Insurance In Your Words

If you don't, there's a good chance everyone is going to walk away disappointed in the outcome. This is certainly a common challenge we face in the industry that is somehow rarely discussed. It's also amazing how rare it feels to consider specifically defining the value we need to provide. It's that definition that will lay the groundwork for creating repeatable capabilities that are profitable. That's what I talk to Jared Bellmund, of All Choice Insurance, about as he shares his level of acceptance.

No matter what anyone says, we're all still trying to figure out this insurance thing together. It never stops regardless of how long you've been in the business, the only thing that can change is the people you find to help figure it out. That is by far one of the most powerful things that can happen to your insurance career. You just can't be afraid to take a chance to get out of your comfort zone and physically find those people. That's what I talk to Landon Bentham, of Callahan & Rice Insurance, about how fired up he is to give it one hundred percent.

It really depends on the level of importance you allow it to occupy in your agency. Because it's the one thing that's hard to quantify and even harder to control. Yet, it's the first thing you demand of someone or something when approaching them about your agency. Expecting a front line vendor or entry-level employee to expertly apply it to the most important parts of your business. That's what I talk to Michele Linca, of Linca Insurance, about how she can put a value on hers.

It's possible you've put yourself closer to the sale and increase the chance they'll stick around. Because no matter what the internet can do, you still remember and feel different about the people you meet in person. It's also become such a tough thing to successfully pull off, anyone who does will certainly stand out to the people looking. At the end of the day, that's all everyone is trying to do, it's just a matter of finding the right thing. That's what I talk to James Castell, of Castell Insurance, about the number of people he meets.

There's a good chance you won't end up doing anything because even the simple things will feel hard. That's certainly a very common occurrence when agents are getting started with digital marketing. Of course, you want everything to be perfect because things live forever on the internet. But, you'll never have all the answers or be able to predict how your marketing conversation can change. That's what I talk to Ryan Anderson, of Alliance Insurance, about a few areas he might be thinking too much about.

Honestly, it should be as important as you can afford and maybe even a little more. The opportunity that comes from distributing information consistently on the internet is amazing. That opportunity is equally rewarded everytime you provide it with more dedication and resources. Which culminates in a joyful marketing celebration of activities and skills only you are uniquely qualified to do. That's what I talk to Alex Dopazo, of Dopazo & Associates, about his journey and how he plans to get there.

It's not as tricky as you might think, but it will probably take longer than you want and shouldn't be where you start. Because people are always going to care about their problem first and how you can help them solve it. Once you've demonstrated your ability to that multiple times then it becomes more important for them to hold on to something other than insurance. It's this combination that allows you to create an attachment point so strong they won't want to do business with anyone else. That's what I talk to Taylor Garcia, of Jackson & Jackson Insurance, about how it happened to him.

It usually starts when you notice you're not getting chances you never had to worry about before. When that happens it normally means you forgot to refill that clients value bucket at some point. Because the fuller you keep the less you have to worry about anything going wrong. The easiest way to keep if full is by constantly being proactive and maintaining the relationship in the most convenient way possible. That's what I talk to Kim Wood, of Toby & Merril Insurance, about her new mission to stay ahead of everything.

Just takes being crazy enough to hit the right speed and smart enough to find the right angle, the rest will take care of itself. Of course, every word in that sentence is easier said than done and ends of getting the best of most insurance marketing efforts. That's not to say it's impossible, rather help set the proper expectations for the vast array of skills needed to pull off a successful launch. Because even the slightest miscalculation can send your intentions spiraling down to earth no matter how close it gets. That's what I talk to Sean Halpin, of MJH Insurance, about how he managed to do and what could have made it better.

It might not be bad at all as long as you know exactly what you're getting your agency into. That could be true for literally almost anything in life, but especially true when deciding on/if your agency needs to cluster up some companies. The interesting part about the whole thing is how the insurance companies themselves are the ones giving all the power to That is of course instead of loosening their grip on the appointment process and reduced their accumulated leverage. That's what I talk to Nick Thalhammer, of Cincinnatus Insurance, about the details of his deal.

The only way to know is to try and find enough people who also care about it as much as you do. Then you'll truly be able to gauge the level of impact you can have and if that will translate to the bottom line. If both of those things don't become true statements then that's a good indication your not thinking big enough. Because it's okay to think big as long as you've done the work to fulfill it. That's what I talk to Jared Bellmund, of AllChoice Insurance, about as he gets serious about finding his.

