Agency Nation Radio - Insurance Marketing, Sales And Technology

Starts by committing to something on a level that most would consider too risky or downright impossible. However, that's what it takes most of the time to get people's attention and motivate them to participate in real-world activities. Event marketing has far more to offer than free pens and stress balls to really show people what your agency is all about. Sometimes all it takes is looking around to see what's possible right next door. That's what I talk to Shannon Strobel, of Shermann Insurance, about the untapped potential that sharing a parking lot.

It definitely should if you can figure out a way to make sure everyone has a chance to see it before they talk to you. That might seem like the craziest homework assignment you've ever heard of, but it's certainly one of the most effective ways to scale your information. Think about all the time you would save if you stopped having the same conversation over and over again. Even if you were able to cut those conversations in half you'd take your family flexibility to a whole new level. That's what I talk to Alex Dopazo, of Dopazo & Associates, about how he's looking to hack time.

The first thing you have to do is make sure you're a part of it so there's a chance it's sold to you. There always some level of hesitation and avoidance with any insurance career especially if the agency runs multiple generations deep. But once you decide to jump in it becomes a constant game of trying to wear as many hats as possible at the same time. Because that's often the life of most modest insurance agencies, but that doesn't mean you can't do fun and interesting things. That's what I talk to Cheri Martinen, of Bancorp Insurance, about all the things she's done to keep the agency in the family.

It all starts by finding an accurate way to track the estimated value of every piece of business you sell. When that happens your agency unlocks unlimited possibilities to forecast your financial future and benchmark current progress. Things like employee engagement, productivity and profitability can then become very tangible and effective part of your data strategy. Starting with that simple piece of clean data can't be underestimated, regardless of how long it takes to discover. That's what I talk to Ryan Deeds, of Assurex Global and host of the Digital Broker Podcast, about his extensive experience combining agency data.

Might start with a conversation about expectations and how far your agency is willing to go to match them. Outside of that, there are a ton of challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining good young insurance talent. Even when you do find someone interested in the industry, there's a good chance their initial expectations are misaligned with reality. If that happens you certainly won't have to worry about them leaving for a bigger better company. That's what I talk to Taylor Garcia, of Jackson & Jackson Insurance, about as he reflects on a few times his new producers didn't work out.

If you're committed to playing the long game sometimes you need to wait a few years before something will work. It's possible that in those early days it barely scratches the surface of generating any useful business. However, if you're able to stay the course and keep your head above water the whole time, things could take off in a big way. That becomes substantially easier if you're able to find a place that doesn't make you feel crazy for wanting to try something different. That's what I talk to Kim Wood, of Toby and Merrill Insurance, about the confidence she's found to build her long term process.

It's amazing what can happen when you focus on creating repeatable actions that work. Things get even better if/when those actions start to happen automatically. That's when you know the only thing standing in your way is execution. The only thing you have to worry about is managing the flow to keep expectations consistent. That's what I talk to Jared Bellmund, of AllChoice Insurance, about the key he found to unlock his personal best.

When you start your insurance journey from scratch you rarely have moments of certainty. That's because you're experiencing everything for the first time and have to figure things out for yourself. There's no established legacy to lean on for support and offer experienced guidance. The only thing you have are the bold new proceses you've seen enough value from to define and repeat. That's what I talk to Adrin Monreal, of Monreal Insurance, about exactly how powerful his moment of validation was.

Because at the end of the day that might be the only thing you need for people to find you. Until you start creating playlists on your YouTube channel it's hard to see what your real focus has been. At that point, the numbers don't lie and there's no hiding from your real video marketing passion. The only question you need to ask then is if it's something you should continue doing. That's what I talk to Allen Drew, of Allen Drew Insurance Agency, about the videos he's made the most.

That depends on what's included in the total package. If it's not a highly useful set of tools that's when things get questionable. Because simply paying for the possibility of future updates is a tough ask. It's even harder when you realize going with a local option rarely offers the latest and greatest. That's what I talk to Nick Thalhammer, of Cincinnatus Insurance, about his overall approach.

