Page 8 - PPIAC 2021 - Annual Conference Presentation Materials 1_Neat

President’s Message

When I was young, there was a time when the economy was terrible, and
jobs were scarce. I asked my grandfather what the future would hold for my
generation. He thought about it for a minute, then responded with “Well,
we’re struggling right now, but trust me, it’s going to end, and things will go

back to being better than before.” That sounded nice, but not realistic, so I
pressed him for how long that would last. “Oh, for a good bit. Then things
will be bad for a while.”

With that bit of wisdom, I think we can all agree that we officially entered a
new struggle phase for our industry in Colorado on August 31, 2021, when
the Colorado PI License ended. While PPIAC will continue the fight to get a
new (and better) law on the books, here are some ideas for us to circle the
wagons and protect ourselves and our clients from the coming wild west in
an unlicensed state:

1. Now that the law is gone, our marketing message needs to be updated.
For now, being ‘licensed and bonded’ is out. Amateurs will be trying to
get your market share based on price. You need to justify your rates
based on experience (proof of results), and expertise (certifications,
etc.). Dropping your rates to match them is a recipe for disaster for

both you and our industry.

2. Maximize your member profile listing so it gets your message out.
Put a link on your own site to our Find a Member page. NOTE: We
have PPIAC web graphics for you to use on your own site. They’re in
your Members Area.

3. Get a PI license in another state and advertise it. It’s a way of
showing your clients your professional enough to be an actual licensed
investigator, even if Colorado doesn’t have that right now. NOTE: In
your Members Area we put a table of the state PI license requirements
for all 50 states.

4. Get professional insurance and use it for both protection and as a
marketing tool. Most amateurs don’t have it.