Archive for the ‘Internet Marketing’ Category
What Acclaimed Creator, Producer and Writer, Chuck Lorre Can Teach You About Insurance
I am not a big TV fan but I noticed this past week that there is a theme in my TV watching habits. I LOVE Chuck Lorre productions. Over the years I was a BIG fan of “Will and Grace”, “Dharma & Greg,” “Roseanne”, “Two and a Half Men”, and my current favorite, “Big Bang Theory.” We Tivo “Big Bang Theory” and when I call out to the house..”Hey, anyone want to watch Sheldon?”…EVERYONE comes running.
I remember that “Will and Grace” was my husband and mine’s date night for years…We would scoot the kids to bed with much enthusiasm as we baked our contraband Pillsbury Slice and Bake Cookies and then sink into the family room couch with our tall glass of milk to watch our show. We reveled in the fact that this was our night where we didn’t have to share our chocolate chip cookies or watch “Arthur” on PBS. I started to think about it, and there are so many memories like that around a number of Chuck Lorre’s TV shows including our current favorites. My kids are much older now (and I have to share cookies no matter what time I bake them) but the allure of a Chuck Lorre production still rings true in our household.
When I realized this fact this week, it got me thinking..what can I learn from Chuck Lorre? He has had a long and prosperous career in an industry that is not known for long and prosperous lifetime anything’s. Hollywood is infamous for the love-them-and-leave-them type of careers. So what is it that keeps him relevant in such a fickle industry?
I did some research and one of the awards he won struck me. I was reading IMDB and this is what they said “In January 2009, Lorre kicked off the New Year when he was honored with the NATPE Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award for exhibiting extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision in the process of creating television programming and in evoking the spirit of Brandon Tartikoff’s generosity”. Wow, what an award. Do I have “extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision” in my industry? Do I have the type of drive to even create that type of environment in my business, with my clients and inside my community? I think as Insurance Agents, we have to think about this long and hard. What are we bringing to the table for our community? Are we just selling, filling out applications, and making sure we cover our butts for our E&O? If we are, it’s no wonder the #1 reason insured’s leave an agency is apathy. We give them nothing of ourselves, no reason to stay, no reason to refer us to their friends and family, no reason to trust us with their other policies.
What are you doing in your agency to deliver extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision? What are you doing in your community to exhibit these traits so you can be memorable and worthy of your customer’s business?
Let us know your thoughts on the topic and how you are making a difference in your agency, industry and in your client’s lives.
Why People Unsubscribe from Email Lists
Emails that work for you
You’ve worked hard to build your email list and put a lot of time and effort into setting up a marketing campaign…. Then you start to see your unsubscribe numbers climbing, what’s wrong? A recent study revealed the most common reasons people unsubscribe from your list:
- 54% say emails come to frequently
- 49% state content is boring or repetitive
- 47% say the volume of total emails is overwhelming
- 25% consider the email content was irrelevant from the beginning
Let’s review some tips on how to keep your subscribers engaged, interested, and looking forward to your next email:
Don’t overwhelm subscribers with too many emails in too short a period of time. Think through what you want to accomplish with your email campaigns and the audience you are appealing to; new prospects may require more touches for a shorter period of time, and well established clients may only need periodic updates or reminders over a longer time span.
Don’t send out irrelevant content. Make sure the message is on target for that specific audience. Make sure the content is fresh and timely. Don’t let a time crunch or lack of attention on your part seduce you into simply recycling old articles!
Do use emails to create your unique brand with your subscriber list. This is an excellent opportunity to provide valuable insights and content that will increase the recipient’s inclination to open your email and never think of unsubscribing.
Do use a long term email marketing plan that incorporates an automated emailing system that assists you in delivering a consistent, timely message over a specific period of time. Not only can you determine the message, the timing and the length of time, but take the opportunity to develop a branding relationship with your email campaigns.
While you can’t control the overall volume of email subscribers receive, you can increase your open ratios by providing relevant, timely, on target content and build your brand as a valued resource!
Why Upgrade Your Selling Skills?
With all the advances in communication technology, our ability to access information 24/7 has never been greater. It would follow that it MUST be easier and quicker to make a buying decision. I submit, that in many instances, buyers face information overload and decisions are delayed or put off because the decision making process has become more complex. Additionally, the recent economic downturn has made buyers more careful with their available financial resources.
As the buying decision grows more complex, it is essential for those that sell to upgrade their selling skills. To achieve long term growth, you must constantly evolve and improve as a salesperson.
The sales environment has changed. All of us face compressed time issues. We wear multiple hats at work and spend more time interacting with work thru email and text messaging on our mobile devices, which equates to more hours of work! Not to mention normal family activities and functions, that result in a busier 24 hour+ hour day! Maximize your points of contact with a client, don’t waste their time and they will appreciate it and be more willing to listen to your message in the future.
