies fail miserably when it comes to basic customer service skills. When a potential client contacts you, listen and sympathize with the caller and always refer to the customer by name. Simply using the client's name can help establish a connection with the client. Also, be sure to sound professional and avoid using slang when speaking with clients. You run a successful, professional business and that is a message you want to convey to every client during every communication.

3. Examine Everything.
In 1940, Dick and Mac McDonald sold their first hamburger. Today, McDonald's is the number one fast food restaurant in the world. McDonald's got to where they are today by examining every aspect of their business right down to the number of pickles that went on to each sandwich -- three. Examine your own business in this manner. Take a step back and evaluate what your business' strengths and weaknesses are. [Could you be more efficient by working while waiting at the jail? Would a wireless card and a laptop make your business more efficient?] Once you have a list of weaknesses, chose one to work on and develop an action plan of how to achieve that goal.

4. What Makes Your Company Different? Think Small.
With so many different bail bondsmen to chose from why do your clients choose you? Maybe you are the fastest, the most reasonably priced, have the best reputation or are the most convenient. Whatever your niche may be, it is crucial to understand what differentiates your business from the competition.

Once you have identified your niche customer base, evaluate how you can better reach them. What are the characteristics of your clients? You need to think as your customer would and focus your business on best serving that demographic. Your business cannot be everything for everyone. The key is reaching your niche group and determining what can your business do to serve them better.

5. Keep in Contact With Past Customers.
Did you know that according to the U.S. Department of Justice, 67.5% of prisoners released will be rearrested within three years? While the rest of the world would call people with multiple arrests repeat offenders, the bail industry refers to them as returning customers.

Although your clientele are not traditional, it is still expensive to acquire a customer and should be a priority to maintain contact. Build a solid, professional relationship from the beginning and maintain contact after your customers' sentencing. By establishing and maintaining a strong relationship you are more likely to gain repeat and referral business from your customers.

6. Maximize Your Marketing Dollars.
The first step to achieving smart marketing effectiveness practices is to simply track where clients are finding your company. If you are not already asking your customers how they found out about your services, now is the time to start. This will give you a good gauge on where you should invest your marketing dollars. Begin by distinguishing whether customers are finding you in print or online resources, or word-of-mouth referrals.

Scrutinize these numbers as they can be deceiving. Perhaps you receive inquiries from an ad source on an ongoing basis, which helps you during slow periods. You may find that your inquiries pique just after a print ad is released; or, you discover that only one client came from an advertisement, but that client makes up 30 percent of your business. Whatever your numbers are, use these statistics as a marketing guide in the coming year. By improving your marketing effectiveness you will improve your overall marketing strategy.

7. Increase Your Online Presence
Do you shop and research products online? The Internet has become a gigantic 'think tank' of information which is shared among consumers. More than ever, Americans are researching products and services before they purchase. As a service provider, how are you represented online? Do you have a strong website? Are customers finding you on the web? These are all questions you should be asking yourself. If you can't answer, or the answers don't look good it's time to re-examine your online presence.

There are a couple easy ways to increase your online presence, first update your website while maintaining a high level of professionalism. Make sure to include current contact information and your business objectives. Next, increase your online exposure by getting listed on valuable industry directories. AboutBail.com CEO, Adam Camras says, "It's easy to quantify your marketing dollars when you get listed on AboutBail.com. A single bond can pay for years of advertising which will put your business in front of an unlimited audience, including consumers and criminal attorneys."

8. Track Your Clicks
Take marketing effectiveness to the next level by fully understanding where your website traffic is coming from. Do you know how many people visit your website on a monthly basis? Do you know where those visitors are coming from? Do you know if your online advertisements are paying off?

Several years ago user data for websites was expensive and difficult to understand. Today there are free tools, like Google Analytics that provide this data with the click of a mouse. Install Google Analytics on your website to track your visitor numbers, see what keywords visitors used to find your website, how long they stayed on your site and if they came from a link provided on another site. Click here for more information.

9. Get Involved
Are you involved with your state bail association? How about a local chapter for networking with criminal attorneys? Keep it simple this year by choosing one association, networking group or community outreach program to join. By getting involved, you'll not only be informed on industry laws, events and trends, but you'll also have great opportunities to network with other professionals in your area.

10. Change Like the Seasons.
Think about how things have changed in your industry within the last 10 years. Now think about how things have changed within the last five years. Time moves fast and things change. What separates the profitable businesses from those that fail is how well they adjust to change. Having an outdated business practice is like hunting with a knife. It will get the job done, but to truly be successful and efficient you need some firepower.

Brainstorm creative new ways that you can do business. Utilize technology to improve customer interaction. If everyone does a task the same way in your industry, look for ways that your business can do it differently. Your customers' lives have changed over the years. Your business needs to change with them to still be considered viable in the bail bond industry.

Start 2010 with a bang, write your goals down, keep them at your office and read them on a daily basis. Use these ten simple steps to better your business this year and 2010 will be a big hit. Re-evaluate your goals, think small, examine everything, keep in touch with past clients, maximize your marketing dollars, track clicks, increase your online presence, get involved and continue to change like the seasons and you'll see a positive change in your business.