Even then, most of the time we find ourselves struggling to pay an overdue with more piling up every day.
It could be something as simple of understanding what SEO work actually needs to be done and how valuable it is.
Then it becomes a matter of making one small bet after another and the next thing you know you're pushing the limits of the site instead.
That's what I talk to Kim Wood, of Toby & Merril Insurance, about as she works on paying hers.
You might be surprised how easy it is to drive traffic and awareness to your on both LinkedIn and Instagram.
It really comes down to knowing your target market and when the best time to deliver the message.
That's what my friends Avery Moore, of ECI Insurance and Terry Grier, of Strive Insurance, discuss before dinner on the first night of Elevate 19.
That starts by trying to capture the most complete data picture you can.
That allows you to go on the value offensive and be ready to help before the problem happens.
Then your agency also has the opportunity to relevantly exist on multipule channels to create a truly effective branding experience.
That's what I talk to Greg Elsberry, of Cole Information, about how they help get everything started.
Make sure to connect with Greg:
It's always the first and easiest thing to mess up when starting your content journey.
There needs to be the same if not more attention paid to that handful of words as is to the entire piece.
Almost always it starts by dramatically underestimating just how specific you need to get for people to find you.
That's what I talk to Allen Drew, of the Allen Drew Agency, about he's trying to find his right spot.
It’s also about how much you give and listen.
Paul Steele, VP of Martin & Zerfoss, explains exactly how he finds, nurtures and retains his best clients.
From determining who he should schedule time with up until who he asks for a referral, every step of his Paul’s process has been crafted with intentionality and care.
The result?
A book of business that…well…keeps on giving.
Because if it's truly important to the success of the agency and you're not getting it done, it's your job to find someone who will.
Of course, most of that is easier said than done, but no matter what your first step should be to break the minimum knowledge threshold.
That simply means learning enough to know if you're the guy for the job or what you need to expect from someone else if you aren't.
That's what I talk to Nick Thalhammer of Cincinnatus Insurance, about as identifies where he wants to improve.
Which is certainly good news for new agencies that just need someone willing or able to take a chance on them.
It's always hard to bet against the person with the most motivation (see incentive) to succeed.
Especially if they're focused on what's going to work tomorrow with the discipline to do what's necessary today.
That's what I talk to Chris Cline, of Westfield, about as he outlines what they need to know to bet on the future.
Make sure to connect with Chris:
Understanding that importance moment to moment and policy to policy is a mindset shift that changes the game.
Traditionally we would be met with excuses about why such actions and behaviors weren't possible.
The exciting part now is that seems to be a thing of the past as major players in the industry are carry tons of forward momentum.
That's what I talk to Amy Shore, President of P&C Sales and Distribution at Nationwide, about how they're making it a reality.
Make sure to connect with Amy:
Growing your book to reach a different destination takes a level on intentionality rarely discussed.
Sure, there is certainly a time and a place for selling anything you can, however, the sooner you don't the faster you'll get there.
The ultimate test is what happens when you have more business than you know what to do with.
That's what I talk to Jared Bellmund, of AllChoice Insurance, about as he works on getting where he wants to go.
Unless you’re Scott Greene and Ethan Dewhurst.
Two guys who set out with one goal: to do something that hadn’t yet been done before in insurance.
Years later, they’ve not only created multiple videos that have gone “viral” in their community….and won themselves attention, business and trust.
But they’ve also shown the insurance industry what can happen when you don’t use “professionalism” as an excuse.
Just imagine how high that average would be if you dedicated a disproportionate amount of time to the people closest to you, physically and philosophically?
That's quite possibly one of the most dangerous combinations for personal growth that exist in the known universe.
If you don't believe me, try it. It's nearly impossible to not find those people pushing you to reach achievements far beyond anything thing you thought was possible.
That's what I talk to Landon Bentham, of Callahan & Rice Insurance, about exactly how many people he could easily be surrounding himself with.
Having an agency that runs itself when you're not around is a blessing most owners have yet to receive.
If not, there's a good chance you found the right people, implemented the right culture and/or fully empowered them to do so.
Missing just one of those steps is enough to send agency performance flying off the tracks in your absence.
That's one problem Jason Verlinde, of Verlinde Insurance, doesn't have as he shares exactly how it became his reality.
Those answers will allow your digital marketing to drive leads that finally create a return on that investment.
That's done by making sure your website is properly focused on delivering a uniquely different experience for prospects and clients.
Add in an abnormal size of integration and your agency marketing should have a hard time failing.