Prospects are more savvy. They grow immune to the same old worn out phrases, expressions and pitches; at some point it just becomes background noise. Find a way to brand yourself as a unique resource, an industry expert and person that provides value and a solution to their needs.
It requires multiple contacts to get the prospect to a point to make the buying decision. Your competition is out their working too! It can take 6-10 points of contact over an extended period of time to get the sale. Utilizing a customizable Drip Email Campaign provides timely, consistent communication with a prospect as they work through the decision making process.
Contact us at AgencyIQ and let us assist you with designing a unique, powerful drip email campaign for prospects, cross selling to existing clients and higher retention ratios for long term customer relationships.
Top Online Marketing Trends for 2012
If you don’t have an online presence, 2011 was the year for you to make the move online! If you still don’t have an online presence, things let’s get focused for 2012 and review the list below to see how you can maximize your impact with online marketing.
- Social media marketing goes mainstream. Corporate use of social media has reached a tipping point and will continue to grow inside organizations, especially in customer service. Social ad spending has grown from $2.52 billion in 2009 to $4.26 billion projected in 2011.
- Gone mobile. The evolution and adoption smartphones has taken the market to a very mobile environment. Over 30% of cell phones are smartphones and that category is growing. While email remains the dominate use of smartphones, the explosion of mobile apps creates a tremendous opportunity for mobile marketing. The ability to search on the go is providing a huge marketing opportunity for those willing to participate.
- Online retail is gaining traction. Online retailers continue to take market share from the traditional brick-and-mortar retail stores. While still a small percentage of total retail revenue, it is projected to grow from $166 billion to $235 billion in 2013. Social media will continue to expand its influence due to its ability to target and appeal to consumers early, often and in a cost effective manner throughout the decision making phase.
- Intergration is a reality. Social media marketing is no longer a nice afterthought or “toy” to play with. The new paradigm is a total marketing plan that incorporates social media, mobile, email and traditional methods (TV, print, radio, etc…). All of these methods will mesh together to present a new comprehensive marketing environment.
- Measuring the results. As the dollars invested in social media marketing increase, tracking, measuring and analyzing results will be required. Better social media metrics will be developed to justify the financial investment based on ROI,
As you begin your marketing initiatives for 2012, keep these trends in mind and incorporate online, social media and mobile device marketing campaigns in your plan.
New Year – NEW FEATURES in 2012!
New AgencyIQ Features
Happy New Year 2012! A new year brings new OPPORTUNITIES…. and AgencyIQ has rolled out New Features that will have a positive impact on your marketing in 2012. The best news is….. they’re FREE!
*Upgraded Email Certificate – promotes improved deliverablity and open ratios for emails to your prospects and clients….FREE!
*Newsletters - send a monthly Newsletter to up to 2,000 recepients per month….FREE!
*Mirrored Emails - receive emails to any email address outside of AgencyIQ… great for mobile applications or remote use and keeps a record of all of your correspondence…FREE!
ALL of these New Features are fully integrated into the AgencyIQ workflow platform and create a fully robust Marketing System for your agency!
Check out these new features in our “Lunch-n-Learn” webinars on Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00pm CST. You can also learn more about Newsletters by clicking on the following link Webinar Schedule
AgencyIQ is excited to bring these Powerful, New Tools to you for 2012….
Let us help you Grow with our AgencyIQ Marketing System!
AgencyIQ Newsletters are AVAILABLE!
AgencyIQ Newsletters
AgencyIQ has rolled out another powerful tool to engage your prospects and clients while building your brand. Newsletters are the perfect compliment to an on-going drip email campaign. With AgencyIQ, you now have the ability to coordinate your drip email efforts with the “POP” of a well timed Newsletter.
Newsletters are a great way to:
*Cross-sell
*Send reminders to review coverages
*Provide emergency contact info in case of a disaster
*Seasonal and Holiday greetings
*Build your Brand and Relationships
As an AgencyIQ subscriber, you have the ability to send a Newsletter to 2,000 receipents per month….. FREE! Additional mailings are available, contact us for rates.
We want to help you with implementing your Newsletter campaigns, so visit our webinar schedule and register online! Our Webinar Schedule will feature a series of Sessions devoted to Newsletters!
Mirrored Emails….What’s That?
View Training Video
When the Tech Team came out with this feature, I was like…Uh-Oh… What is it and how do I explain it? Turns out it’s Very Simple and VERY COOL! This new feature allows you to store all of your email correspondence inside AgencyIQ AND in another email address. So, for example, you receive an email into AgencyIQ, it will also show up in your Outlook or other email address. Many of you have requested this feature and now its functioning inside your AgencyIQ account. Follow these steps to activate this feature in AgencyIQ:
*Go to “My Settings” in the top right hand corner
*Click on the “Email Configuration” Tab
*Type in your “Mirrored Email Address” in the 2nd Box
*Click “Save”
That’s it! Now, anything you do inside AgencyIQ or your other email address server will be “mirrored” in both accounts. If you’re on the move or don’t have time to sign into AgencyIQ, you can still see all of your correspondence inside your other email address. This also provides accurate tracking of ALL of your email correspondence with clients, no matter if it orignates from AgencyIQ or your other email address!’