The process should actually start long before you find yourself needing it. When your agency is always on the lookout for the next person, you're always ready for what's next. Because then you'll have the luxury of essentially viewing their application in realtime. Having observed their career from afar you'll know excatly what they are made of. That's what I talk to Kimiko Donahue, of Everything Insurance, about how her agency got started so fast.

Sometimes all it takes is a good talk to help line up the great ideas you want to record. Because that's the only thing left after you completely commit to video marketing at the highest level. Dedicating physical space and company culture to the idea are the two biggest way to really get things started. The only thing that's usually left is to give yourself permission to create mediocre for a little longer than you'd like. That's what I talked to Jay Mueller, of Camargo Insurance, about putting the finishing touches on their video strategy.

It doesn't matter how many you have, every single one represents a massive achievement. That's hard to fully appreciate on a small scale when the weight of each one feels too light to notice. However, when you approach your agency with the mentality of a master builder, you'll probably know where everything needs to go. The problems start when you refuse to think beyond what you can do (or sell) by yourself. That's what I talk to Sean Mooney, of Mooney Insurance Brokers, about the assembly he's looking forward to.

It certainly improves your chances the more intentional you are about the people close to your agency. Because it's great to be able to toss a wide insurance net, but it's also just as effective to shoot one that's specific. No matter how long you've been in the insurance game, it's always interesting to talk about the best place your business could go. Not to mention what could happen if you expand your mind and consider creating more serious partnerships with complementary people. That's what I talk to Brian Blakely, of Stonebridge Insurance, about how he went about his agency is currently set up.

It really starts with honesty and making sure it's treated like a real partnership. There's a decent chance a previous generation taught you to keep all your insurance companies at arm's length. Of course, it depends on the day that you want to decide your general proximity to any one of them. Because there's also strong logic for more transparency when it comes to the type of business they're hungry for. That's what I talk to Sarah Applegate of, Executive Insurance, about how she's starting to build hers.

It seems like an obvious thing to do yet remains fairly elusive in execution. Bringing out the humanity in your on-camera personality can happen a number of different ways. It could be as simple as starting with a basic one-to-one video addressing a specific client. Or it could take the shape of the many problems your clients have when trying to buy insurance. That's what I talk to Zach Basner and Myriah Anderson, of Impact, about how they've helped make people more relatable. Make sure to connect with Zach and Myriah: Zach on LinkedIn Myriah on LinkedIn Film School For Marketers Podcast

Things get really interesting when you realize you had it the whole time. It was just up to you to do something about it in a consistent and effective way. That can start by simply putting existing components together in a unique way to create something new. It's during that assembly process that you'll discover a new idea people can't stop talking about. That's what I talk to Alex Salmon, of The Salmon Agency, about how he creating things in his agency.

Because you should spend most of your time and effort on other things. Things like crafting a compelling message that makes people take action on what you want. That is something that can easily happen when you're able to create pages for their specific needs. It also helps if you can ask for the information you need to decide how serious they are and do something about it. That's what I talk to James Castle, of Castle Insurance, about the changes his agency is making.

Starts with the fact they are now the largest generation of adults in the country. If that's not enough, it turns out they value a trusted and experienced advisor as much as anyone. The problem is they're looking to start that relationship online and communicate through channel's we often neglect. Surprisingly though, they want someone to help properly explain their coverage and know exactly what they're buying. That's what I talk to Tyler Asher, President of Safeco Insurance, about the interesting research they've recently uncovered. You can read the full report here. 

Starts by finding a way to disrupt ineffective processes and reduce as many redundancies as possible. If you can do that, you'll have provided your clients with an application experience they'll never want to come back from. Because it's the annual redundancies and unnecessary information that ultimately take a toll on your their patience. No matter what, the more streamlined you try to make it, the better chance you'll have along the way. That's what I talk to Mike Furlong, of Indio, about how he's helping every agent make that process a reality. Make sure to Connect With Mike: Indio LinkedIn