In my business, I frequently receive calls and inquiries from agents who are looking for a big marketing breakthrough. When I ask about their marketing strategies and how I can help, they reply, "I'm not sure. I just want to know what's really working for everyone else."
Here's a newsflash: The next big thing is that there is NO next big thing. I don't mean to be negative, but seriously, marketing results are rarely achieved with one sizzling hot activity. Marketing isn't about one-hit-wonders. It's about consistently communicating with the right audience with the right message until that audience is ready to buy.
Effective marketing requires multiple mediums because people are different and they research, shop and purchase insurance in different ways. You'll always need some printed pieces because some buyers aren't Web savvy. You'll need a smart online presence, because 80 percent of insurance buyers go online to conduct pre-purchase research. You need exposure from third party vehicles such as articles, testimonials and case studies because some people never trust marketing-they prefer to gather information from less biased sources.
While there isn't one big thing that will revolutionize your growth, several small things add up to big results if you do them simultaneously.
Here's a quick checklist to get you started:
ONLINE
- Have you updated your Web copy in the last year?
- Is the writing lively? Does it bring your company's personality to life?
- Are you using your online real estate effectively - placing the most compelling content "above the fold" and placing your most important calls to action in the top right quadrant?
- Do you have a method of continuously refreshing your online content (like an RSS feed or blog) so that you enjoy optimal search engine results?
- Are you using Google AdWords to drive traffic to your site?
- Does your site include a strong call to action that tells users what to do next?
- Does your site motivate readers to take the next step by making compelling offers?
- Does your site have a short, easy-to-complete lead form?
- Are you using an e-newsletter to attract interested prospects and consistently stay in front of prospects?
- Are you publishing articles with online sources (such as Ezine Articles) to showcase your expertise and drive more traffic to your Web site?
- Are your brochures, newsletters and other sales tools up to date?
- Do they look like and communicate the same messages as your Web site so that you're presenting a consistent brand identity?
- Is your unique value proposition obvious? Will the reader understand what's in it for her?
- Are your printed pieces about you or about your clients? To figure this out, look at the first page and count how many times "you" or "your" is said or inferred. Now, count how many times your company name or "we" is said or inferred. If you're talking about clients (and you should be), the "you/you're" number should be higher or at least equal to the "we/company" number.
- Do your printed materials include clear calls to action that allows interested prospects to respond in multiple ways?
- Do your printed pieces include compelling offers to motivate readers to take the next step?
- Do your printed pieces include a business reply card? If they don't, you're not really asking for the sale.
- Do your printed pieces drive prospects to your Web site more information?
THIRD PARTY VEHICLES
- Are you publishing articles in magazines that your clients read, such as trade journals or the local business magazine? This is free advertising that if far more effective than any ad because it's perceived as highly credible.
- Have you developed client success stories (case studies) to humanize your offering? Everybody loves stories and they want to know what works for businesses like theirs. Case studies fit the bill.
- Have you bolstered the credibility of your print and online tools by incorporating customer testimonials?
By Heather Sloan. Heather Sloan is the President of InsuranceCopywriting.com. Heather has been helping insurance professionals grow their businesses for more than 15 years. To learn more, visit http://InsuranceCopywriting.com/ - make sure to request your free report, "Ten Marketing Mistakes That Are Costing You Sales Right Now!" And for more tips and advice, subscribe to Heather's newsletter, "Insurance Marketing News."
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