by Chris Jordan on August 17, 2010
Since starting The Agency Edge, I’ve had the privilege of working with many agents and agency owners, and I’ve also had dozens of conversations about the Internet as it relates to our industry. My goal here has always been to educate and help do my part to move the industry forward. With that said, you will see some changes to this site (as I find time to make them) and you will see some changes to the services I offer, and also how I deliver those services.
Starting 9/9 I will begin offering a free, weekly webinar series discussing Internet marketing & agency branding. My goal is to help inspire agency owners to try things to stand out more with their online presence, educate them, empower them, and help them develop a more complete online presence. In traditional marketing, our industry has the same look and feel… and while I do see more agencies popping up online (and a lot of agencies doing an incredible job of differentiating themselves!) there are so many more that need help.
So while the title of this update is a bit misleading (The Agency Edge has not gone anywhere), my edge as a professional in my industry is back. And I hope to provide the industry with as much value as I possibly can.
I’ll be releasing more details about this ongoing webinar series and some other changes later this week.
by Chris Jordan on June 14, 2010
Creating a Facebook page for your agency is not only a great first step towards building your agency’s web presence, but it is also an effective way to build a captive audience to maintain communication with. The technical details of creating a page are incredibly easy. The challenging part can be getting people to “Like” your page. In this article, I’m going to present a few simple ways to help you start gathering supporters. Before I get into any details, I want to mention that the most important part of starting your Facebook page should be developing a plan to determine what and how your agency will deliver messages and maintain communication using your agency’s page. Facebook users can actually choose to hide messages from any users and pages they are connected with. Delivering messages the wrong way may put you on the fast track to getting hidden. Just some food for thought. Plus, strategy makes everything better. I also want to emphasize that you shouldn’t get too wrapped up in how many fans your page has, but rather how your supporters will help you accomplish your goals. Quality not quantity.
Who do you know?
The first place I would suggest you go to look for Facebook fans is your current network of business and referral partners. Open up your rolodex. Who are the most influential and helpful people you have aligned yourself with? Find those individuals on Facebook and ask them to “Like” your agency’s page. If you own a larger agency, ask that your producers and CSRs do the same with their own respective networks.
B.O.B.
Next, look no further than your book of business. Seek out your policyholders on Facebook and ask them to support your agency’s page. If your agency deals primarily with commercial lines, find those business owners. There is no question that our industry thrives on renewals, referrals, and the relationships we have with our policyholders. Before you even think about trying to find new business with your Facebook page, take the time to connect with your current customers, especially the ones you know would be happy to sing your praises.
Little Things…
Make sure you put the web address to your Facebook page on every piece of collateral your agency has, including business cards. Don’t just say “Find us on Facebook” or show a Facebook logo… list the web address. Make it is easy as possible for people to find your page. Can I offer a tip to make you web address as clear and easy as possible? Visit http://facebook.com/username to assign your agency’s page a unique URL. For example, typing facebook.com/agencyedge in your browser’s address bar and you’ll find us on Facebook. Simple.
These are just a few ideas to help you begin building a Facebook following for your agency.
Always remember that it is the strategy behind your efforts that will help you get the best results. Building a fan-base on Facebook takes time, and again, it’s more important that you build a following that will yield results rather than just trying to get as many fans as possible.