That's what I talk to Jason Walker, of Smart Harbor, about how they help you do what they're best at.
Connect with Jason:
Because it's that intimate knowledge that will give you the advantage of communicating in the most effective way.
The best part is you don't need a fancy InsurTech solution, instead, you might just need to pick up the thing that's been there from the start.
When you do, you'll be surprised at how much there was still left to learn and the headstart it gives to make people think you're the only insurance game in town.
That's what I talk to Michele Linca, of Linca Insurance, about her desire to make sure everyone knows she the place to be.
Used to.
As in, let that ship sail.
She happened into Facebook Advertising out of pure curiosity of the platform.
Invested time into learning.
Invested money into iterating.
And generated so many online insurance leads, she didn’t need to pick up the phone once.
Years later, after honing her skills, she’s an expert in the insurance Facebook Advertising space and has helped businesses all over the country boost their lead generation.
She’s here to share what the state of insurance Facebook Advertising is in 2019.
If you’re interested in Sandra’s new course, you can check it out here.
It's in this realization that leads to uncovering opportunities that are commonly ignored.
Occasionally they're dismissed for good reason, however, without the proper examination you'll never know for sure.
It's this localized testing that creates the most unique and possibly unexpected results others didn't have the patience to wait for.
That's what I talk to James Castell, of Castell Insurance, about how closely he listens to the people that keep sending him business.
The reality of the industry is much more process-oriented and focused on simplistic coverage tasks upon entry.
Combine that with a delayed licensing approach and its to see why the acclimation process is so challenging.
It's those abundant knowledge assumptions that make it hard to simplify insurance and deliver a better experience.
That's what I talk to Justin Goodman, of Total CSR, about how he's finally figured out a better way for everyone.
Connect with Justin:
The reality of the industry is much more process-oriented and focused on simplistic coverage tasks upon entry.
Combine that with a delayed licensing approach and its to see why the acclimation process is so challenging.
It's those abundant knowledge assumptions that make it hard to simplify insurance and deliver a better experience.
That's what I talk to Justin Goodman, of Total CSR, about how he's finally figured out a better way for everyone.
Connect with Justin:
The fancy technical term for this is 24/7 customer service and generally feels like it's out of reach for most agencies to provide.
The truth is, if you have the patience and give someone else a chance to do it, you'd be surprised at what's possible.
Pulling yourself and others in your agency away from the daily grind of low-level tasks will induce a level of freedom you never thought possible.
That's what I talk to Micheal Hunter, Founder of Insure Response, about what happens when your agency unlimited availability.
Connect with Michael:
If you can do that then you need to make sure you're providing just the right amount of necessary friction along the way.
That's an unstoppable combination of highly qualified lead bliss that can dramatically change the agency's complexion.
If you lose sight of those objectives along the way allowing your focus to drift beyond its scope you could be preparing its ineffectiveness instead.
That's what I talk to John Stuart, of Bill Quickel's Insurance Plus Agency, about his recent trip rebuilding his website.
The current insurance technology couldn’t bend in the ways he needed.
So, he looked further.
Outside the industry.
And he found more than just a suite of tools.
He found a deeper perspective on the insurance customer experience.
Recreating your creative process every time will leave the most important aspects of your content unattended
The truth is a simple template would do the job better and deliver more results.
Not only because it lets people know what to expect, but because it makes it easier for you to publish your way to success.
That's what I talk to Alex Dopazo, of Dopazo & Associates, about the importance of his process.
At first, this still might sound crazy, but you just have to be obsessed with highlighting the people who send you business.
Instead of waiting to be offered as an accessory to another sale, you control more of the conversation to define the context.
When you put those people in front of the right audience there's a good chance you won't have to ask for the business, it's willingly given to you.
That's what I talk to Brandon Straza, of American Option Insurance, about how he walked away from steady leads.
He’s been an agent for over 18 years and no longer writes accounts less than $50k.
He shares some of the mistakes he’s made over the past decade plus.
So you don’t make ’em too.
This is a back-to-the-basics-you-shouldn’t-get-wrong episode you don’t want to miss!
When that happens you realized the limitless potential you're provided to scale your outreach efforts.
It's only then will you start to realize the importance of knowing exactly what needs to be said to make it all happen.
If not, you could find yourself on a dangerous journey across bumpy content terrain that never leads to your desired destination.
That's what I talk to Taylor Garcia, of Jackson & Jackson Insurance, about as he starts to map his adventure.