If you have any questions about this NEW feature or any of our other NEW features that have rolled out in the last few weeks, visit our website www.agencyiq.net and contact us for assistance or an overview of all of our new features!
Improved Email Deliverability in 2012
Increase Your Exposure
AgencyIQ has recently UPGRADED our email delivery performance by partnering with SendGrid. This new partnership will dramaticaly increase email deliverability and open ratios for emails sent through AgencyIQ. Without boring you with a lot of technical details, simply put, this higher certification rating will result in more emails getting through filters and security because of our “good email citizenship” rating with this certificiation platform.
So what does this mean for you and your agency?
(MORE DELIVERIES + MORE OPENS)+MORE CLIENTS = $$
The best news is that all of this happens behind the scenes, so you don’t have to do anything different…AND… IT’S FREE! By being a subscriber to the AgencyIQ system, you are the beneficiary of our constant, on-going efforts to bring you the most up-to-date, innovative technology and workflow tools to help you grow your business!
Contact us today at AgencyIQ
Selling with the Stars
People often buy based on emotion and then use logic to support their decision. Hollywood has perfected the art of tapping into our emotions: happy, sad, anger, fear, and hope to name a few. What lessons can sales people learn from Tinseltown to increase our success in business?
- Know their emotional motivation – which of the 4 major emotions is driving your customer’s need? Glad, Sad, Mad and Fear are powerful motivators, knowing where your customer is coming from will help you tailor your approach to showcase the value of your product and service.
- Create a Unique Brand/Image – in the movies, they used “hooks” to get your attention and keep you interested. Think of all the classic lines, unique names, theme music and character names that are iconic in our culture. Bogart, Grant, Taylor, Bergman, Hitchcock are still relevant names in our society. Find your unique brand or tag line and use it to set yourself apart from your competition.
- Customize your message to the Audience – “Toy Story” appeals to a much different audience than “Star Wars” or “True Grit”. Know your audience and target your approach to appeal to their sensibilities. Some people prefer “formal” instead of “informal” approaches. Don’t expect a “one size fits all” approach to yield the level of success you want to achieve.
- Cover the Details – ever watch a movie and catch the lack of continuity between scenes? My youngest son loves to catch those inconsistencies in a movie and point them out to me. You know what I’m talking about; the clock in the background shows 10:00am in one frame, they pan away and come back to the clock within a few additional frames and now it shows 5:30pm! Make sure you have your facts straight and details covered. This builds confidence and loyalty with your customer.
- Edit – that age old adage “less is more” is very true! Cover the relevant facts and shut up. Let the customer talk, they will tell you a lot if you give them a chance. Truly listen to what they are saying and you will gain invaluable insights into their motivations and needs.
- Tell Good Stories – the customer has to feel like you relate; that you share common experiences, can empathize with their needs and help them with their situation. Showing you can offer relevance, value and put their interests first, will help build long term relationships.
AgencyIQ Introduces New Auto Dialer Feature!
AgencyIQ announces the addition of our new Auto Dialer feature to the suite of products inside the AgencyIQ marketing system. Speed to contact is the key to success with inbound leads. With the addition of the Auto Dialer, AgencyIQ now provides multiple channels to immediately contact new leads. Fully integrated with all the features of AgencyIQ, the Auto Dialer is another power tool to convert leads into clients.
Let’s take a look at the Auto Dialer features:
- Automatically dials new Internet leads imported into the AgencyIQ system
- Makes multiple attempts to auto connect within the First 48 Hours
- You determine the number that shows on Caller ID
- Follow Me Calling – offers the ability to call from any number
- Pre-Recorded Messages
- Customizable/personalized message feature
- Multiple message options
- Automatically integrates with the AgencyIQ system
- Click to Call – click on any phone number inside the AgencyIQ system and connect automatically
- Click to Dial Queue Calling
- Automates follow up calls from inside the AgencyIQ system
- Reduces time between calls for more contacts per hour
- Call Activity Reports
- Pay As You Go – you set your budget
- Pay per minute = $.08/min
- No Contracts
- No Set Up Fees
We have informative webinars for you to see the dialer yourself! Sign up online to attend this FREE webinar.
As you can see, the Auto Dialer not only provides speed to contact, it is also fully integrated with all the tools inside AgencyIQ. We’d love to show you more features for the new Auto Dialer system. Visit us at agencyiq.net to see additional information and sign up to attend one of our special webinars focusing on the Auto Dialer.