There's a good chance you have plenty, it's the other people involved in the process that could use a little more. It might seem obvious, but it's certainly one of the easiest things to overlook and potentially be unaware of. Because without the proper incentive the only thing you're doing is piling on work that doesn't matter. If you're hoping to scale your agency to the next level that work needs to come with a reason to accomplish it. That's what I talk to Landon Bentham, of Calahan & Rice Insurance, about who and how he wants it done.

That depends on how often it happens and how much you need them to do something. It's never easy bringing in a new human being into your agency, sometimes it works great, sometimes not so much. A more interesting question to ask might be if they need work on-site or remote? Because it all really comes down to what you need done and understanding the value of their proximity. That's what I talk to Michele Linca, of Linca Insurance, about her need for someone new. P.S. You can definitely meet a ton of new agents at Elevate 2019 that can change your agency.

If you want to get better faster you're going to want to ask for as much qualified feedback as you can get. When you become fearless of people's opinions of your work, an endless sea of possibilities become available to you. There will also come a point where not every piece of feedback you get will be worth listening to. That will be the first sign you're getting good and are starting to really know your stuff. That's what I talk to Avery Moore, of ECI Insurance, about how her positive her desire for criticism will become. P.S. Did you know Elevate 2019 is going to over 48 hours of the best feedback you'll ever get.

If it sounds like you've heard this before, it's because there's a very good chance you have. That doesn't stop it from being true and one of the most difficult things to overcome when getting starting with content. It's very natural to want to chase perfection when putting your thoughts, ideas and information on the internet for anyone to see. Because sharing those thoughts creates a level of vulnerability most insurance agents aren't automatically conditioned for. That's what I talk to Ryan Anderson, of Alliance Insurance, about as he practices being comfortable with imperfection. P.S. You can practice implementing imperfection here.

There's a good chance other things in your agency still get in the way of consistently creating content. Don't worry, it happens to everyone, the bigger question is how do you respond to it and make it harder to happen again? That's the most important lesson to learn from any content disruption by allowing it to identify weaknesses in your process. The stronger it gets the more consistent opportunities you'll provide your agency with to attract the right clients online. That's what I talk to Alex Dopazo, of Dopazo and Associates, about the machine he's trying to build. P.S. Elevate 19 is the perfect place to learn how to make your process unstoppable.

They'll never last forever, but there are a few key things you can do now to give them a chance. Because the truth is there's nothing worse than watching a video continue to rack up views and look terrible doing it. Especially when a majority of that frustration can be avoided by paying a little attention to the details. It's those details that will make your video setup feel like overkill now but still performing at a high level years from now. That's what I talk to Taylor Garcia, of Jackson & Jackson Insurance, about as he steps up his long-term video game. Gear mention in the episode: Canon 80D Canon 10-18mm lens Canon 16-35mm L Series lens (f/ 2.8) Canon 16-35mm L Series lens (f/ 4) Rhode Video Micro P.S. You never know when a good video gear conversation is going to break out here.

It will forever be a debate what you should say to clients when you don't need to talk about insurance. It's a debate that will never have a right or wrong answer, rather results of many different successful outcomes. The common thread that will likely string them all together is consistency and confidence in the messages that you share. The simple fact of owning the stories you tell instead of feeling obligated to share them will set you apart. That's what I talk to Kim Wood, of Toby & Merrill Insurance, about her experience trying to get remembered. P.S. Some people have said coming to Elevate has instantly made them more memorable. You should try it.

This is actually the best way to understand the difference between an effective Facebook or YouTube video strategy. If you don’t take the time to think about how, when and why someone is coming across your video and what they might want to do when they’re done, now would be a good time to start. It’s those intentions that will help you craft the perfect message to be found at the perfect time for someone to take the perfect action. That’s what I talk to Ryan Sautman, of Just4You Insurance, about as he retells tales of making people miss him. P.S. This is a really good place to learn how to make people miss you. 

It’s going to take longer than you think and be riskier than want. Because there's something that got you to where you are right now that's uniquely different than everyone else. If you’re lucky enough to figure it out you’ll have an advantage most won't be able to overcome. However, the hardest part is being patient enough and realize that it's something you won't be able to assemble overnight. That’s what I talked to Jessica Burch, of Bryce Point Insurance, about as she recalls her path to building her own insurance secret weapon. P.S. Get weekly instructions on building that weapon here.