To make it through rough financial times we as executive protection businessmen and women need to readjust our EP outlook with serious and committed new strategies. Don’t let worry weigh you down, get out and start building your business with these EP business tips.
1. Business of service. First and foremost we are in the customer service business and should develop a customer service attitude by placing the client first. Show your clients and prospects that they are respected, valued and are significant, that through your service and devotion you will keep them and their families safe by always acting in their best interest. When you focus on what’s right for the client and they see you are bound by a high code of ethics and customer service they will have no doubt in their minds to hire you.
2. Keep focused. Keep your mind focused, positive and strong, don’t run from tough financial times; use it as positive energy to keep goal-oriented each day and to increase your self-discipline in taking efficient action for retaining your current EP clients and attracting new ones. With the clients you do have try to increase the EP assignment volume. Let them know that you are not working only for a paycheck; you’re working because you love to do what you do.
3. Be cost-effective. Run a leaner, more cost-effective and efficient EP business; eliminate all clutter. Start conserving your cash, monitoring your cash flow, ensuring your EP business expenses and your lifestyle are in line with your accounts receivable. It should be your decision to be resilient and overcome any finical adversity in a cost-managed way.
4. Be friendly. People in the EP business tend to get stereotyped as muscular thugs with intimidating expressions. People keep their distance. This may be appropriate in some setting but not off-duty when looking for new clients. Broaden your horizons. Devote your off-duty time and attention to constructive and positive conversation with new people while keeping mild mannered.
When people ask what you do for a living, let them know that you protect people. If appropriate provide them with a business card and without exception let them know they can call you if they ever have a personal safety issue or question. Show a willingness to assist them, put a smile on your face; be attentive and respectful at all times. Prospective clients will have a much deeper respect for what you do and for the EP industry as a whole.
5. Preparation. As we are well aware, preparation is key in our strategic and operational EP duties. However we should now include EP business tactics in our daily prep. These tactics should include EP special offers, special pricing and alliances.
• EP special offers – promotions could include protective “Sleep, drive and fly” packages, “special family protective packages” or special promotions such as “December’s special 10% off executive armored vehicle”, etc. Get creative, get the word out and get some new clients.
• Short-run EP special pricing – such as a one-time-only special EP offers; special pricing decisions should be used as instruments to excite current clients into utilizing the service and attract new clients.
• Identify all appropriate alliances – to assist in providing the best most cost-effective services for your clients in conjunction with your EP services. Look for alliances that are also motivated by cost reduction and improved customer service or that welcome additional business. Clients want to get a good value for their money and forming alliances can help.
Now it’s your turn to take full advantage of the opportunities even in these tough times to improve your EP business by making better use of what you already have. Fight through all situations and win, be resilient and overcome any potential adversity. Your hard work will win if you apply it consistently. Keep safe and God speed.
Doc Rogers is the author of Corporate Executive Protection – A Manual for Inspiring Corporate Bodyguards and president and CEO of International Corporate Executive Protection Ltd. Doc has earned a Ph.D. in Security Administration from Southwest University and he is SE Asia’s leading expert on executive protection and corporate security. To learn how to make a full time living as a corporate bodyguard visit the websites below for more information.
http://www.trafford.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=182707
http://www.amazon.com/Corporate-Executive-Protection-Inspiring-Bodyguards/dp/1425135927
http://international-corporate-executive-protection.com/order.asp
Good ideas, but the market is so bad and has too many competitors, that the best solution to these terrible situation was to sell my business.
If you ever have an opportunity come your way, by God’s will, sell your company!!!!
I was blessed, now i’m back into the business I was in 5 years ago. God bless you and I forever.
Hucky nailed it! I like the idea about specials it worked well for us in both the uniformed and EP Divisions in 2010 , competition is tough in California!
After reading this I am going to talk to my Director of Ops (EP) and discuss some type of special event package idea as a New Year Special. As far as our uniformed rates they cannot go any lower, we are competing with bottom of the barrel companies in an increasingly violent culture almost ALL uniformed armed jobs we do are high risk and in a perfect world we would be charging DOUBLE (the market won’t bare it though right now), but what we CAN do is give them 200% of our BEST and we do, and we just got a call the other day from word of mouth on a uniformed job we did 3 yrs ago!
We are now looking into Advertising, this is a tough one it seems so hit and miss, any Advertising success stories for EP/Uniformed Armed Companies beside the website, cards, fliers and website? We even looked at Forbes wow-sticker shock there for that ad!
Thank you. Very true and very well said, Hucky.
Doc, this is a great article. And to be quite frank, I think many professionals in the industry need to concentrate on developing there EP business. One of the questions I’m asked most is “how do I find the work?” It can be very difficult to secure EP contracts, and I’d like to address what I perceive as a shortcoming in terms of landing good jobs: Self-Promotion.
There are different approaches to Marketing and you can determine which approach you need based on what stage your business is in. For example; if you are basically starting out which means not many people know of you, then your market approach at this point is – Public Relations – a good website will help with this, especially if you want to do assignments internationally.
You’re still working but at the same time you’re promoting yourself by doing a better than great job and then you ask your employers to give you testimonials/recommendations, most employers will be more than glad to recommend you to their family and friends provided that you have done a better than great job for them, and ask then if it is ok to post on your website these testimonials with pictures.
If they say- its ok, Great! but if they say no, then you must utterly respect that. As you become well known for doing a great job then all you have to do is allow your professionalism to do the marketing for you, which will translate into word of mouth which in this business is the best marketing you can have at little or no cost to you!! Also you might want to consider taking positions with companies that may not offer an EP job, but will help you in achieving your ultimate goal.
A company with a uniform division could help give you an entrance into the private security industry. If you have a specific corporation with an EP division that you think you would like to work for but they tell you to come back when you have a little experience, consider looking into working as an executive assistant to one of the officers of the corporation.
The more you are willing to do to better yourself and to show that you are the person that can get the job done no matter how big or small, whether it’s as uniformed security, loss prevention officer, tactical officer for a labor dispute or as the highly sought after executive protection agent, the farther you will go in this business. Become an asset in any position and not detriment.
Hucky
Gregory: Your kind comments are much appreciated. Keep safe and God speed.
Alonzo: Thanks so much for your continued support and professional point-of-view. Keep Safe and All the Best.
Good & timely info . Thanks for posting !
Great advice as usual. #1 and #2 are very true, in particular, and hard to “sell” to some of us so I’m glad you mentioned them. Those not willing to abide by that end up shooting themselves in the foot in my experience.